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Libya: Navy running short of Tomahawk missiles (Royal Navy)
The Daily Telegraph ^ | 23 Mar 2011 | Thomas Harding

Posted on 03/23/2011 1:53:03 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki

Libya: Navy running short of Tomahawk missiles

The Navy could run out of Tomahawk missiles after a fifth of the Navy stockpile has been used against Libya, sources disclosed yesterday.

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent

Defence insiders say as many as 12 of the weapons have been fired from the hunter–killer submarine Triumph in the past four days.

If this is correct, the Navy will have used up to 20 per cent of its 64 Tomahawks in the opening salvos of the war, leading to fears that it is "burning through" its armoury.

The situation could become an embarrassment for the Government if the submarine were the only vessel within range of a number of targets but could not fulfil the mission.

The submarines are stealthy and can loiter offshore unseen before going to depth to fire the Tomahawks.

The Block Four variant of the missile can travel more than 850 miles, can be retargeted in flight and can loiter above a target for more than two hours.

It is understood that plans are being made either to resupply Triumph or send another Trafalgar–class submarine to the Mediterranean as a substitute.

Triumph can carry up to 25 missiles or torpedoes. It is likely to have been loaded with as many as 20 of the long–range strike weapons. However, it is now likely to have used half its armoury.

Questions have been raised about why the number of Tomahawks was not increased during last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review which highlighted the role for submarines to be used for "strike capability".

"At this rate we are using up five or ten per cent of our stock per day and soon it

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aerospace; libya; royalnavy; uk
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1 posted on 03/23/2011 1:53:07 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: sukhoi-30mki

...just don’t mix them up and send a nuke by mistake.....at least that would solve the qadaffy duck situation.


2 posted on 03/23/2011 1:58:23 AM PDT by spokeshave (Half-American, non natural-born, starts war without Congress OK, while on vacation in Brazil.)
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To: spokeshave

0bambi looking for his Belgrado moment.


3 posted on 03/23/2011 1:59:22 AM PDT by spokeshave (Half-American, non natural-born, starts war without Congress OK, while on vacation in Brazil.)
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To: sukhoi-30mki
I find it amazing that this information actually is out in the public.

I was also surprised how much info Barack gave Qadaffi in some of his news conferences.

4 posted on 03/23/2011 1:59:55 AM PDT by tsowellfan
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To: spokeshave
Maybe this will mean a new contract for Raytheon or McDonnell-Douglas.
5 posted on 03/23/2011 2:06:23 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee (A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

They don’t need weapons that advanced anymore.
In a decade or so Londonistan fighters will fight infidels with sticks and stones.


6 posted on 03/23/2011 2:09:41 AM PDT by cunning_fish
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Look, people. The RN suffers from the UK’s cradle-to-grave Socialism mentality. I personally LOVE the RN, having worked with them for years. But they are hurting. How many warships does the RN have? These are the guys who used to regularly kick our collective butts. Now they are only a shell of their former selves, and folks, that’s where we’re headed. WAKE UP!


7 posted on 03/23/2011 2:13:17 AM PDT by tgusa (Investment plan: blued steel, brass, lead, copper)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

wait and see, they need more defense fundings


8 posted on 03/23/2011 2:19:20 AM PDT by SF_Redux (Sarah stands for accountablility and personal responsiblity, democrats can't live with that)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Only 64 Tomahawks in the whole Royal Navy?

I hope this is wrong.


9 posted on 03/23/2011 2:33:14 AM PDT by Java4Jay
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Just like Obama, disclose your weapons ordinance to the enemy.


10 posted on 03/23/2011 2:34:41 AM PDT by Java4Jay
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To: Java4Jay

So do I.


11 posted on 03/23/2011 2:39:17 AM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: Java4Jay

I’m not sure how many are aware of how much the UK military has been gutted to fund the socialist utopia and it’s open border immigration policy, especially over the past two decades. Their Navy is a shell of it’s former self.

But in exchange, they now have millions of muslim missionaries demanding Sharia Law. Allah Akbar!


12 posted on 03/23/2011 2:55:06 AM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican ("The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.")
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Who the heck planned this Libya mission? What’s our vital national security interest? What are the rules of engagement? Chain of command? What’s the exit/victory strategy? Is congress on the record? Why not? Is Obama an epic failure?


13 posted on 03/23/2011 2:56:44 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Is Obama an epic failure?”

Are you test-driving a new Geico commercial?


14 posted on 03/23/2011 3:01:59 AM PDT by DrC
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To: spokeshave

What a waste of money. If we really wanted to get rid of Quadaffyduck, all we would need to do is have the MSM announce that he was being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his part in helping to rid the world of islamic terrorists.


15 posted on 03/23/2011 3:15:33 AM PDT by Wooly
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To: Java4Jay

If Obama had passion about this war and if it were not political the last thing he would have done was to tell Qadaffi when the US will stop bombing.


16 posted on 03/23/2011 3:16:07 AM PDT by tsowellfan (http://www.cafenetamerica.com)
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To: All

64 missiles for the entire Navy ?

No wonder they can be broke as a nation from insane social spending. They certainly are rely on us to fight any war for them that lasts more than 3 days.

Are they gonna order them 6 at time or 1 at a time ? Uhhh, can we buy 1/2 a missile please - and where can we get a loan application ?

Why bother having a military if it’s so tiny ?


17 posted on 03/23/2011 3:29:11 AM PDT by PieterCasparzen (Huguenot)
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To: Java4Jay

Sounds like it is wrong (at least no longer correct), they’ve fired 12 of what they had, leaving 52.


18 posted on 03/23/2011 3:40:20 AM PDT by biggerten (Love you, Mom.)
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To: PieterCasparzen

64 missiles for the entire Navy ?

No wonder they can be broke as a nation from insane social spending. They certainly are rely on us to fight any war for them that lasts more than 3 days.

Are they gonna order them 6 at time or 1 at a time ? Uhhh, can we buy 1/2 a missile please - and where can we get a loan application ?

Why bother having a military if it’s so tiny ?


Well welcome to european millitaries ;-)
(where politicians have cut the hell out of it over decades)
64 missiles is pretty much if not too much! (if you ask an politician) to fulfill just every task they give you.
Just for example here the military just annouced that we could send 50 leopard 2 tanks into a battle (not that we would not have more) it´s because for the rest there just doesn´t exist any ammo.
Response from politics” Ok stop live firing training and wait for the next year because the military budget for this year has allready been spent.


19 posted on 03/23/2011 3:50:52 AM PDT by darkside321
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To: cunning_fish
They don’t need weapons that advanced anymore.

LOL! Actually, I was thinking that a trebuchet an a few plague infected bodies would be sufficient to defeat Qaddafi's army.

20 posted on 03/23/2011 4:02:59 AM PDT by mlocher (Is it time to cash in before I am taxed out?)
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