There was an idea to fit nuclear warheads to the original Tigerfish if WW3 looked likely, as it was deemed the only way to ensure destruction of an enemy submarine. Classy. That's what you get for buying British in the face of adversity. There was also a problem with their batteries contacts...
I don't recall in either World War the Germans having freedom of the high seas. So the RN achieved that; bottling up the hostile fleets and crippling their entire merchant fleet.
I don't recall neutral shipping being free to trade with Germany; or even Axis Mediterranean trade during WW2 being...
The whole point of the RAAF getting the F111s was to be able to deliver a knock-out strike at extreme range against any likely regional adversary they'd face (especially unaided), such as bomber bases, ports, power stations etc. etc., which drastically reduced the RAN's need for a larger carrier...
Air defence is vital, but with an extremely limited air group one has to go with what will make the greatest difference against the most likely adversary, especially during the 1960s when missile warfare and fast attack craft was coming of age.
In such circumstances, the ability to denude a...
More likely to have gone down the Sea Harrier route, post-Falklands anyway, as were going to have Invincible. (Although that'd require a reduction in other RAN capabilities, or increased budget; and given the limited air component any affordable carrier could operate they were better off...
A carrier is used as a force multiplier, in such circumstances especially as that which faced the RAN, being a moderate-sized navy facing a host of potentially hostile, largely brown-water navies, especially those likely to be equipped with Soviet anti-ship weaponry against which there were...
Can't imagine the Irish would have much need for proper tanks - unlike the similarly sized Belgians/Danes, who'd like them and invest considerably in them instead of naval forces as they face the Soviet tanks streaming across from Germany!
Troop carriers and light tanks for the marines, maybe...
All seems good, although a main concern would be maintaining sufficient numbers to crew vessels such as a Fearless class and an RFA in addition to the frigates.
The marine corps would also be quite small if it were to retain a superior status as an 'elite' conventional force such as the Royal...
I think it's very reasonable for a nation as outlined and given its limited budget and geography. I'm no expert, but it doesn't seem way out of proportion.
Forces would reflect ambitions as well as economies. The Type 21s and RFA would suggest participation in blue water operations within and...
I could imagine the US wanting to have access to the sparsely populated flatter areas of Western Ireland for sneaky-beaky bases just like that, alongside more prosaic installations.
Be interesting to see what kind of economy a combined Ireland would've achieved, given that The Troubles scared off investors for many decades from NI and the agrarian, heavily religiously influenced direction of the Republic from the 1920s-60s. Assuming development in keeping with other smaller...
You could have an Irish marine corps that worked and trained very closely with the Royal Marines for NATO operations, much as British and Dutch marines do, so would form part of the UK-Netherlands amphibious force for use (principally) in Scandinavia. That could justify an RFA amphibious vessel...
Yes they do; they have a very modern and very competent SSBN force receiving improved missiles. They still have air-delivered nuclear theatre weapons too. The only thing they've changed is removing the (obsolete) land-based component.
That is quite unclear. SSBNs are not just vengeance...
The RAN was involved in the development of the Type 21 alongside the RN, but changed their minds (can't recall why, but sensible to have gone for the OHP class instead) so could see the Irish involved in that.
Hull life depends on a whole range of issues from design to construction, to refits...