Two former Royal Navy flagships, a frigate and a pair of support tankers will be decommissioned in cost-saving measures announced by Defence Secretary John Healey.
The savings, which Mr Healey blamed on the “dire inheritance” left by the Tories, will see assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, which have both been flagships, decommissioned
Ageing Type 23 frigate HMS Northumberland is beyond economic repair and will be decommissioned along with two Wave class tankers.
The Army’s Watchkeeper drones, which cost around £5 million each and have been in service for a decade but have been beset by problems and are effectively obsolete, will be grounded.
Helicopters will also be affected by the cuts, with the 14 oldest Chinook transport aircraft removed early from service and Puma’s lifespan not being extended beyond March 2025.
Mr Healey acknowledged the cuts came at a time of “war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East and technology changing the nature of warfare” but said that showed the need for “increased resilience and readiness for the future”.
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What the actual f is going on man
Basic headline is wrong – the same money will be spent on defense just not on obsolete or old equipment. This is BASIC math.
What good is a navy when we can't even stop rubber boats? Neither use nor ornament.
Storm shadow missiles are £800k a piece. How many have been given to Ukraine???
Less means less, no matter how you try to spin it.
the money will go to foreigners an immigrents
How about you stop giving all our money to Ukraine for a money laundering scheme and actually build up our defence system so we can go back to being one of the best in the world !!! We are a complete joke of a country at the moment and of America leave us to our selves we are totally fxxxed !!!!!😢
we could save millions easily , BOOT OUT THE LIEbour party and there imigrant spongers they love so much
Bit of a bait n switch no..!
What navy? 😂😂 If we had a functioning navy surely we wouldn't get invaded by canoes daily…..
Side note, we have got big mouth starmer thinking he's a tough guy with Vlad and in the background, this……
A strange thing to do when this government is so busy antagonising Russia at this very moment….
The Labour government has also withdrawn all tracked vehicles from the Royal Armoured Corps and issued horses 🐎 to the Army in their place . Automatic weapons, rifles and side arms are also being withdrawn and pikes and swords issued to the Infantry. Labour feels it is less threatening to immigrants and a major capital saving which can be used for overseas aid . Anyone contradicting their new plans will be arrested and jailed. Pensioners will also be stripped of all benefits and privileges to help cover the ‘ 22 billion ‘ black hole and to facilitate bringing in more foreigners who obviously need housing and handouts .Jolly well done , you bloody imbeciles!!!
More money saved for hotel owners to house illegal immigrants and keep them warm this winter whilst our pensioners struggle to keep warm and eat. Housing illegal migrants costs the UK £56m a week…..how much is that over 5yrs?
All five ships have been laid up for years.
The helicopters' airframes are already at the end of their service life.
The drone are obsolete due to the rapid improvement in the last couple of years.
Still the usual suspects complaining despite claiming to pusue efficiency savings.
This is ridiculous we require these ships. Cut foreign aid so we can save our defence from labour cuts
I expect money will be found to operate Albion and Bulwark to ferry irregulars over from France. These ships were intended as invasion ships.
That’s why USA said our military is barley second tier 😅😂
Gotta save that money to give all the doctors and engineers hotel rooms
At least we know who the traitors are!
You couldn't make it up if you tried. Honestly makes you wonder what's between their ears.
don’t decommission if nothing to replace. Absolutely useless window lickers. It’s almost like they want us to be invaded
Never trust labour with defence
INSANE !!!!!!!!
Look how many MP a bothered to turn up…
If they build replacements ship's before they take them out of service Not till then.
Makes you wonder how much of a threat they REALLY perceive Russia to be, 'ey?
Does this while taking the country towards W,W .3 with Russia via Ukraine.
You people who voted Labour are responsible for this, pat yourself on the back, we needed change and you voted for more of the same, can you not see swapping back and forth from Labour to Conservatives is wrong, we just get ripped off as the politicians ride the gravy train and drain the system dry, I voted Reform so this is not my mess
Amphibious ships are so yesterday . Worked well in the falklands . They frightening thing is there getting rid of fleet auxiliary ships how are we going to victual the fleet 🤔
150 million the mod biscuit bill…
Floating coffin😂😂😂
Can it pass Yemen? UK has to rethink its defence. We need Electronic warfare , drones
These would have been perfect for stopping the boats coming in 🤔
🤔mmmm anyone else having Déjà vu?
The world has never been more dangerous and muppets inc. pay for foreign aid not ships planes and tanks? WTF!
Rediculous! Why can't these ships be used to protect the 12mile line and turn the boats back to France?
Weakest defence is UK
An important announcement in the commons, yet hardly any MPs to hear it, speaks volumes of British politics.