Comments by "David Houseman" (@davidhouseman4328) on "Which country has the most powerful military: UK or France?" video.

  1. The UK and France are closer than NATO, Lancaster house has more cooperation than average members.
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  2. France has its problems too. CDG had it's own teething issues, a French nuclear sub caught fire not too long back. Its just an issue of the complexity of modern kit and the lack of focus an actual war brings.
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  3. The French Navy has more people in it, given automation this can be as much of a sign of being old than better. The RN is larger by tonnage (by a long way with the RFA) and in key asset, SSNs and Carriers.
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  4. You haven't looked at history then, France spent most of it fighting anyone and everyone they could. WW2 isn't all of history.
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  5. The UK isn't restricted when in can fight.
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  6. In 1940 Britain got kicking like France, it just had geography to keep it safe.
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  7.  @LondonsFinestSon  Yes, we can independently deploy a CBG (or CSG as we use). But the reality is in a major war, like in QEs recent deployment, we won't be alone. A Russia fight would be in the context of NATO, a China one would be supporting the US.
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  8.  @adelaidesngan604  Urm? The UK didn't win the hundreds year war but has won loads since.
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  9. They are very different so its hard to compare. India has a much bigger land force but it's struggles at higher tech like nuclear subs.
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  10. France doesn't edge the Navy, the 17 frigates for example include Floreals, which are basically an OPV.
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  11.  @EnglishScripter  not even close, hence they buying more F35Bs.
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  12.  @VanderlyndenJengold  it was going before 2010, fighting wars without the extra funding to do so. 2003 saw us drop out of Boxer for example.
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  13.  @adelaidesngan604  Didn't know France was an African tribe? 7 years war for example, did you just really dislike the Quebecois?
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  14. The RAF are running F35Bs, same as the navy.
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  15. The UK has various deployments in Africa, France fought in Mali but then didn't in Iraq. It's swings and round abouts.
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  16.  @EnglishScripter  F35s are great but A gives little over B, especially when the RAF future is Tempest.
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  17.  @LondonsFinestSon  We are a nation of 65m and can deploy a carrier group across the world. That's something to be proud of not ashamed.
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  18.  @SVsX-bm7ci  its reasonable to call a FREMM a destroyer, it is a very capable ship but in this video it went with the British classification so air warfare is destroyer, sub or general purpose is a frigate. Either way you get France with 15 frontline fighting ships, less than the UKs 17 (which will go back to 19 with the ordered vessels).
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  19.  @fabs8498  who do you think preferred the Rafale? Also your price claim is just wrong.
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  20. 2 carriers means we have one always available, France doesn't, CDG was recently refueling for 18 months so practically no carrier was available.
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  21.  @thegto8535  the obvious point is more jets are coming, we've long ordered 48 and are now discussing the next tranche. PoW is having some issues but that is exactly why you have 2, so you still have one while the other is being maintained (be it routine or exceptional).
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  22. France is part of NATO.
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  23. The RFA, often over looked, really pushes the Royal Navy past the Marine Nationale.
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  24. French making more of its own kit is a industrial plus but it means it misses out of some of the best kit. Like it's not getting a 5th gen jet.
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  25. 2 Albion + 3 Bay class gives the UK more capacity, though missing the helicopter element.
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  26. It not a standing army it's total military, so including airfirce and navy along with all the logistics and support.
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  27. The UK is fine with the pace of delivery, until Block 4 and all it's weapons get integrated getting F35Bs early just mean more upgrades.
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  28.  @splatoonistproductions5345  a war hits it won't much matter if they are US or UK F35B when they are hitting the same enemy. As a manufacturer (which we are in part on F35, particularly the F35B) a constant flow is best, we don't want to have quickly built all the F35B and then shut the production line down and be left wanting for spares or more jets.
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  29.  @splatoonistproductions5345  we aren't pushing to get them faster!
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  30.  @splatoonistproductions5345  you know we haven't ordered 138?
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  31.  @splatoonistproductions5345  138 was the plan, but we order them in batches. The first order was 48, we negotiating a second order of 26 at the moment.
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  32. Basically European country had the same post cold war cuts we did.
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  33.  @azr2.0  that seems a bit of a contradiction, BAE have a monopoly but the UK buy a it's kit? Neither is really true but both have some small merit.
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  34.  @adelaidesngan604  thanks.
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  35.  @EnglishScripter  the UK is only buying F35Bs, they are run jointly by the airforce and navy.
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  36. I far as I've seen its a few less than 170 delivered and some of those have been sold on as part of export deals. But I think they have also excluded the Navies Rafales which is a bit disingenuous.
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  37. In the 80s it was the USSR, Russia is showing it's own weakness currently.
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