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Escorts - a useful term? Why not say 'frigates and destroyers'?

'Escorts - a useful term? Why not say 'frigates and destroyers'?'

"Brevity is the soul of wit", so why use 6 syllables when 2 will suffice.

And while we're there, what about DEs (Destroyer Escorts), or as the 1960s RAN River-class DEs were commonly referred to as, 'Deployable Expendables'.
 
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As a child, I always had a thing for the Mk2 RS2000...
2560px-1978_Ford_Escort_RS2000.jpg

Regards,
MM
 
The post of yours that I quoted was bitching about people making irrelevant, humorous comments, and bleating about having a mod smite those who were jesting.

Now you say some people have no sense of humour.

Well anyway, on with the escorts.

ebay1009272.jpg

It was a joke!

I don’t think that anyone is suggesting destroyers (DDGs), Frigates (FFGs) and other types of ‘escort’ (eg an SSN) cannot potentially operate and provide effect in isolation. However, a carrier cannot defend itself in isolation so it is an inevitability that some DDGs and FFGs WILL be ‘tied’ to the carrier.

So therein lies a key point: the RN - at best - has the minimum number of DDGs, FFGs and SSNs required to meet Defence Tasks (DT); in my view it actually has too few. Therefore, when one of the carrier’s deployed, a large proportion - and quite possibly the majority of available ’war-goers’ - will be tied to the carrier and will be restricted in what else they can do.

Therefore, perhaps the term ‘escort’ is appropriate. Ultimately however, who cares? Most fast jets are called ‘fighters’ and many AFVs are called ‘tanks.’ Indeed, the carrier itself could arguably referred to as an ‘escort’ when it’s contributing to ASW and AD with the ultimate aim of securing safe passage for friendly assets.

Regards,
MM

Sometimes I wonder how I got that GCSE grade B for English! My point was that frigates and destroyers do a lot more than just defend the carrier. Indeed they contribute to the operation of the air group.

Your last sentence says it all. The carrier will sometimes be providing AD/ASW/etc for other high value assets, but using fighters or ASW helicopters effectively means working with destroyers and frigates.

'Escorts - a useful term? Why not say 'frigates and destroyers'?'

"Brevity is the soul of wit", so why use 6 syllables when 2 will suffice.

And while we're there, what about DEs (Destroyer Escorts), or as the 1960s RAN River-class DEs were commonly referred to as, 'Deployable Expendables'.

JSP 950 says something about using as many words as necessary to explain.
 
All well and good, but why post about it on an Army website (as opposed to a naval one), and then get uppity because you’ve failed to recognize that 99.99% of squaddies, ex-squaddies, crabs, ex-crabs and possibly some matelots and ex-matelots couldn’t give a rat’s arse whether a particular kind or kinds of ship are called escorts, frigates, destroyers or for that matter, Jennifer or Sally.

Smite the deserving indeed!

I don't think anyone really cares what they are called in that respect. The only thing worthy of note is - a day alongside is a day wasted.
 
Which - I would suggest - everyone with even a passing interest in Defence fully understands.

Regards,
MM

Max Hastings does not. Lewis Page does not. Some of the PPRuNe miscreants do not. Perhaps worst of all the makers of documentaries often claim things like the US Navy developed the F-14 to defend carriers - what about the 100 000 tons of supplies that would have to come across the Atlantic each day? The Atlantic Fleet had no less than eight carriers!
 
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Your last sentence says it all. The carrier will sometimes be providing AD/ASW/etc for other high value assets, but using fighters or ASW helicopters effectively means working with destroyers and frigates.

Do they do any Task Group ASW? Just asking for a friend, like................
 
ISTR someone telling me that bears defecate in wooded areas.

Utter horseshit.

Ships that are given the correct maintenance/training/operation balance out perform the others.

Given there is only one stag "escort" (ARGL, and even then she has female officers), I'd be interested in how your "mate" made that statistic up...
 

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