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These submarines are weapons of war, for defence and offence. It is interesting how rival countries are willing to help out in these situations. If this submar
by Theodores 9y ago
These submarines are weapons of war, for defence and offence. It is interesting how rival countries are willing to help out in these situations.
If this submarine had got lost when the Falklands war was a hot war, would the British lend them a helicopter or two to help them look? Particularly if it was a day or two after the Argentine Air Force had taken out a ship or two of the Task Force.
'Here you go guys, if you need help with salvage...' would not have happened then or in the post-war aftermath. Instead the Royal Navy would have denied the Argentine armed forces access to the area and the depth charges would have been deployed, the submarine gone for good like the General Belgrano. The victory would be selling newspapers. Only a few left wing anti-war moaners would be grumbling.
But today obviously there is 'peace' and as much help as much as possible is coming from the British establishment with no hesitation.
If the North Koreans lost a submarine would other countries such as the UK/USA offer them help to find it, particularly if it could one day point missiles at the USA? Maybe there should be an on-going 'lost-submarine test' where world tensions and hostilities are gauged by how many countries participate in military search and rescue operations.
- dazc 9y ago'If this submarine had got lost when the Falklands war was a hot war, would the British lend them a helicopter or two to help them look?....' We live in different times; Falkland Islands are properly defended now and UK has its own nuclear deterrent. Argentina is no longer a threat so I would expect, as a UK citizen, that usual humanitarian protocols are put into play.
- SiempreViernes 9y agoQuite irrelevant as the question explicitly stated the time as "[during] the Falklands war", and the answer is of course no, Tatcher certainly wouldn't have helped the Argentinians during the war.
- Simon_says 9y agoI think the answer is that the UK would have been happy to locate the sub ... and sink it.
- icelancer 9y agoCapture it is more likely to gather intelligence and recon.
- dazc 9y agoWell, of course, but I think the question wasn't purely rhetorical and deserved some kind of response.
- chiefalchemist 9y agoI think the answer to the NK scenario is yes. The point being, if they don't find it, and we don't find it, it's still possible some entity even more nefarious will. Or worst case, we say we'll help but won't admit to finding it even if we do.
- SiempreViernes 9y agoWell, if the Korans ask for help it would be such an unusual move that the U[KS] would very probably help out. Unless Trumps prevents it with a tweet for course. More likely scenario is that China helps out though, what with being and actual neighbor and not a nation from a distant continent...
- jonstewart 9y agoAs Lord Palmerston said, "Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests." Argentina's politics are certainly... interesting... but there's no question that Argentina is a strategically important country for major powers to court. Major military powers have little to fear from the San Juan in a hypothetical conflict, but much to gain from friendly relations with Argentina.
- SomeStupidPoint 9y agoAlso, what a great chance to have a sanctioned hunt of an Argentinian sub/vessel. Nothing breeds experience at hunting subs like going sub hunting -- and now several navies get to, in an area they know one exists, without it offending anyone.
- dba7dba 9y agoIf the North Koreans lost a submarine would other countries such as the UK/USA offer them help to find it, particularly if it could one day point missiles at the USA? Maybe there should be an on-going 'lost-submarine test' where world tensions and hostilities are gauged by how many countries participate in military search and rescue operations. A North Korean Navy sub did sink in 2016 but North Korea did not admit nor request any assistance. https://news.usni.org/2016/03/11/u-s-official-north-korean-submarine-is-missing-presumed-sunk https://news.usni.org/2016/03/11/u-s-official-north-korean-s...
- toomanybeersies 9y agoYou may be surprised to learn that the UK also performs military exercises with its former enemy: France. It turns out diplomatic relations shift over time.
- freeflight 9y ago> These submarines are weapons of war, for defence and offence. It is interesting how rival countries are willing to help out in these situations. Rival countries? What an odd way to look at the world. Imho this being a military submarine is of little consequence considering Argentina isn't at war with any country right now, at least to my knowledge. I think what rather applies here is sailor tradition of offering help when fellow sailors are in distress, which is (as I understand it) a rather old and respected tradition. Btw: It's also not that unthinkable that British military intelligence might want to use this opportunity to collect some information on the sub. > If the North Koreans lost a submarine would other countries such as the UK/USA offer them help to find it, particularly if it could one day point missiles at the USA? Lucky us that it wasn't a North Korean submarine... I guess? I'm not even sure what that comparison is supposed to illustrate.
- msh 9y agoI think it's a weird comparison. The Falklands war was 35 years ago, would anyone wonder if the UK helped the German locate a sub in 1980? That's 35 years after the end of WW2.