In a gossipy article, The Times reports that the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, has told colleagues he does not intend to apply for the Chief of Defence Staff role as he believes he can’t fix the navy due to the lack of resources and is expected to resign in the summer.
This report is not a fair reflection of the situation. Admiral Key’s time in post is due to end this year but he will not resign. Although everyone anticipates difficult times ahead, he has no intention of quitting or running away from the challenge of strengthening the Royal Navy.
There is no doubt that many underlying problems that date back to bad decisions taken more than a decade previously, have really come to a head during Key’s time in charge. This has drawn increasing criticism and unwelcome headlines since he became head of the RN in November 2021. In a sensible move, the current tenure of both CDS and 1SL have been extended to about 4 years making for greater stability compared with the previous two or two and half year appointments.
When Key took over from Admiral Radakin (together with 2SL, Vice Admiral Nick Hine), there was a feeling in some quarters that the ‘transformation agenda’ had been pushed too fast, leaving some scarred by the experience. Key has proved to be steady rather than visionary, but a largely honest leader and working hard to make the best of the poor hand he has been dealt.
The current CDS, Admiral Tony Radakin will complete his extended tenure as head of the UK Armed Forces in the Autumn but his successor will be tasked with delivering the outcomes of the Defence Review. Admiral Key would be quite capable of becoming CDS but the job is not a post that can be “applied for”, rather it is a political appointment. A list of potential candidates is drawn up and the final selection is made by the Prime Minister.
Commandant General Royal Marines, Gwyn Jenkin is thought to be the leading candidate to be the next CDS but his appointment may be complicated by questions over what he knew about alleged summary executions by Special Forces when he was commanding officer of the SBS during operations in Afghanistan.
Besides the First Sea Lord, other possible CDS candidates include Gen Sir Jim Hockenhull – head of Strategic Command, ACM Sir Richard Knighton – Chief of the Air Staff but who has never commanded an operational squadron, Lt Gen Rob Magowan – deputy CDS, Gen Roly Walker – Chief of the General Staff and Gen Sharon Nesmith – VCDS. According to The Times, recalling retired generals, Nick Carter (who already served as CDS) and Patrick Sanders is even being considered.
Should the government fail to fund the SDR properly, given the grave threats to the nation, perhaps then there might then be a case for all the senior leaders of the armed forces to threaten to resign en mass.
Any Fixing can only be done by the people in charge of the purse strings. Unfortunately those in charge at this time are proving to be disastrously inept at best and wholly dangerous at worst.
Get these clowns out now before they cause anymore damage.
How exactly do you want to get the clowns out
Why exactly do you want to keep them in ?
When did I say I did, but they’re not up for election anytime soon.
Forces are hard at work to get Starmer out way before any election. It’s all over the news and SM.
The last guys didn’t support you either, what makes you think a change in clown is going to change how the armed forces in the UK are funded. It should be fairly obvious to all concerned that neithe rmain party have an interest in defence and both will cut funding wherever they can get away with it.
Not noticed you on here before but hello to the colonies.
Having spent many decades living here, I’ve seen a steady procession of Clowns come and go but this latest bunch are on another level.
Good to see this site has readers from across the globe.
Cut your entitlements and raised your taxes have they?
Troll someone else.
Mate, don’t take it personally, he has a long history of doing this and he loves getting a bite so that he can report it to the site owners.
Years and years he’s been like this, most, if not all the rest of us don’t even bother responding to him anymore.
Personally I just tend to feel sorrow for him as he obviously has social issues.
Sow the wind reap the whirlwind..
And replace them with the clowns who are the biggest factor in this mess? Seriously? 🤡
Another Troll turns up.
Because he, or we, or us, don’t agree with you doesn’t mean we are trolling you. 15 years of Tory austerity, cronyism and corruption got us where we are today, but you expect a labour government to fix it in 5 minutes? That is hardly realistic is it?
There is a problem at the heart of all recent government, regardless of party, and that is the conception that defence doesn’t win votes, followed by a requirement to bow down to a Treasury which seems inordinately powerful?
Add to this the malfeasance of a MOD that cannot seem to generate value for money regardless of countless reforms, and service chiefs who do not help in this regard.
There is plenty of blame to go around, but the current gov has simply not been in place long enough to deserve the majority of it.
I dont think the Present Government has a mandate of the support of the UK electorate, certainly not one where there won just only 20% of the voting population.
One can often make this point due to our first past the post electoral system.
I dont know how this will play out.
I do hope Defence gets a proper % of funds which needs to be at least 2,5% GDP as an absolute minimum.
The UK may slide into recession this year, but interest rates may have to go up to defend the pound and keep inflation where it is. Not what you want to do when facing a recession.
In that environment, the Royal Navy, RAF and the army are more likely to see funding cuts than funding increases. Pressure form Trump will keep it from going below 2% of GDP, the NATO commitment. Regrettably that will not be enough to avoid another reduction in force strength in the coming review.
Why, because the rising cost of servicing the national debt is consuming all the money from Labor’s tax increases and then some. The Torres may have accumulated the debt thorough their mismanagement of the UK economy, but it is Labor who finds themselves in office, so it is them who now has to deal with it. Another round of Austerity is looking increasing likely. Not because anybody thinks it is a good idea, but because that is what happens when the cupboard of ideas is bare.
2025 is going to be a difficult year for a lot of people.
It would be great for a Royal Marine to be CDS. Ideally suited for the job.
Mike
As Bootnecks have recently taken over the control of two elite British military units:-
Commando pilot Mike makes history as first Royal Marine to command a fast jet squadron
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ravenmaster-tower-of-london-raven-barney-chandler-b1142514.html
Your suggestion seems to be a very logical “next step”
I can see only one minor problem ahead….
Has the Army’s Dress Committee ever approved a RMC uniform for the CDS to wear?
Peter (Irate Taxpayer)
Army doesnt decide Corps of RM formal uniforms . Theres been full RM generals before
Perhaps he could pull a few strings and get a couple LHDs and reinstate in full 3 Commando Brigade for the Corps.
You’re funny
I say that only in partial jest because it would be great to have a Bootneck as CDS if for no other reason the Corps has definitely been sacrificed to provide the numbers to crew the two Carriers.
A strong advocate therefore during the development of the MRSS project would be a good move and potentially safeguard it from being scrapped or significantly cut in capability or numbers over the next few years.
Too soon.
Nick Carter? Seriously? We are doomed if they are even considering this.
Surprising the article doesn’t mention the obvious solution, the further extension of Radakin’s position as CDS.
He may not want to extend
No to Nixk Carter and S Nesmith. Hoxkenhull is too old.
Good to see that the top brass in what we used to call the Admiralty may finally be trying to stand up to govt cutbacks. UK obviously needs twice the defense spending it has now. Prioritizing the vastly inefficient NHS bureaucracy and other social programmes with taxes at a record high since WWII will not help Great Britain become Great agan.
If the SDR comes up with more cuts the new Trump administration will not stand steill and do nothing. It will force Britain and the EU countries to choose between reversing course or being left to defend themselves. There are many levers at his disposal, especially now that UK and Germany are once again the “sick men of Europe” mainly due to suicidal high taxes and imaginary fears of 1 degree “climate change” being used to impose energy starvation, de-industrialization and poverty on their populaces while China and India focus on vast increases in coal plants.
Sorry but I simply doubt very much whether Trump for all his faults will sit back and tolerate the free ride on defense that UK and Europe have been getting for so long,
Cheers
John
Spot on, John. If Europe (or at least western Europe) wants to complete its collective suicide and/or surrender to Franco-Prussia, go right ahead and do that. We won’t be along for that ride, no sir.
The choice is binary; we either want to “insure” our democracy and way of life or we don’t. As an island nation and with over 90% of our trade still carried by ships, a strong and powerful navy is essential. Our ability to influence events globally (North Atlantic, Red Sea, Mediterranean, Horn of Africa, Arabian Gulf and into the Indo-Pacific) will remain fundamental to our prosperity. History has shown that, in concert with Allies, a credible deterrence, both conventional and nuclear, works. The cost of conflict far outweighs the investment needed. Unfortunately defence investment is not a vote winner; until the rallying call to deal with conflict happens.
Strong navy vs fat and happy supply chain?
More money just means more expensive ships.
You can pretty much say that across the entire U.K. public sector but that is down to how funding is managed or mismanaged.
If you look at the cost of T26 and then look at the cost of anything else vaguely equivalent then you will have a shock.
Same with T31 – let’s not have debate about the weapons systems on that but the platform costs were very, very reasonable.
T26 build economics — good? — Best dressed man in Cov vibe.
Ukraine is showing on a daily basis that we are at 400% of global costs.
No going back — plenty of conflicts / low cost country sourcing leads the way.
Desperation leads to perspiration leads to innovation leads to cheap(er).
UK Military Industrial Complex — more of the same wont cut it.
Repeated poor performance / failures is hurting everybody.
Next war — the forces will need a police escort.
Unfortunately less money also means more expensive ships. The result in the real world is smaller production runs, gaps in ordering and manufacture of both the ships and their equipment, and financially driven slowdowns in programs. so you get design and development costs spread over less ships (Type 45) skills fade (Astute) and higher costs all round (the slow down in the Astute program was reported as costing £1.6 billion which would have paid for the needed 8th boat).
The defence budget needs setting in stone by an act of parliament if need be . Never again must politicians be allowed to use defence as an excuse for cuts while other departments ( NHS the ) get the funding they want without question . We should maybe look at the American system where the service chiefs tell defence comittee what is needed and THEY allocate what is needed . The treasury then have to find the funding .
I thought the little dig at Air Marshal Knighton was un necessary– of course he has not commanded an operational squadron. This is because he was the first Engineering officer ever to be appointed CAS a change in culture long overdue and one that we might even (god forbid!) consider in the Royal Navy or the Army. I have always been puzzled by the idea that in seeking a CAS for example you had to select a pilot and a fast jet one. Dare I say ditto that only Warfare officers have the potential and skills to be 1SL. Lets face it the current track record of those selected to fill senior 3 and 4 star jobs over the last 15 years with the required background is not exactly inspiring. I applaud the RAF for selecting an engineering officer as CAS mind you my Dad (a WW2 RAF pilot) would be appalled!
We (rightly) cheer the heroes on the front line, but outside of an existential war having an engineer or logistics officer in charge has an awful lot to recommend it. Perhaps… even in an existential war.
Very good discussion how senior officers are selected for promotion since 2017 changes
https://wavellroom.com/2023/11/24/meritocracy-and-a-royal-marine-route-to-first-sea-lord-1sl/
At this level it is politics and how they bow.