US ships and personnel have already begun construction of the temporary floating pier as part of ongoing work to significantly expand the delivery of lifesaving aid into Gaza.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay will provide accommodation for hundreds of US sailors and soldiers working to establish the pier.
The pier will initially facilitate the delivery of 90 truckloads of international aid into Gaza and scale to up to 150 truckloads once fully operational, according to US estimates.
According to a statement:
“The multinational maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus and delivered directly to Gaza via the temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has said it will open. Specialist British military planning teams have been embedded with the US operational HQ in Tampa, Florida, as well as in Cyprus for several weeks to jointly develop the safest and most effective maritime route. The UK Hydrographic Office has also shared analysis of the Gazan shore with US planners to develop the pier.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“It is critical we establish more routes for vital humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza and the UK continues to take a leading role in the delivery of support in coordination with the US and our international allies and partners.
The crew of RFA Cardigan Bay are central to the UK’s contribution to the multinational plan to greatly expand the flow of aid into Gaza.
This will complement the priority of getting more aid in via land routes and Ashdod port in Israel, by enabling tens of thousands of tonnes to be delivered directly from the sea onto the beach.”
It’s clear the Bays put in a lot of work to maintain UK commitments globally, and it is great they found a place in the modern Royal Navy where more manpower/cost hungry ships have fallen by the wayside. And then there’s the rumoured replacement project (MRSS) that will determine the next 30 years, in what direction will they be taken?
Brilliant assets. If its working don’t fix it? Replace the Bays with 16000 ton Enforcers – 4 off. Just find room for a 57mm and a dozen Sea Ceptors.
I’m personally more of a fan of the 11500t Enforcer if we were to go with that family, primarily because it is stated to need only 95 crew. All the triple landing pad (15000t+) Enforcers need 145 and if that’s going to limit how many we can deploy I’d rather we go smaller but more heavily armed. I am however more hopeful that Babcock/BMT can develop a UK sovereign product that cuts crew requirements even more while making for a more heavily armed platform in design. A 57mm, some 40mm for CIWIS and mk41 to self load a variety of… Read more »
Very valid point re crew size. I’d be happy to go smaller – if we get more. Agree on hybrid concept- can consider deploying without a (scarce) escort. Got yourself a humanitarian gun boat 🙂
The Australians are looking at this as are the Japanese, both nations proposals are for smaller 10-12,500 ton vessels that can deploy 2-3 companies each from over the horizon. Distribution is key, with both nations programmes being a nod to acknowledge that amphibious and littoral warfare vessels are like to take casualties and be heavily targeted- ergo distribution and more targets to hit is preferential to one big fat amphibian like an America class LPHD. MRSS needs to be relatively compact and at least 6 if not 8 built, possibly sharing design with our Australian and Japanese allies so we… Read more »
All for a 12000t 95-100crew Enforcer but I’d be very hesitant to give them a mk41 or proper main gun. Gives the plebs the idea they can deploy RFA into a warship roles not support. Throw all the sea ceptor, sea viper and CIWS you want on board but once you add offensive they should be RN and crewed as such.
Such a shame that the Cameron administration effectively gave an almost new one away.
As stupid as that was Jonathan, it was possibly the smallest mistake from that absolute hand grenade of a defence review!
They are RFA’s not RN and as all RFA’s do they are the best valve for money in Defence. Their only issue is the RFA is being run ragged without adequate pay or stores or funding and ships are lauded up because staff are leaving. 1753 personnel being led down the garden path be incompetent MOD civil servants and Political ineptitude
BBC reporting US comments that the drivers of aid trucks ashore will be supplied by ‘a significant partner nation’.
Speculation it could be British army drivers.
We will take causalities if they are British, and then the crowds of pro Palestinian demonstrators in London and other UK cities will no doubt blame those soldiers for being imperialists, whereas they were trying to deliver aid to a population that lets not forget started and supported the initiation of conflict against Israel.
Right then,put British drivers in,they will have to armed and escorted again by armed personnel in armoured vehicles,First convoy gets mobbed by locals with Hamas mixed in what could possibly go wrong?🙄
That is exactly what I fear will happen, either mission creep until we are directly fighting against Hamas or we take casualties, cant return fire and withdraw with shame.
Well Bezzers to the crew.
We are so overstretched.
I hope her phalanx is working. I also hope there’s an escort near by. Will be a prime target especially with US personnel on board. Even though it’s bringing help some people don’t care and will do anything to score points and kill what they see as the enemy.
1982 redux. However, VBIED should be limited…
Any US Marines reading the history of Lebanon will be twitchy; not sure any British would be happy either.
🤔 Our American friend’s short of ships ? probably need some good old British planing 😏 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
More like a token commitment by the UK to get in the headlines for political clout.
Teamwork I would say. Politically necessary for the US to be seen to delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza directly, bypassing Israel yet politically impossible for them to put US boots on the ground. The UK has historical links to the Holy Land and the gestation of Israel, and suitable assets. Ideally it would nice if we had help from some UN peacekeepers. Don’t know how this could be arranged.
They are not short of ships, just don’t want to place them in extreme danger and likely to take casualties whilst performing a humanitarian operation. Therefore all risk will fall upon the British and our armed forces. If this does go ahead I guarantee we will take casualties.
Where are all the other nations that are perhaps closer to Gaza in the region. Egypt isn’t interested or it would open its border. I suppose it also comes down to who would Israel let in the exclusion zone.
Israel should really just be trucking the stuff and leaving it just over the border. It’s there anyway
Much concern being expressed about potential British casualties. We can be sure much of the planning will be to do with setting up comprehensive force protection measures. Also the Americans know we are about the only effective military that is up for it – the other European and NATO countries mouth off about “EU Forces” and their answers to the problems in Gaza, but fill their pants at the thought of taking casualties.
Now pay the RFA crew what they are due. Stop arguing about it and just do it.
I know a lot of people both RN and RFA on CB. The OC they deliver is phenomenal.
It’s not even like there is loads of them. RFA crew shortages for ages now strike action due to pay and conditions says it all.
Any job that involves being away from home than an average job deserves extra. The RFA are always out deployed on the sea. These brave people deserve a decent pay.
Hopefully Jordan will provide the drivers
My big worry is that is that it’s now looking like the boots on the ground on the pier could end up being UK boots..Delivering aid is important, but it is not vital for our national interests or security and considering the risks British forces should only be taking that level of risk if it’s a vital UK interest..it we do not want our armed forces on the ground in Gaza, the hate filled lunatics will do all they can to kill British troops, it will not increase our standing one bit with any nation in that region..both Israel and… Read more »
That’s an interesting point Jonathan, I would agree a grave danger of mission creep…
Boots on the ground should be Arab.
I would suggest the Egyptians, they have a comparatively large military, they must have the required engineering and logistics specialists to ensure that aid has someone riding shotgun on it and Hamas dosen’t just take it away at gunpoint….
How much of this is providing political cover for Joe biden from the Left of the Democrat Party in election year? Also since Biden has been less than helpful to the UK (and in some cases actually antagonistic) I would like to see a cast iron Quid Pro Quo (i.e. whats in it for us) before getting neck deep into sh*tville with him.
Good allies you should always back but I’m not sure we can always say that about a Biden White House.
Here Here, too true, we all know Biden hates the British on account of his Irish ancestry. The so called special relationship is nothing of the sort, it is just the US treating us as if we have special needs and are utterly stupid to believe everything they say. Here’s an idea, get our weapons fitted onto the F35B- do it now and stop dithering about, offer us reduced costings on more Poseidon P8s- eg better than half price, give us the MK41 VLS at cost price too whilst you are at it, instead of profiteering from allies trying to… Read more »