Navy facing struggle for survival as Treasury cuts spending, report warns

The Times ^ | January 4, 2010

[george76]

The Royal Navy is facing a struggle for survival against a Treasury intent on cutting back on defence spending, a report warns today.

The Royal Navy is now “smaller than it has ever been in its history but the demands upon the few remaining ships remain as high as ever,” says British Warships and Auxiliaries, an annual guide to the state of the Navy.

With Afghanistan absorbing an increasing amount of resources, the Navy’s surface warship and submarine fleets look set to be the most vulnerable.

“There are new ships coming through but the fleet has been pared back so much by the Government that there are now not enough escort ships to protect the bigger vessels.

“The Government thinks that new ships are more capable and therefore you don’t need so many of them, but the number of escort ships is being cut significantly. If you’re going to rely on new carriers and an amphibious capability ... you need escort ships to keep them safe. The Government is concentrating on the big ships but neglecting the smaller ships.”

The Government had planned to build 12 of the Type 45 destroyers but the number has been reduced to six.

“As for submarines, you need a critical mass to make them costeffective because of the infrastructure required to maintain them.”

Four nuclear-powered Astute-class boats have been ordered to replace the ageing Swiftsure-class submarines and the early Trafalgar-class boats. But the construction programme has suffered from delays and overspend, and there are doubts about the promised extra three to bring the Astute submarine fleet to seven.

[Shimmer1]

Navy family ping list

[onedoug]

Well, as Britain goes islamist at least they won’t have much of a navy left.

[MSF BU]

Don’t think this cannot happen to us.

[Nick Danger]

the Navy’s surface warship and submarine fleets look set to be the most vulnerable

So what, the hovercraft are being spared? The naval armored divisions? If they get rid of the surface ships and the submarines, what's left, the rubber ducks?

[ricks_place]

Once Democrat-Marxists drain the US Treasury and obligate future tax revenue to social programs, the US will be left with a choice. Fund ballooning, bloated Obama Health Care or cut Defense spending.

[Shimmer1]

I don’t, that’s why I pinged the Navy family list
shudder!!

[Frantzie]

They need to provide muslims with loads of free and expensive homes.

At least they do not elect muslims to run their country just idiotic and evil Scotsmen.....like Brooone and B-LIAR who have pushed for full Islamification.

[onedoug]

They need to provide muslims with loads of free and expensive homes.

The Captain's Quarters to start. Working one's way down the former chain of command from there, dependent on that islamist's rank as to how many Brits he's murdered.