Get rid of our destroyers? No other navy's doing it, warns former commander
Amid increasing concerns that not enough money will be announced by the Government for defence, a former Royal Navy commander has said the limited numbers being discussed is "like arguing over how quickly we want to carry on drowning".
Tom Sharpe, who commanded four Royal Navy ships during a 27-year career, is concerned about how much money defence will be given in the Government's Defence Investment Plan, which is expected to be published this week.
After reports of a £28bn black hole, the previous defence secretary, John Healey, resigned when the government offered just £13.5bn. It's thought more has been offered, but nowhere near £28bn.
Profoundly depressing
Cdr Sharpe said: "We're arguing about how quickly we want to carry on drowning. It's as simple as that.
"Someone's got their foot on our heads and we're celebrating when they take it off a little bit.
"We're still drowning. £28bn is the figure just to afford the SDR [Strategic Defence Review], which is now over a year old.
"In that environment how can we possibly have a hybrid navy ready to go by 2030 if it takes a year to produce a piece of staff work that still isn't agreed on and caused the resignation of the previous defence secretary?
"It's profoundly depressing."
He was speaking after it was announced that Type 45 destroyers will now be scrapped in favour of building at least six new modern "hybrid" vessels equipped to deploy drones.
The MOD said the new Common Combat Vessels would be more suited to the "pace and nature of modern warfare", and a better investment than a "small number of large expensive ships".
No other navy doing it
Cdr Sharpe said: "Destroyers and frigates are the backbone of the Navy, and I'm not seeing any other navy in the world going 'let's get rid of our destroyers'.
"Now, does that make what we're doing a terrible mistake? We have on occasion been ahead of technology and pioneering, and we are still pretty good at it, but no one else in the world is doing it.
"That causes me concern because, again, it makes me think we're being driven by finances and not by lethality or effect."
He added: "We need a root and branch reform of the entire business of defence, and the hybrid proposal for the Navy is a good one, providing it's properly resourced and it complements our existing capabilities and doesn't try and replace them.
"My fear is it will try and replace them and we'll end up with the worst of both worlds."
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis insisted the new equipment would be "designed and built for the increasing threats we face".
The MOD has consistently said that the UK defence budget is rising to record levels with the "biggest boost to defence spending since the Cold War".
For the last six months reporters have been told the MOD is working flat out to "fix the outdated, overcommitted and underfunded defence programme we inherited".
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