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When the airstrikes on ISIS began, the UK was the second power to join the US from its own airbases in Cyprus. It has even granted the US (through the NATO forum) use of its world-wide military bases. Lets just run through some facts on power projection.


The **UK** is about to produce the world's second largest super-aircraft carrier and at present has two assault carriers. (So two Supers and three assaults by 2020)


**France** has one medium-aircraft carrier and four assault carriers.


The Royal Navy and Marine Nationale have patrols across the world, from the Indian Ocean (Combined Task Force 150) to the Pacific (Rim of the Pacific) and of course the Atlantic (Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 and 2). The Falkland islands are protected by the most highly concentrated military force in the world. Not to mention that British, French and other EU foreign bases are a mainstay of American replenishment.


This is all because the Royal Fleet Auxiliary has 13 long distance auxiliary ships as well as the ability to call on between 6 and 4 MoD massive container ships, the French have 4 replenishment ships as well as access to 4 of the same ships previously mentioned. **The USA has 10 auxiliary vessels** with the US Army (weirdly enough) operating 8 re-supply ships and the US Navy operating 2 repair ships. That's far less than the **21 boasted by the Franco-British alliance**.

Air-power, however, is where the US excels. The UK or France often rent US planes when their own are busy (since the US has too many for its own needs). But that aside, the UK can and France can quite easily supply their own forces and those of their allies as demonstrated in Afghanistan.


Alongside a strong nuclear deterrent (a combined 525), the pair are more than capable at holding their own against military superpowers.


Both countries also have rapid response units, outside of NATO's own. The British Royal Marines are capable of being in a combat environment within 36 hours. That truly is the ability to field forces anywhere in the world sharpish.


While it is obvious that the two don't have militaries or military expenditure that compares to the US (and in no way am I arguing that the UK-French alliance is more powerful than the US); they do have the ability to project force around the globe via both sea and air.
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