The rumour, attributed to the Whitehall sources, about aircraft carrier sharing between the UK and France originated in the Times. Quoting, apparently different, sources in the Ministry of Defence, the BBC reported no such sharing is planned.

What are the facts? The Ministry of Defence is facing severe cuts. The future of Trident, British submarine-based nuclear deterrent is unclear and the Strategic Defence and Security Review is expected to be published within a month. Defence Secretary Liam Fox will visit Paris on Friday.

The alleged sharing proposal means that one of the two British and one French aircraft carriers would be always at sea, the capability the UK is not capable to exercise now. Ships would only answer to their respective national commands and special arrangements would be in place for nation-specific national interests, for example, Falklands in British case.

Given the fact that Britain has no empire to defend, the use of Falklands as an example of UK national interests is telling, sharing resources against common threats makes sense. Both the UK and Britain are members of NATO and the European Union. It would make even more sense on European level but that's another, albeit inevitable, story.

Issues of national sovereignty that arose from the Anglo-Franco ship sharing can be put down more to the fact that it's France that will be the partner rather than the United States.

The issues of job losses seems to be more important. If sharing goes ahead, Britain will not have to build one-to-one replacements or could downsize and there are worries that could lead to thousands of jobs being cut. But even if the current plans for building new UK ships that are already underway continue, UK Navy could still save by sharing patrolling duties with France.

All of these are speculations but it is understandable that those concerned are looking for answers.

Those concerned, however, are ship builders rather than military strategists.

Kristian Klima

Photo: ISIFA