Hc2 Defence: Fill & Download for Free

Throughout the 2020s we will be looking at a full operational carrier strike group (as in primary combat operations but not full wartime) with one Type 45 Air Defence Destroyer, one or two Type 23 or Type 26 Anti-Submarine/Multi-Role Frigates, at least 1 Tide-Class Tanker/Replenishment Vessel and possibly - certainly if part of a larger task force - several other RFA vessels, and finally it is likely there will be at least one Dutch Guided Missile Frigate for air defence on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s first deployment and possibly onwards. Additionally Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines may also be present.Overview:Humanitarian/Low Risk Deployment1 Queen-Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier1–2 Frigates/DestroyerMission Specific VesselsCombat Operations Deployment1 Queen-Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier24 F-35Bs9 Merlin HM2 ASW Helicopters5 Merlin AEW Helicopters38 aircraft total1 Type 45 Air Defence Destroyer2 Anti-Submarine Frigates (secondary air defence for T26)Likely 1 European Frigate (I.E. Sachsen-class, FREMM, or De Seven Provinciën-class)1 Tide-class Replenishment Vessel1 Astute-class Nuclear Powered Fleet SubmarineWartime Task ForceIn an event such as the Falklands, a Queen-Elizabeth class will likely be fully fitted out with dozens of F-35Bs and accompanied by numerous RFA and Royal Navy vessels including presumably multiple Type 45s and Type 26s.Just as a general example, here’s my best guess from the given information on the ships present in HMS Queen Elizabeth’s first deployment to the Pacific in 2021:HMS Queen Elizabeth12 Fleet Air Arm F-35Bs6–12 USMC F-35BsMaritime Protection Wingup to 9 Merlin HC2 ASW Helicoptersup to 5 Merlin AEW Helicoptersor: Littoral Maneuvre PackageRoughly 12–18 Transport/Utility Helicopters, including Merlin HC4s, Chinooks and Wildcats.Likely around 34 aircraft total1 Tide-class Replenishment Vessel1 Type 45 Air Defence Destroyer2 Type 23 Anti-Submarine Frigates1 De Zeven Provinciën-class Air Defence Frigate1 Astute-class Fleet SubmarineThis full strike group will consist of 7 vessels - the carrier, a Replenishment/Tanker Vessel for logistical support, a submarine for anti-ship operations, 2 frigates for ASW operations and 2 warships for AAW operations.

My plan would be to increase the overall size of the Royal Navy, as well as increasing assets, depth of numbers and improving offensive capability. This would be a long term endeavour, which I will detail as part of short, medium and long-term goals.Short-term Goals (2020–2025)Increase pay across all officer and sailor ranks by at 5%, and the same for pensions. (this would be the case among all armed forces, but this answer is for the Royal Navy).At the same time, maintain and improve living quarters in Royal Navy establishments.Select Harpoon Block II as an interim anti-ship missile, upgrade all current stocks to this standard and purchase enough extra units to have a minimum stock of 500 missiles. Purchase additional quad canister launchers, 2 for every frigate and destroyer to allow each one to carry 8 missiles. Missiles to also be integrated onto Typhoon, F35B and P8 Poseidon.Purchase initial stock of 500 Spear 3 light anti-ship missiles.Place order for 5 additional Type 31 frigates (Boris Johnson has stated this will happen but I’d place the order to commit to it).Increase armament to above Type 31 frigates to include: 2x quad canister launchers bolted onto the deck to provide 8 anti-ship missiles per frigate. These would be fitted to every frigate and destroyer in the fleet. 24x Sea Ceptor surface to air missiles, and a 5″ gun, plus 40mm and 30mm defensive guns already planned.Increase buy rate of the Type 26 anti-submarine frigates to complete one every two years.Purchase 12 x AW609 or Bell V280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft and integrate Crowsnest AEW radar onto them, freeing up Merlin HC2 helicopters for their original intended ASuW purpose.Upgrade the Crowsnest AEW radar with AESA.Expand the Royal Marines with a 4th commando batallion, I’m naming it 48 Commando for the purposes of this. Also, expand 29 Commando Artillery (actually British Army) to include more 105mm guns.Medium-term Goals (2025–2035)Purchase all planned 138 F35B as a minimum and buy at a rate to ensure all 138 are in stock. 138 F35Bs would allow for 7 frontline squadrons of 12 planes each - say 4 Royal Navy, 3 RAF (though all of them capable of operating from the carriers), an OCU of 10 aircraft, a 4-plane test squadron, and 40 spare airframes.Increase number of Merlin helicopters from approx. 55 to approx. 80Increase number of Wildcat helicopters from 35 to approx. 50Build or buy a class of 6 advanced AIP diesel-electric submarines to add depth to the 7-strong Astute fleet.Buy or build our own heavy lift drones capable of air to air refuelling of our F35s.Expand the facilities in HMS Juffair (Bahrain) and permanently forward-base one Type 31 frigate, 3–4 minehunters, a diesel submarine and a flight of 4 F35bs on the base, along with a company of Royal Marines.Expand HMNB Singapore similarly to above, permanently forward-base one Type 31 frigate and one diesel sub there.Plan and start work to build a class of 8–9 air defence destroyers to replace the 6 Type 45s. For the sake of this I’m calling them the Type 48s. Each Type 48 to have 8 x anti-ship missiles and 60 x Aster 15/30 surface to air missiles.Finish designing and produce the Anglo-French Perseus anti-ship missile. Buy initial order of 1,000 missiles. Equip every active frigate and destroyer with 8 missiles each.Finish developing Dragonfire laser weapon system and fit one onto each Type 45 air defence destroyer (and later, their replacements) and 2 each onto the Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales aircraft carriers.Develop navalised versions of the Mosquito loyal-wingman armed UCAVs the RAF is developing, able to take off from our carriers.Long-Term (2035–2060)See through the order of the above 8–10 Type 48 destroyers. Maintain a constant production line rather than finishing the class and then winding down to start again with a clean-sheet design. Each batch to be a more advanced version.Start serious work into what will replace the F35 in Royal Navy service.At the same time, start plans for designing new aircraft carriers to replace the Queen Elizabeth class post 2060. The requirements for the new carrier depend greatly on what will replace the F35. For ease and interoperability with the USN and French Navy it’s probably best that the QE replacements are EMALS CATOBAR.Replace the Astute class SSN fleet submarines with a new class of nuclear-powered fleet (hunter killer) submarines. Approx. 8 if in tandem with diesel-electric submarines, 10–12 if using only SSNs.Continue building Type 26 frigates to replace the older ones. Maintain a constant production line with each new batch being evolved from the last one, rather than all new designs every 20–30 years. Grow the ASuW frigate fleet from 8 to 10–12 ships.