LONDON, Nov 20(The Independent): In a bid to implement cost-saving measures, Defence Secretary John Healey has announced the decommissioning of two former Royal Navy flagships, a frigate, and a pair of support tankers. The savings, which Healey attributed to the “dire inheritance” left by the Tories, will see the assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, both of which have served as flagships, decommissioned.
The ageing Type 23 frigate HMS Northumberland, deemed beyond economic repair, will also be decommissioned along with two Wave class tankers. Healey acknowledged that these cuts come at a time of “war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East, and technology changing the nature of warfare,” underscoring the need for “increased resilience and readiness for the future.”
In a statement to MPs, Healey warned that further cuts might be necessary but assured that he had the support of armed forces chiefs for the decisions made. He stated, “For too long our soldiers, sailors, and aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because ministers wouldn’t make the difficult decommissioning decisions.”
Healey confirmed that six outdated military capabilities would be taken out of service, saving the Ministry of Defence £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years. These savings will be fully retained in defence. He described the financial and operational challenges inherited from previous administrations, including hidden financial black holes and wasted taxpayer funds, which have led to record-low military morale.
The Government is conducting a strategic defence review to outline the path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence, although no timetable has been set for this commitment. Healey emphasized that these decisions are necessary to manage current finances and renew forces for the future.
HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, designed for amphibious raids by Royal Marines, were already effectively mothballed at a cost of £9 million a year. Healey noted that neither ship was scheduled to go to sea again before their planned out-of-service dates in 2033 and 2034. However, concerns were raised in the Commons about the impact on the Marines, with former defence committee chairman Sir Julian Lewis warning that the absence of assault ships could embolden adversaries.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge criticized the cuts, stating they would “scrap key defence capabilities and weaken our national security.” Healey assured that the Commando force would continue to be supported by three Bay Class auxiliary landing ship docks and RFA Argus.
Other vessels to be scrapped include RFA Wave Knight and Wave Ruler, which will be retired in March and have not been to sea since 2017 and 2022, respectively. HMS Northumberland will go out of service in March 2025 due to structural damage making her uneconomical to repair.
The Watchkeeper drones will be retired from March, with the Army rapidly switching to a new advanced capability. The fourteen oldest Chinooks will be accelerated out of service, with modern variants used by the Royal Air Force from 2027, while the Pumas will be replaced by the H-145 from 2026.
Matthew Savill, military sciences director at the Royal United Services Institute defence think tank, noted that the cuts mainly affect equipment nearing retirement and that Watchkeeper was “probably obsolete.” He added that the tight resources in the MoD are evident given the current international environment.
