Navy would struggle to fight a war – report
As a former naval person, the Chief is saddened to see this, and is concerned over some evident declines in our own naval forces, especially in the face of the ChiCom drive towards a 600 ship fleet of their own.
The Royal Navy can no longer fight a major war because of years of underÂÂfunding and cutbacks, a leaked Whitehall report has revealed. With an “under-resourced” fleet composed of “ageing and operationally defective ships”, the Navy would struggle even to repeat its role in the Iraq war and is now “far more vulnerable to unexpected shocks”, the top-level Ministry of Defence document says.
The report was ordered by Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, who had intended to use it to “counter criticism” on the state of the Navy in the media and from opposition parties.
At least that was the plan…but it looks like the Brownian EngSoc regime got mugged by reality instead:
But in a damning conclusion, the report states: “The current material state of the fleet is not good; the Royal Navy would be challenged to mount a medium-scale operation in accordance with current policy against a technologically capable adversary.”
Key findings of Royal Navy report
• Funding shortfall is “eroding” Navy’s fighting capability
• Fleet is “ageing” and ever more “thinly stretched”
• Anti-submarine capability is now below a “prudent minimum level”
• Royal Marines’ ability to conduct amphibious operations is being “eroded”
• Too many ships are putting to sea with “operational defects”
• Navy’s ability to “deliver influence at strategic level” is under threat
• Navy vulnerable to unexpected shocks compared with 20 years ago
• In 1987 35 ships patrolled UK waters, compared with just 10 today
• New aircraft carriers “provide significant global and military leverage”
• Navy’s modern ships are more capable and cost-effective
Admittedly the last two points are hopeful, but there’s far too much that’s not for an island nation (or its friends) to feel comfortable with the current state of affairs.
bet Churchill is rolling over in his grave
The RN has been in a major decline since 1990 due to under-funding. Most of the blame for this lies with the Blair/Brown government who have little understanding of the armed forces and the RN in particular. As an island nation dependent on sea-bourn trade their negligence is a danger to the UK and it’s allies. This latest report is just the culmination of years of cost-cutting, delays and incompetence and even the government themselves can’t hide the consequences anymore. There are a very few excellent new ships building but the RN needs hulls – quality cant replace quantity! I think underlying it all is the dangerous assuption amongst successive British governments that the United States will always bale us out in the end. See also: http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org