What to do about the disappearing Royal Navy…
This is a guest post by Dr Alexander Clarke which first appeared on the U.S. Naval Institute Blog. More
Analysis
Is Britain prepared for the naval challenges of a new Cold War?
In December 2014 Russia quietly signaled what maybe called the start of Cold War II when it issued a new military doctrine which lists NATO as its “main threat”. President Putin, a former KGB officer is determined to return Russia to the superpower status of the Soviet Union. Communist dogma may have gone but it has been replaced by nationalist expansionism and paranoia used to justify a military renaissance. Western nations are feeling this growing power by increasing numbers of Russian ships, aircraft and submarines to probing defences and even entering territorial waters.More
HMS Severn heads for the Caribbean amid questions about the RN’s Offshore Patrol Vessels.
For the first time a Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) HMS Severn will be sent to undertake an Atlantic Patrol (North) in the Caribbean and this raises some interesting questions. More
The big picture for the Royal Navy leading up to the 2015 SDSR
This guest post by the DefenceSynergia (DS) RN Editorial Team looks at the history of cuts, compromise and decline experienced by the RN in recent times and hopes for better strategy and policy to inform the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).
Contraction & consolidation – relying on a single shipyard for warship construction
Lack of warship orders and the Government’s ‘lassiez faire’ attitude is damaging the industrial base that the navy will need in the long term. This is clear to see in the likely consolidation of all Royal Navy warship construction on a single site.More
The hidden crisis – Royal Navy manpower
The 2010 defence review required the Royal Navy to reduce its personnel numbers from 36,000 down to around 31,000. The salaries, benefits and pensions for serving and former RN personnel amount to a significant cost, making naval budget manpower cuts an attractive naval option for the Treasury. After 3 waves of redundancies, the RN was down to 30,310 trained personnel by April this year. More
Attack submarine force: sinking below critical mass?
Nuclear submarines: the key UK defence asset
The submarine force is the arguably most important of the RN’s assets. Not only do the 4 Vanguard class subs (SSBNs) carry the UK nuclear deterrent but the attack submarine force (SSNs) are the only vessels able to launch the Tomahawk land attack missile. Of all the problems facing the RN at present, the recent rapid decline in SSN numbers is the area for greatest concern.More
Happy 350th birthday Royal Marines, but mind the gap
This year marks the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines – the Royal Navy’s soldiers, an elite fighting force with a proud history of successful operations almost continuously around the globe.More