Page 1 of 1

More cuts to the RN

Posted: 18 Nov 2016 17:46
by glenhowells
Have just seen that the RN is to phase out Harpoon missile in 2018 with no replacement for ten years at least. Sea skua helo launch missiles are going to. the sea venom to be carried by the wildcats won't be available until 2020. That leaves the 4.5 gun for surface engagements. Rear admiral Parry said this is a significant capability gap from an irresponsible government and our ships are for the shop window and not war fighting. The other thing is Portsmouth may not be able to support the new carriers as they may lack essential infrastructure as the lack of funds becomes a never ending problem.

Cheers Glen

Re: More cuts to the RN

Posted: 21 Nov 2016 09:43
by MichaelB
They have found a way to replace the harpoons.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/17 ... l_problem/

Re: More cuts to the RN

Posted: 21 Nov 2016 15:24
by glenhowells
That's funny Michael the scary thing is the way the RN is heading the swordfish may become the way of the future Ha Ha.

Cheers Glen

Re: More cuts to the RN

Posted: 21 Nov 2016 15:29
by RussF172
They may have to be "Indian Givers" and ask for their Harriers back from the US.

Re: More cuts to the RN

Posted: 22 Nov 2016 16:04
by MikeJames
You have to have ships to fire them and the way the RN is going, they won't.

The current force of RN surface fleet of frigates and destroyers is 19 vessels.

6 x Type 45 Daring Class (most of which need major engine repairs due to various factors)
13 x Type 23 Duke Class
The RN has no frigates and destroyers under construction.

The RAN's current surface force of frigates is

3 x Adelaide Class FFG
8 x Anzac Class FFH
The RAN has 3 x AWD building.

The current Royal Navy, inheritor of the proud traditions of Nelson, Cunningham, Jervis, Hood, Woodward and so many more, has been reduced to a surface fleet of less than twice that of the Royal Australian Navy.

In the future the RN is committed to some 6 (possibly 8) x Type 26 (maybe) and an unspecified number of something that at this stage is a paper design, the Type 31. These will replace the 13 Type 23s. The RN will end up with a force of 12 Darings and Type 26 and an unspecified number of cheaper frigates, their aspiration is eight but more likely 6.

The RAN is committed to the three AWD, to be followed by 9 Anzac replacements, resulting in a force of 12 frigates and destroyers.

The reason for this massive decline from what the RN was only four or five years ago can be sheeted home to three direct causes and one indirect cause.

The three are the Queen Elizabeth class carriers, the new nuclear attack subs and the proposed new ballistic missile subs. The first two have consumed vast amounts of resources, run masssively over-budget and starved the surface fleet of funds, while everyone expects the new SSBN to do exactly the same thing.

The indirect is that thanks to the cold war ending, politicians stripped the military of funds even while they committed them to conflicts in Bosnia, Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya, draining new equipment funding to pay for operations, while blithely believing that because the Berlin Wall fell that the Russians would never ever be a threat to European peace.

Oops.

God save the Royal Navy, very little else can.

Re: More cuts to the RN

Posted: 24 Nov 2016 20:11
by MichaelB
A prophetic look at the RN by a British website back in 2011.