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'More admirals than warships', Royal Navy branded weak as Defence Secretary struggles on fleet's size
The Standard ^ | March 26, 2026 | Nicholas Cecil

Posted on 03/26/2026 8:47:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

The Royal Navy was facing growing criticism over its effectiveness as Defence Secretary John Healey struggled to say how many warships it has.

The Cabinet minister came under fire after been grilled on how many frigates there are in the navy as he took to the airwaves to say British forces may now intercept Russian “shadow fleet” vessels in the Channel.

“We have...we have...we have...we have...we have...we have 17 frigates and destroyers,” he told LBC Radio.

“It’s down from 23 at the end of the last Labour government.”

(Excerpt) Read more at standard.co.uk ...


TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: england; europe; navy; pathetic

1 posted on 03/26/2026 8:47:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican
I’m not a British admiral, or even a captain. But I have a idea.

Britain should turn all the boats heading to the UK into Royal Navy vessels. Add a Union Jack to the sterns, and presto! You’ve got a large and impressive navy again.


2 posted on 03/26/2026 8:58:23 PM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: All

Questionable terminology. I am not 100% sure, but I think the defense secretary in the UK is not like our secretary of defense or our Secretary of war. That would be the defense minister.

I think the defense secretary is the top civil servant as they are MOD, their ministry of defense. But the article then calls having a cabinet minister and that just confuses things further.


3 posted on 03/26/2026 11:09:25 PM PDT by Owen
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To: Leaning Right

Ever heard of the theory of “Natural selection”?
This picture it it in real time!


4 posted on 03/27/2026 12:08:39 AM PDT by rellic
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To: MinorityRepublican

They could help in storming the beach:

https://youtu.be/dmAOGn4XC9M?si=Yg9DBzbGiVV_htYn


5 posted on 03/27/2026 2:10:44 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Drain the Swamp. Build the Wall)
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To: MinorityRepublican

We should thank God daily that our ancestors left Europe…


6 posted on 03/27/2026 4:34:36 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: Jan_Sobieski

What does Argentina think of that?


7 posted on 03/27/2026 5:24:05 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ah, the days of the English Empire’s navy during the 18th and 19th Centuries, and the WWII Navy.


8 posted on 03/27/2026 6:08:21 AM PDT by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." — M. O'Neal, USMC)
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To: FoxInSocks

One of the reasons England and Germany were at odds prior to WW1 was because England’s global Naval superiority was threatened by Germany’s expanding Navy. Now they are borrowing ships from Germany. How the mighty have fallen. The sad part is that it is all self-induced.


9 posted on 03/27/2026 8:18:46 AM PDT by nhbob1
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To: nhbob1

Personally, the UK as a defense force is a joke. Look at the losers, Montgomery the liar for 1, and now the Israelis have more subs than the UK. Check it out for yourself...


10 posted on 03/27/2026 9:15:59 AM PDT by electricjack (Hello I am from the govt an an I here to help you )
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