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RN's search for an offensive role in nuclear war
While reading Eric Grove's "Vanguard to Trident" again, I found
something which may interest SMNers. On page 44, Grove wrote: "The ASW/fighter priority advised against putting too many scarce resources into strike aircraft but, nevertheless, in mid-1948 studies began of a new heavy attack aircraft with a range of perhaps two to three thousand miles. Such a machine would give the Royal Navy the same kind of nuclear attack capabilities as were being so assiduously pursed by the United States Navy." Anyone has any idea what type of aircraft it was? Page 56 "The carrier was clearly the major surface ship. There was some debate over the primary duty of these ships, whether they were mainly for offensive purposes in attacking enemy naval bases or for defensive use dealing with air and submarine threats to high-value convoys. .... The emphasis on convoy escort was clear. As Fraser put it to the fifth sea lord in 1948: "Planning can only proceed on something we know we must do; escort safely our convoys." This view did not find complete acceptance among Fraser's colleagues, especially the airmen, who instinctively demanded a more theoretically "offensive" role." See OA NHC Burke Papers, Personal File, #51 at http://www.history.navy.mil/colloquia/cch8c.html Page 98 "Not only did the Admiralty insist on keeping these two sophisticated types (Sea Vixen and Scimitar), but it was actively pursuing once again the concept of a nuclear-capable heavy attack aircraft. Some kind of navalized variant of the RAF's Canberra bomber was considered, and this led to a requirement, issued in June 1952, for a new jet strike aircraft of much more advanced design and performance, the NA39 (Buccaneer)." Page 105 "In return the Admiralty made the point that the main argument in favor of the RAF's planned medium-bomber force was the influence it might give over the general Western bomber offensive. It was as important to have influence over the main NATO Striking Fleet's AJ-1s or A3Ds as it was over the United States Air Force's B-47s and B-36s." |
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