Chapter 1410 Britain’s strategic certainty

The fact that the navy was in a secondary role in the Indo-Pakistani war by no means meant that there was no naval drama, in fact the example of Pakistani submarines sinking Indian destroyers in the second Indo-Pakistani war six years earlier led to ample preparations to increase the naval power in India as well.

The Indian Navy invested more than Rs. 1,100 crore in military spending after the war. Not only was it used to procure new equipment, but it also focused on strengthening the level of training of the personnel involved. Although the program on coordinated fleet operations, was also on the agenda, but there were sufficient funds to ensure rapid progress.

So by the time the third Indo-Pakistani war broke out, the Indian Navy’s morale, training and equipment intact rate, have reached an all-time high.

As the situation in Bengal deteriorated, the Indians realized that another war would be unavoidable. Beginning in the summer, the Indian Navy began planning and executing its future operational program. Based on the overall military deployment of the Pakistanis, two completely different modes of operation were developed to be applied in Bengal and in Pakistan itself.

A task force, led by the aircraft carrier Vikrant, would go as far as Bengal for strike and blockade missions. Amphibious forces, on the other hand, would land under cover of formations when the time came.

And the Western Fleet, dominated by most of the other surface ships, was to blockade Pakistan’s key port of Karachi. And incidentally to strike at the key coastal targets of the adversary. The fleets at both ends, whether on offensive or defensive missions, were to control sea power with overwhelming offensive power.

Because of the weakness of the Pakistani Navy, resulting in the Indian Navy also has no urgent need to strengthen, Allen Wilson can not do anything about this, plus the British World War II inventory has been emptied. Just the Tiger cruiser marketed to India, the current West Coast flagship is the first of the cruiser, over 10,000 tons of tonnage is completely justified, the only problem is that it is a gun cruiser.

India doesn’t have to nitpick, the Royal Navy has two more in service, and there are no plans to upgrade and refit them, instead waiting for the Shield to replace them.

Although the Indian Navy is an important regional force in the Indian Ocean, it is still not enough to face the U.S. Seventy-Fourth Task Force, which has not yet become a military force and has already shouted its slogans out first. Moscow’s reply to New Delhi was to stick to strategy until the Soviet fleet arrived.

New Delhi, in order to strengthen the confidence of the allies, said India has contacted London, in Southeast Asia, the Royal Navy fleet in the Indo-Pakistani war on the sidelines. It would not be India’s enemy, as a way to reassure the Soviet Union that important local players had declared to be absent.

Red Navy Pacific Fleet part of the warships south of the news, is not hidden from the U.S. Seventh Fleet anti-submarine detachment, that is, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The Japanese understand very well that the danger on the surface is not a danger, the danger underwater is a danger, and the center of gravity of the development of the Red Navy of the USSR is underwater, but, of course, not much development of the surface fleet Japan can not deal with.

The worst enemy for a submarine is the mine. There was no telling when and where it would explode. Obviously, if you touch it, it will explode and the whole crew will be killed. For a submarine operating in the water, touching a mine is worse than a tank touching a mine.

For a submarine operating in the water, a mine is more terrifying than a tank’s mine. But a submarine is different. Water pressure can send the whole crew to another world without any doubt.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force had advanced equipment in the field of anti-submarine warfare, except for one thing: Japan had no right to declare war, and without a nod from the United States, all Japan could do was to watch the Soviet Red Navy signal on radar, coming toward the Tsushima Strait.

This can only watch others toward the Tsushima naval battlefield to go away mood, non-Japanese people are difficult to understand, if this time the Soviet Red Navy to a misfire, Japan can only dry.

Relying on the U.S. intelligence system in the Far East, as well as the special relationship between Britain and the U.S., London soon learned how big the spillover effect of this Indo-Pakistani war.

Recently came to the Ministry of Defense particularly diligent Alan Wilson, listening to the discussion of Field Marshal Charles and several chiefs of staff, in the other end of the Eurasian continent to determine how many submarines underwater to follow, the heart can not help but laugh, Japan is the anti-submarine detachment of the Seventh Fleet is right, the United Kingdom is not to have him, even if it did not become an anti-submarine detachment in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean, to the time of this time is also almost the same.

“That said, underwater forces are more of a concern. Of course the Soviet missile destroyers can’t be ignored.” Allen Wilson was relieved to open his mouth to inquire, “Isn’t that right?”

Several chiefs of staff nodded, while Allen Wilson signaled for a moment of peace, “We have the base in the Andaman Islands, which is an unsinkable aircraft carrier in itself, because of the existence of this naval base, that’s why the Royal Navy’s arrangement is smaller the further into the Far East we go, and there are only two Eagle class carriers in the Royal Pacific Fleet, I don’t quite understand the comparison, but the two combined are only equal to the Enterprise . But then, the early public declaration of a task force from Washington carries a huge deterrent factor.”

What’s bullshit is that one of the two Eagle class carriers is now based in Perth, loyally protecting Australia, and there’s just only one carrier in Malaya.

“It could be a game of chicken, so things aren’t dangerous enough to say that nothing will happen.” Alan Wilson inflected just one thing, the general reserve, not moving!

This would show how right the decision was to leave in the first place, to have to split the Andaman Islands, and it’s not as if there hasn’t been some murmurings from the Indian side over the years about getting the British to return the Andaman Islands, but this is something that, having failed to fight for it at the time, is talking about it now? Is it possible?

This also gives this time the Indian Navy action to bring some trouble, slightly from the military field of India some understanding can be seen, the Indian subcontinent is not much good harbor, India’s coastline belongs to a fairly smooth kind, which is different from a big country, a big country’s coastline is to look smooth, but there are thorns on it.

Of course this is not a big problem above, just not many natural harbors, spend a little bit of engineering transformation this is not a big problem, if this becomes a big problem, it can only show that India does not have the nature’s ghostly craftsmanship.

“In fact, we join is not much use, in Malaya harbor fleet to battleships, the state is very much like the German high seas fleet in the period of World War I, its purpose is to exist, existence is everything. With two Queen Elizabeth Classes, one in Zanzibar and one in Bahrain, is it possible to let the Centaur carriers from Xiangjiang go over there?”

“The current situation is such that the most appropriate decision for Britain is to stay put; the Andaman Islands are in our hands anyway, so whenever there is movement it will be too late.”

“Now that Bahrain and Zanzibar are out of the way, it doesn’t seem to make sense if the American side is extraordinarily demanding.” Marshal Charles frowned, as if wondering if he could help.

“It’s best not to do that, the Middle East is the energy center of the world, and no matter what happens, it shouldn’t be necessary to draw out important military forces there.” Alan Wilson shook his head, “At least not yet, maybe the US or the USSR, went back the way they came.”

It was only just on its way, and Britain was planning what to do about the United States’ request for assistance? It was really a bit too proactive. The Pacific Fleet was still a long way off.

After work, Alan Wilson walked straight out of Whitehall and went to Monroe’s to give the U.S. a hard time for sending the task force to add fuel to the fire, and Monroe’s face went red with what must have been shame.

Ever since Indonesia had taken a turn against the free world, the Soviet Red Navy had had a detachment of its fleet permanently stationed in Indonesia, claiming to be defending the country from the imperialist threat.

In reality it was the Royal Navy fleet in Malaya against which it was confronted, and tonnage-wise there was no comparison between this fleet and the Royal Pacific Fleet, except that the huge Malayan fleet was dominated by battleships.

In the following days, the Indian Army attacking the Western Front finally penetrated the Pakistani defenders here, and at the same time, the Indian Army of the North Road and the Indian Army of the East Road have made great progress deep into the territory of Bengal, and the situation of war in East Pakistan has been steeply changed.

In the Strait of Malacca, the task force, dominated by the nuclear-powered carrier Enterprise, was passing through this golden waterway, while the Far East Combined Operations Command and the Pacific Fleet Command were discussing whether something should be done about the Soviet Red Navy fleet out of port in Indonesia. Even if it was too late.

Eventually the calm military leadership decided to kick the ball back to the mainland and leave the decision to the government. Meanwhile, Alan Wilson was discussing with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth and the Deputy Secretary General of the Cabinet, about post-war reconstruction, when Wake’s phone call brought the three men’s discussion to an end, “Secretary General, Washington wants Britain to take some action to stop the Soviet fleet in Indonesia from entering the Bay of Bengal.”

“As I recall the intelligence two days ago was that the Soviet fleet had crossed the Tsushima Strait, why don’t the Americans get the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force to intercept it?” Alan Wilson, who was holding the microphone, cut out, “The Strait of Malacca is an important golden waterway in the world, it’s not Britain’s private property, I think the Americans should know the seriousness of this, not to mention the fact that the opposite side of the Strait is Indonesia, and when that time comes the US pats itself on the back and leaves, the mess still needs to be cleaned up by us?”

“Does the Foreign Secretary know about this yet?” Hearing Wake say no, Alan Wilson replied, “First inform the minister of this matter and express the difficulties of Britain.”

Waiting for Allen Wilson to put down the phone, John Hunter spoke, “But then again, paying for the reconstruction of Bangladesh isn’t it? This can be sure to control the input.”

“How simple is this, just print some money out. As long as the Bengalis recognize it, pounds and gold have equal status.” Alan Wilson whistled and said, “sneakily dry who does not know, we are not the United States, printed four or five hundred billion at once.”