This ship is NOT the largest in the Royal Navy, it is simply the most advanced. Britain still has an aircraft carrier, with two more currently being built.
Britain was still last year able to send a sizeable naval task force to the Libyan coast, and in fact did NOT deploy most of ‘Task Force Cougar’. Tales of the Royal Navy’s and Britain’s death, to paraphrase your great Mr Twain, have been exaggerated.
I have always been a fan of the United Kingdom. That is why it bothers me so much to see the clear decline.
Yes they are still a good ally and a bad enemy but will probably never be a world power again.
I am sure I read somewhere that the UK used up nearly all their ordinance of some types during that ill advised conflict. I can’t really criticize Britannia too much tho as we were involved too.
The Brits have one helicopter carrier, no aircraft carriers, are downsizing to 6 type 45 destroyers and 6 type 23 frigates, 7 Astute class attack subs and 4 Trident SSBN’s.
Of the two carriers being built, only one is to have planes. The other is slated to be retired almost immediately. They are currently scheduled to be delivered in 2020.