"If We Had a Carrier..."

This is a great article on Libya in the Guardian. Also check out the graphic. The article bring with it the quote of the day.

Data shows the US initially dominated the military campaign before taking a back seat and handing over control to Nato on 31 March. France also took a leading role, deploying its aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle. Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, the head of the British navy, told MPs: "If we had a carrier, it would be there."

If the UK had an aircraft carrier, the Guardian wouldn't be reporting how Norway and Denmark have both dropped far more bombs - nearly 700 between them - than the UK in Libya.

The latest news suggests Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope might be on to something, as there are now reports that HMS Ocean is being sent to Libya to support 12 Apaches. The latest Guardian article discusses the politics of that possibility, and raises some interesting questions.

Aren't helicopter carriers the same as modern light aircraft carriers (rhetorical question, or not)?

If not, too bad, because I tend to think if it was possible to build a low cost LPH, the platform would be a very useful addition in the modern maritime domain where the irregular threats are usually met first and foremost by unmanned vehicles and manned helicopters.