Future Royal Navy

HMS Alliance to be re-commissioned into active service with the Royal Navy

HMS Alliance to be re-commissioned into active service with the Royal Navy

HMS Alliance as a museum vessel, soon to rejoin the Royal Navy submarine flotilla.

Admiral Tubworthy-Pollock has announced today that Museum submarine HMS Alliance is to be recommissioned back into active service with the Royal Navy.“With our submarine fleet rather below optimum size for the sustained tempo of operations currently undertaken, we saw what superb restoration work those fine chaps down in Gosport had done and the opportunity to operate this valuable asset was too good to miss” More

Attack submarine force: sinking below critical mass?

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

“Admiral, I’ve been asked to invite you to choose which of your arms you would prefer to cut off”

“Admiral, I’ve been asked to invite you to choose which of your arms you would prefer to cut off”

Ahh come in my dear chap. Firstly Admiral I would like to pay tribute to all the hard work, bravery and sacrifices you have made in service of your country. All my colleagues in Parliament would like to say how proud we are of you and all those serving in our wonderful armed forces. I’m sure you’ll have heard by now, but due to the terrible financial mess left by my predecessor we’ve been forced to make some efficiencies. We spent a whole week conducting a very careful analysis and an in-depth review and here on the back of this cigarette packet is our new national strategy for defence.More

Redundancies – another step in the on-going destruction of the RN

Redundancies – another step in the on-going destruction of the RN

On 30th September the Royal Navy announced the 1,020 personnel to be made redundant in the first ‘tranche’ of 5,000 redundancies that the government has forced on the RN. At least 350 of those leaving will have been thrown out against their will as here have not been enough volunteers for redundancy.More

Type 22 death row: symptom of Britain’s self-destruction

Type 22 death row: symptom of Britain’s self-destruction

4 Type 22 frigates on ‘death row’ Devonport, July 2011, Photo: Keith Reed

The harsh reality of the government’s “strategic defence review”. Amongst the most depressing sights in the UK today, HMS Campbeltown, Chatham, Cornwall and Cumberland lie at Devonport in various stages of dismemberment being stripped of secret formula radar-absorbent paint, weapons and other useful or sensitive equipment ready for scrapping. More

Air power from the sea – the case for aircraft carriers

Air power from the sea – the case for aircraft carriers

The Issue

Current air operations in Afghanistan, emphasising the under-resourcing of helicopters, obscures the continuing dependency of the UK on the sea and sea-based airpower. The historic and future dependence of the UK’s economy on the maritime environment drives the long-term requirement for the UK to have a flexible and proportionate global reach. This is not currently receiving the attention it deserves. More

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