European Aircraft Carrier?

[Edward L. Hsiao]

There had been plenty of discussions about France and Germany having a joint project of building a new aircraft carrier. I was reading some news about Germany's dream of having an own aircraft carrier in the future. No concrete plan had been finalized yet. Right now the German Navy is still having problems in repairing it own warships. Very few are deployed overseas.

Edward L. Hsiao

[hucks216]

Germany seems to have major funding issues for the armed forces and a lot of hardware seems to be suffering as a result. If they can't keep what they have at a decent level of readiness then they have no chance with a carrier. And when it comes to the cost even a 50/50 split will be beyond Germany especially when the cost of such a thing tends to spiral as time goes on. And do they even have the strategic reach to justify having one?

Taken from the linked article:

Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador in Washington and doyen of the Munich Security Conference, suggested Germany wouldn’t really know what to do with such a ship.

“An aircraft carrier is an instrument of geopolitical/military power projection,” he wrote on Twitter. “A precondition for the employment would be a common strategy and decision-making process — Germany is light years away from that!”

https://www.defensenews.com/global/euro ... t-carrier/

[Helmut0815]

Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador in Washington and doyen of the Munich Security Conference, suggested Germany wouldn’t really know what to do with such a ship.

“An aircraft carrier is an instrument of geopolitical/military power projection,” he wrote on Twitter. “A precondition for the employment would be a common strategy and decision-making process — Germany is light years away from that!”

Exactly. And since the end of the cold war the Deutsche Marine (former Bundesmarine) has been turned into poor man's navy, underfunded and paralyzed by the overwhelming german military bureaucracy. While millions of Euros are being spent for McKinsey consultants in the defense ministry, there is a lack of material, spare parts and personnel everywhere. From the six remaining german type 212 U-Boats, only two are operational, in 2017 the figure was ZERO. Two tanker ships have been shut down due to security issues. Costs run totally out of control, the costs for the repair of the traing sail ship "Gorch Fock" exploded from formerly estimated 10 million Euros to more than 135 millions. Under this circumstances, the dream of a german aircraft carrier is not only questionable, it is ridiculous.


regards


Helmut

[Robert Rojas]

Greetings to both brother Edward L. Hsiao and the community as a whole. Howdy Edward! Well sir, in deference to your point OR points-of-view as articulated within your introductory posting of Friday - July 05, 2019 - 4:11pm, old yours truly is more than a bit surprised that this creation of yours has not gained more traction since its inception. On the other hand, I would contend that this creation of yours IS and HAS BEEN a moot point when the Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier CHARLES de GAULLE (R91) formally joined the Marine Nationale in year 2001. With the advent of the CHARLES de GAULLE (R91), the European Union had its first aircraft carrier. With the Republic of France bearing both the substantial cost AND risk of maintaining such a unique piece of military hardware, what would motivate the Federal Republic of Germany to duplicate what France has already done? Finally, given the number and type of aircraft carriers that the United States of America has either scrapped or intentionally sunk for REEF conversions, we could have provided the EUROPEAN UNION with a veritable fleet of aircraft carriers. It's just some speculative food for thought. Well, that's my initial two Yankee cents worth on this topic which precipitously borders on contemporary political discussion - for now anyway. As always, I would like to bid you an especially copacetic day over on the ever bucolic coastal community of Newport, Oregon.

Best Regards,
Uncle Bob

[Ironmachine]

With the advent of the CHARLES de GAULLE (R91), the European Union had its first aircraft carrier.

No, with the advent of the Charles de Gaulle, FRANCE had its (not first) carrier. I agree there are many good reasons for Germany not to have an aircraft carrier, but the existence of a French one is not one of them, for sure.

[Robert Rojas]

Greetings to both citizen Iron Machine and the community as a whole. Howdy I.M.! Long time no talk to! Well sir, in respect to your posting of Saturday - September 21, 2019 - 10:09pm, old yours truly is more than a bit confused with whatever point you're trying to make. In light of the "guiding direction" provided by brother Edward L Hsaio's introductory posting of Friday - July 05, 2019 - 4:41pm, it is not all clear to old yours truly if Paris and Berlin were in theoretical league to design, manufacture and launch the rough equivalent of a Franco/German Fleet Carrier OR if Paris and Berlin had fallen into the historical trap of engaging in what was tantamount to a ship building race - a race that Paris had obviously won in year 2001. SO, WHAT SAY YOU? Well, that's my latest two Yankee cents worth on this topic which precipitously borders on contemporary political discussion - for now anyway. In any case, I would like to bid you an especially copacetic day over in your corner of the disintegrating European Union.

Best Regards,
Uncle Bob