As The Royal Navy Sinks Quietly In The West…..

The Telegraph has an article describing a leaked British Ministry of Defense report that indicates just how weak the Royal Navy has become. The report was commissioned by Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, supposedly to defuse criticism. This backfired, didn't it? The report appears to be a stunning condemnation of the state of the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy can no longer fight a major war because of years of under­funding 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.

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." A medium-scale operation is similar to the naval involvement in the Iraq War.

The document adds that the Navy is too "thinly stretched", its fighting capability is being "eroded" and the fleet's ability to influence events at the strategic level is "under threat".

The document's findings come at a time of mounting pressure on the Prime Minister, who has been heavily criticised over claims that as Chancellor he failed to fund the military ­adequately.

None of this will be a surprise to regular readers. I have posted about the dire straits the Royal Navy finds itself in several times. Here, here and here, to name just a few.  There are more. The fleet has lost strength at an alarming rate, though. The once proud Royal Navy has become a mere shadow of the shell it had already become a decade ago. The Telegraph has a dismal graphic that shows just how feeble the navy is today compared to 20 years ago.

Ed Morrisey also noticed this article today and warns that the US is also weakening its fleet, although not at a similar rate.

That doesn't let the US off the hook, though. For approximately the same period, the US has allowed our navy to shrink, a situation that only recently caused alarm in Washington with the apparent arms buildup of China. We have relied on two vast oceans to serve as our buffer against military attack, buttressed by an overwhelming surface and subsurface naval armada. We have begun to drift in the same direction as the UK, allowing our ability to project power and protect our trade routes dwindle slowly. We have not seen the same level of degradation that the British see in their naval power, but we're on the same road.

Not a good situation. Britain and the United States have kept the sea lanes open for centuries - for the benefit of all lawful seafarers. It is no coincidence that the reductions in the navies of these two nations coincides with the huge upswing in piracy globally. This is not likely to get better in the short term.

• 

  By feeblemind, Sunday, 2 December , 2007 @ 3:14 pm

  Jackie Fisher must be spinning in his grave. As for the US, I am reading that in future, cooperation with the navies of Singapore, India, Japan, and Australia should pick up the slack sufficiently enough to counter threats in Asia. Are you dubious of the effectiveness of such a plan Gaius? So am I, but people with sharper minds than mine have it all worked out.

• 

  By NortonPete, Sunday, 2 December , 2007 @ 3:27 pm

  Watch out Great Britain, you might wind up refighting the Falklands war all over again and this time it might not go your way.
  http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/30/america/LA-FEA-Argentina-Falklands.php

  And Feeblemind, Japan I think will step up to the plate, its in their genes.

• 

  By NavyLookout, Monday, 3 December , 2007 @ 8:43 am

  You’re right, whatever the UK government may say about new warships being built with greater capability it is a fantasy to say the UK could win or even mount a similar campaign to the Falklands conflict of 1982. (the size of the fleet has more than halved since 1982 and it was a close run thing even then). Quality cannot make up for quantity. A ship cannot be in two places at once and of course potential enemies have also upgraded their weapons in the meantime.

  The RN has been in major decline since 1990 and the current government is mainly to blame. They have little understanding of the armed forces and the RN in particular although they are happy to send them into battle under equipped and under-funded.

  For more info see:
  http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org

Other Links to this Post

1. Public Secrets: from the files of the Irishspy — Monday, 3 December , 2007 @ 2:04 pm