Royal Navy “pathetically low” on warships

Maritime November 21, 2016

Uncertainty surrounding the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) plans to replace its 13 ageing vessels is putting Britain’s defences at risk according to a Commons Select Committee report.

The Defence Committee Report entitled ‘Restoring the Fleet’, raised its concerns as the Royal Navy’s fleet of frigates was at a “historic low” and has called on the MOD to produce “timed production schedules” in order to clarify just how long the new “Type 26” destroyers would be delayed and prevent further postponements.

The Type 26 frigates and at least five general-purpose frigates will replace the existing Type 23s. The first Type 23, HMS Argyll, is due out of service in 2023; followed by the other twelve at annual intervals until the last, HMS St Albans, is withdrawn in 2035.

The report says that it is vital that the new frigates are delivered to that timetable. Any further delay to the production schedule would see the already record low numbers fall even further.

The report also criticised the MOD for the “extraordinary mistakes” in the design of the Type 45 and called on the Department to demonstrate it had learnt from these mistakes.

The MoD, at the tax payers’ expense, is being forced to refit the engines of all six Type 45 destroyers following a series of serious engine failures due to being unable to operate for extended periods of time in warm waters.

These resulted from major shortcomings in specification, design and testing for which blame can be attributed both to the MoD and its contractors.

The report said: “The UK’s enduring presence in the Gulf should have made it a key requirement for the engines. The fact that it was not was an inexcusable failing and one, which must not be repeated.”

A repeat of this failure could lead to “potentially dangerous consequences”.

The Chair of the Defence Committee, Dr Julian Lewis, said: “The Ministry of Defence must deliver this programme of modernisation on time. If it fails to do so, the Government will break its categorical pledge to maintain at least 19 frigates and destroyers—already a pathetically low total.

“The United Kingdom will then lack the maritime strength to deal with the threats we face right now, let alone in the future. We are putting the MoD on notice that it must not let this happen.”

The government are due to make an announcement on its future shipbuilding plans before the Autumn Statement, which will delivered by Chancellor Philip Hammond this Wednesday.

The strategy will put forward how the government is to invest around £19Bn on surface ships for the Royal Navy.