By David Morse, 27 November 2024
In a surprise announcement on 20 November, the UK government has announced the retirement of five RN and RFA vessels. At first glance this would appear to be a reduction in capability but it is more an acknowledgment of existing realities - the frigate Northumberland is reported as uneconomical to repair after the discovery of significant structural damage; the two amphibious ships have not been in service for years and have been listed for disposal for some time. The two RFAs, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler, have similarly been in extended readiness since 2022. While the announcement initially strikes as a significant loss of capability, the reality is more like housekeeping to reduce the costs of ships that were unlikely to be reactivated but which still demanded resources.
While the RN has an ambitious building plan of SSNs, SSBNs, Type 26 and 31 frigates and Fleet Solid Support Ships and longer term hopes for renewed mine countermeasures and amphibious capabilities to say nothing of a new class of SSNs for the AUKUS programme, they will all compete in a tight fiscal environment. The broad range of UK programmes and aspirations across all three services continue to be questioned by the National Audit Office for overall affordability. If recent history is an indicator, new builds will lag the retirement of older platforms and the introduction of new ships will take longer and be more challenging than anticipated. The attached article offers one perspective on a shrinking Royal Navy.
https://www.navylookout.com/is-the-royal-navy-in-a-terminal-or-temporary-decline/
2 thoughts on “UK Defence Cuts”
No, the amphibs operating five years on, five off.
Just a few issues really to be picky. Albion and Bulwark rotate so there’s only one ever available at any one time so one does sit for a few years, but one has been active fairly recently so the statement “hasn’t been active for years” doesn’t apply here nor does the “listed for disposal” because they haven’t been put up for disposal. Until now one was in uncrewed reserve undergoing major refit, the other was active until she was laid up in ready reserve pending overhaul – at no time were these two ships ever listed for disposal.
HMS Richmond, like all other type 23 frigates, was designed for a life span of 18 years. All of them have exceeded this by some margin with the most extreme cases doubling it so they have put in some good service. It’s unsurprising that she is having issues and is not far off 30 years old and with her life expectancy, which was done 2017-19, nearing expiration again it isn’t a surprise to many.
The Waves have had a short career, most of the time spent laid up. We have a significant problem with them and that is they are unable to assist in resupply the QE class carriers. We did plan to use them for consolidation runs and STS but crewing became an issue and these ships just can’t do the focus task of resupply to our carriers. Hence laid up.
It should be noted there are different statuses applied to ships in reserve:
Ready Reserve – has crew can be back at sea in under 15 days
Extended Readiness – has skeleton crew can be back at sea in 30 days
Uncrewed reserve – has bare basic maintenance, no dedicated crew, can be back at sea in 90 days
A few things have happened with regards to overruns on builds etc, namely in the Astute program and also the QE the government of the day slowed them down on purpose. By doing this they save cash today but next year you have to pay it back with interest. It’s really a stupidity thing for balancing the books.
Our SSN fleet will grow. I have seen the figure circulated and it’s healthy and will mean we won’t have to stagger like we did on the Astutes. As for builds, well, we’re already on the last one which should be completed next year. We already have 3 Dreadnoughts being built with the 4th to start soon. Then we’re right into AUKUS SSN.
On top of this we have the type 31 program already building ship 3 and type 26 already with 2 hulls in the water and 3 more being built, so it’s going to come thick and fast. We also have options on type 32 or a batch II type 31.
Solid stores 3 have been confirmed and are in build, 3 Bay class, RFA Argus, HMS Bulwark and Albion will be replaced by a one class of ship sharing roles that will be in the 2030’s though this is quite a gap for capability but the RN and RFA are used to that.
Mine warfare is mainly going to be done with unmanned vessels and isn’t a priority, sea cables and communications ship like RFA Sterling Castle is on the table too, a second hand purchase.
It’s ambitious but they are trying to balance the books today so they can buy the equipment tomorrow. The issue as always will be it’s going to be more expensive tomorrow!