The Royal Navy is struggling to keep itself ready for war because of cost-cutting pressures, a serving admiral and has warned.Former Commodore of Devonport Naval Base, Vice Admiral Simon Lister, said the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review had created a “state of flux”.
And he warned that “overall material readiness”, particularly in the surface fleet, “continues to decline despite the endeavours of hard pressed teams in the front line”.
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I would suggest that the only thing he mentions that is seriuosly wrong, are the cuts in personel. The whole of the armed forces have been affected by the governments slashing of armed forces numbers. The RN has not been singled out in this respect.He claims ships have had to be towed back to port after breaking down, I can't think of any offhand perhaps he could give numbers.
ReplyDeleteHe also claims we are buying second rate equipment, strange, as the criticism of the armed forces in general is that we buy 'gold plated gear' instead of more affordable equipment.
We are currently building two 65,000 ton Aircraft carriers, we have just commissioned the last of six T45 destroyers,we have just launched the third of seven Astute class nuclear submarines. Next year will see the major upgrade of the T23 frigates fitted with sea ceptor missiles, it will also see the start of the T26 frigate programme. So given the financial restraints not only in the UK but in the whole of the western hemisphere, we aren't doing too badly.
Vice Admiral Lister is in my opinion trying to create something out of nothing. I would assume he has his reasons, makes one wonder if he has been passed over for promotion to full Admiral ?? or is nearing the end of his service.