The RN is going to be restricted in what it can afford to do over the next few years, but I do think is should put as much resources as it can into showing the flag, not to match some non existent Chinese imperialism, but to promote trade/exports.
Not just joint exercises and visits, but virtually all procurement should be seen as an opportunity to: export or counter trade to achieve exports or strategic joint venture (particularly Brazil/India). If something does not look like it will be exportable we really shouldn’t be trying to develop it in the UK. All in the past, but why didn’t we share the CVF carrier design with India (even Brazil) as well as France? I would put virtually everything up for sale, so buyers have the option to buy: new, slightly used or second-hand or combination (car firms do this creating a demo fleet/near new market). The RN can then back fill the orders.
This is important to help exports/reduce unit cost and maintain industrial infrastructure, but vital for the RN to help its image. The RN does not look like it has fared well out of the defence review, some of this can be put down to Afghanistan but it also needs to ask itself how is it viewed by the British people and Government. Yes people are proud of it but how relevant is it to people’s lives? In London Boris is pushing to triple the number of Special Constables not to use them as cheap police (probably some of that though) but to help with the profile of the Met; If most people know someone in the police it will help break down barriers. Maybe the RN should take a similar approach, expand the role of the RNR; ensure all ships in home waters have a high percentage of RNR and smaller ships like the MCMV just a skeleton regular crew. It may also save some money.
Trade and exports are obviously hugely important to the Coalition Government; the current trade mission to China follows a similar visit to India and will be a theme of this government. When Thatcher came to power, the mandarins in the Foreign Office looked down on trade and saw it on the same level as consular services; she reverses this and put it at the highest political levels. I suspect the RN takes the same approach, why not let suppliers pay commissions/bonus to RN officers that achieve sales….a modern day prize system?
Huge export deals done with Typhoon (Tornado before them) help the RAF’s case. I struggle to find anything similar in the RN. We have spent billions on: missiles, torpedoes and ships, that no one has bought. In the behind the scenes battles over the last few months the RN needs to ask who’s side was BAE and why?
The RN should remember that Coalition has been fairly public in stating if it could have cancelled the QE/PW it would have. Construction because it’s cheaper to build than cancel is not a sound basis for their future. Will there be lingering resentment of them in the Government? The CVA-01 cause was not helped by carriers association with the Suez Crisis.
Not just joint exercises and visits, but virtually all procurement should be seen as an opportunity to: export or counter trade to achieve exports or strategic joint venture (particularly Brazil/India). If something does not look like it will be exportable we really shouldn’t be trying to develop it in the UK. All in the past, but why didn’t we share the CVF carrier design with India (even Brazil) as well as France? I would put virtually everything up for sale, so buyers have the option to buy: new, slightly used or second-hand or combination (car firms do this creating a demo fleet/near new market). The RN can then back fill the orders.
This is important to help exports/reduce unit cost and maintain industrial infrastructure, but vital for the RN to help its image. The RN does not look like it has fared well out of the defence review, some of this can be put down to Afghanistan but it also needs to ask itself how is it viewed by the British people and Government. Yes people are proud of it but how relevant is it to people’s lives? In London Boris is pushing to triple the number of Special Constables not to use them as cheap police (probably some of that though) but to help with the profile of the Met; If most people know someone in the police it will help break down barriers. Maybe the RN should take a similar approach, expand the role of the RNR; ensure all ships in home waters have a high percentage of RNR and smaller ships like the MCMV just a skeleton regular crew. It may also save some money.
Trade and exports are obviously hugely important to the Coalition Government; the current trade mission to China follows a similar visit to India and will be a theme of this government. When Thatcher came to power, the mandarins in the Foreign Office looked down on trade and saw it on the same level as consular services; she reverses this and put it at the highest political levels. I suspect the RN takes the same approach, why not let suppliers pay commissions/bonus to RN officers that achieve sales….a modern day prize system?
Huge export deals done with Typhoon (Tornado before them) help the RAF’s case. I struggle to find anything similar in the RN. We have spent billions on: missiles, torpedoes and ships, that no one has bought. In the behind the scenes battles over the last few months the RN needs to ask who’s side was BAE and why?
The RN should remember that Coalition has been fairly public in stating if it could have cancelled the QE/PW it would have. Construction because it’s cheaper to build than cancel is not a sound basis for their future. Will there be lingering resentment of them in the Government? The CVA-01 cause was not helped by carriers association with the Suez Crisis.
