Royal Navy Torpedoed
The Blair Government is recommending deep cuts in the fleet, according to The Sun:
Six key warships would be removed from active service under secret plans drawn up to help to foot the bill for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The frigates and destroyers would be tied up in harbour on a “reduced state of readiness” leaving just 19 fully-operational escort ships.
Navy insiders fear the six would NEVER come out of dock and would later be scrapped or sold — in another blow to the Senior Service, which has been slashed by a third since Labour came to power in 1997.
The move threatens to leave the Royal Navy overshadowed by the Japanese fleet, which has 55 frigates and destroyers. Even the Germans have 15 destroyers and ten large attack craft. And the French have 17 frigates and destroyers, while the Greeks have 14 frigates and 20 large fast attack craft.
Six key warships would be removed from active service under secret plans drawn up to help to foot the bill for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The frigates and destroyers would be tied up in harbour on a “reduced state of readiness” leaving just 19 fully-operational escort ships.
Navy insiders fear the six would NEVER come out of dock and would later be scrapped or sold — in another blow to the Senior Service, which has been slashed by a third since Labour came to power in 1997.
The move threatens to leave the Royal Navy overshadowed by the Japanese fleet, which has 55 frigates and destroyers. Even the Germans have 15 destroyers and ten large attack craft. And the French have 17 frigates and destroyers, while the Greeks have 14 frigates and 20 large fast attack craft.
And China is threatening the West with cruise missile armed submarines (see below). Is this the end of British and American sea power?
Posts
