British admirals to command wind turbines instead of ships



Admiral  Nelson´s successors  will be in charge of wind turbines instead of ships. The Cameron government´s cuts could reduce the size of the Royal Navy to it´s smallest level since the time of Nelson.


David Cameron´s "the greenest government ever" keeps on subsidising unprofitable wind power projects while at the same time endangering British trade interests ,which are increasingly dependent on keeping international sea lanes safe and open. British admirals, commanders and captains are now expected to command wind turbines instead of ships as the Royal Navy is facing extensive cutbacks:

British, Dutch and Danish Royal Navy are just some places where the traditional military training programs contain many of the key criteria an offshore employer seeks. Thousands of hours of offshore work experience, check. Educated to a good standard of higher learning maybe even with specific electrical engineering skills sets, check. A built in sense of teamwork and respect for authority and command, check.

These men and women have worked to deadlines for most of theiradult lives. They have been in harsh weather conditions and very likely been away from home comforts and their families for weeks at a time. They have worked in tight spaces. They are brave and work with a purpose.
So it is no surprise to hear and read that wind turbine OEM’s on both sides of the Atlantic such as Gamesa, are actively employing ex-military. Nor should it be a shock to learn that the UK national skills academy power sector is actively seeking out connections between the offshore wind community and a variety of military institutions

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While the heavily subsidised wind power industry is poaching on the Royal Navy, both trade and security experts say that both the ships and the officers would be sorely needed in the fight against piracy and terrorism:

The Centre for Economics and Business Research think-tank has predicted that the amount of international trade Britain conducts by sea could soar as we forge stronger links with emerging markets.
It believes sea trade will grow  in value by more than six times over the next 20 years – making Britain a ‘maritime nation’  once again.
But industry experts warn this seafaring renaissance will only be possible if the Royal Navy is strong enough to keep shipping lanes open and fight piracy  and terrorism.
International trade is vital to the health of the UK economy, with ministers pinning their hopes on exports to drive the current recovery.
But pirate attacks rose sharply to 266 incidents in the first half of this year, up from 196 in the same period of 2010, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The hot-spot for pirates is not the Caribbean but the Arabian Sea, where most attacks by Somali brigands take place.
At the end of June, Somali pirates were holding 420 crew members across 20 vessels, and demanding millions of pounds in ransoms for their release.
Pottengal Mukundan, the IMB’s director, said these groups are attacking more ships than ever before – and taking even more risks.
‘This June, for the first time, pirates fired on ships in rough seas in the Indian Ocean during the monsoon season,’ he said.
‘In the past they would have stayed away in such difficult conditions.’
According to the Chamber of Shipping, 95pc of UK trade by volume – and 90pc by value – is carried over the waves.
‘We are highly dependent on trade by sea,’ said John Dowden, a senior manager at the trade association.
‘We need a strong Navy to protect our interests. Whether we have enough naval ships to do that is a serious concern.’
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But the Royal United Services Institute warned that the Navy is ‘dangerously weak’, and international trade by sea was at risk ‘unless the future fleet is restored and adequately sized’.
The Navy, along with the other armed forces, is facing cutbacks following the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review last autumn – including the scrapping of the iconic Ark Royal aircraft carrier and the loss of 5,000 jobs. In addition, the historic Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, which has trained officers since 1905, may face closure.
Ultimately, the swingeing cuts could reduce the service to its smallest level since the time of Admiral Nelson.
Dr Lee Willett, a research fellow at RUSI, cautioned: ‘The role of the Royal Navy has been forgotten about because the trade keeps coming.’
In a recent report, Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham, an associate fellow at the institute, said: ‘Any trading nation has a critical interest in the secure use of the seas and the preservation of good order at sea.
‘The dependence of the West, but especially of Britain, on use  of the sea for its survival and  prosperity is a geopolitical fact  of life.’

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PS

This is another sad example of what happens when politicians close their eyes to the real world and instead base their actions on politically correct hoax "science". And there is a clear danger that,due to defense cuts, there will be a similar development in the US