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. With at least 5-10 years good service left in them (HMS Campbeltown had multi-million£ refit as recently as 2009!), they were suddenly axed by a government with a dogmatic fixation on short-term cost savings and no understanding of maritime power. Although these ships date from the 1980s and were designed incorporating lessons from the Falklands War, they were still very capable warships and until recently were serving around the world protecting Britain’s interests. Devonport naval base, the largest in Western Europe, lies half-deserted with few ships to support or refit. Its skilled workforce shrinks and another valuable national asset built up over centuries is left to wither. While many countries are investing in their navies and recognise the importance of maritime power, Britain which once dominated the globe through sea-power is self-destructing, slashing its Navy and throwing away assets and trained people that it may never be able to replace.
The demise of these 4 frigates would be fairly unremarkable if there were replacements ready to come forward but there are no frigates under construction in the UK only the vague promise of the Type 26 Frigates which are supposed to start arriving in around 9 years from now! BAe Systems, the corporate giant that has the sole monopoly on UK warship construction, was awarded the contract to begin design of the Type 26 Frigate in March 2010. There are plans for ‘up to 18’ of these ships including an ani-submarine version and a more general purpose version. Given BAe System’s track record and an MoD that has consistently over-complicated and moved the goals posts during big procurement projects, it will not be surprising if costs spiral, delays occur and the Royal Navy receives less than the 18 promised.
Related articles
- The Type 26 Frigate ( Wikipedia)
- Ministers deny plans to scale back warship fleet (Plymouth Herald)

Sad sight, Great Britain has lost the greatness
Can’t you pass the picture to the news channels or the Sun/Daily Mail…particularly after the recent service in Lybian waters…as an illustration of 1. Cameron’s faulty policies on defence and 2. Why you should never trust Gordon Brown/Ed Balls with money
This should be on the front page of every news paper in the country. People need to wake up, see what caMORON and the unelected CONDEM rabble are doing to our country, and be under no illusion the day of reckoning will soon be upon us, we will be ruled by another power very soon, and I am not talking aboth the EU. Russia and China spring to mind.
So, what are you gonna do? That’s right! Sit round and do nothing. Everyone carps on endlessly on sites like these about the demise of the forces and ‘fings aint wot they used to be’, but what good is that. No one gives a donkey’s chopper what happens to the fleet – let alone percy and the crabs. Their 40″ flatscreen still arrives and there is scran at McDonalds. Sorted. Meanwhile, the world’s great orators (2China might invade us, oh noes!”) and political observers (“ConDem/Camerbuffoon/Bliar OUT!”) fart endlessly about how shameful it is, missing the point that ships cost cash, and cash aint what we’ve got any more, thanks to years of easy credit, cushy living and suppose ‘growth’. Wake up, you twerps. If this were any Third or Second World country, Parliament would be a smouldering ruin, fraudulent cops/politicians/media bastards would be hung or piked and fat, greasy chimps like Brown and oily berks like Cameron and the other traitor carried through the smashed, ground-floor window of Number Ten by angry mobs and thrown in the Thames with a barbell handcuffed to their ankle. They don’t fear us … that’s why they piss in our pockets. This is no more democracy we defend than it is a gameshow for the select few – they watch, we perform. Stop bitching and do something, eh?
How many disgusting or degrading pictures have you seen, that stick in your mind,
Twin towers, London bombings, Libya, Falklands war HMS Sheffield
All seen in the national papers, and got a reaction, why then is the picture above not in the papers, so this site is just as bad then, ,this should be sent to the papers, with the reminder that this coalition, was voted into power, among other things was for, immigration to be controlled,, the European human right act, to be removed, a referendum on the European union,
And the BRITISH MILITARY, this government should be reminded that , they have failed on all four items, this is seen by the people as a failure, the conservatives have waited 13 years , for what,
Just to ruin and let the people down, and hand us back to labour at the next election, what a bloody waste, 13 years for nothing, and they turn out worse than labour, what an insult,
The papers should inform mr Cameron, that if he thinks he will win a second term, then he and his party has just wasted 13 years for nothing, even labour has condemned the destruction of the British forces, this is just an excuse to put the Europeans before the British people,
I have waited 13 years for a promise that has come to nothing, and I feel robbed and conned,
And I will never vote conservative again after this,, so what are the British people left with,
We are left with the very thing these incompetent politicians think can never happen,
UKIP, the party who not only has condemned, what is happening, but promises to do what this government has failed to do, after all they cant do any bloody worse can they, we need an army, navy, air force, 3 times their size it is now, so either this government gets of its backside, or they are out,
And with no one else left but the UKIP, then so be it,
Give us our British military back, and stop trying to give us a European one be deceit,
Be proud to be British,
I’m not British, but as an admirer of the RN it grieves me to see what British politicians have done over the years to your armed forces.
It is one thing to save and downsize but this mindless decimation of a fleet in its prime, is gross negligence on the part of those with the ultimate authority and responsibility for keeping Britains’ defense.
I have never served in RN, bur briefly in RAF, but worked for many years for company supplying equipment from RN helicopters.
Recently visited Plymouth and saw a moderate sized vessel, Ocean, and was disturbed to hear she is currently the largest ship in RN service. I know she will be replaced by new carrier, which has no aircraft yet.
Did our politicians learn noithing from history