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Ministry of Defence (MOD) Freedom of Information (FOI) responses published during the week commencing 26 September 2016 from Ministry of Defence – Activity on GOV.UK http://ift.tt/2d9bU8W Number of Northern Ireland security guard service staff tribunal cases which have resulted in non-disclosure settlements or agreements Ref: HOCS FOI2016/02468PDF, 52.9KB Information on veterans lapel badge (VLB) Ref: ...
Jim Shannon To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have (a) joined and (b) left the (i) armed forces and (ii) the Reserves in each of the last five years. Mike Penning Current information on how many people have joined and left the Armed Forces and the Reserves from 2011 to ...
Sir Nicholas Soames To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expected maintenance period is for HMS Defender. Harriett Baldwin The maintenance period of HMS Defender is planned to start before the end of 2016 and complete in late 2017. Precise details and its duration are currently the subject of ongoing negotiations with ...
During an informal EU Defence Ministerial in Slovakia Defence Secretary Michael Fallon reassured European partners that the UK would continue to play a proactive role in tackling security threats. In meetings with fellow European defence ministers in Bratislava today, Michael Fallon said the UK would work to address challenges ranging from mass migration to cyber-attacks. ...
75 Conservative MPs have now signed a letter to the Prime Minster urging that a commission is established to look into building a new Royal Yacht. This is the revival of a proposal originally made by Michael Gove in 2012. No design for such a ship exists as yet, but it is intended as a statement of British confidence in a post-Brexit world and as a platform for diplomacy and trade deals. Here we examine if this is a wise idea.
Background
HMY Britannia was built by John Browns of Glasgow, launched in 1953 in very different times when the Clyde was still leading the world in shipbuilding. Britain was gradually emerging from post-war austerity, although average living standards of the time were far below that of today. Most significantly, few people in the 1950s would question the institution of monarchy or the need for the tax payer to fund a lavish yacht. Britain’s monarchs have had a string of private yachts since 1660. Britannia was nominally also supposed to be a hospital ship, a capability that was never utilised and she was also supposedly earmarked the Royal family’s ‘floating bunker’ in the event of nuclear war.
A timeless and classic design that drew admiration wherever she went. HMY Britannia, Toronto, Canada, October 1991. (IWM)
The ship was proudly manned by RN personnel or “yachties” who could volunteer to stay permanently assigned to Britannia, The ship was much-loved by the general public, the Navy and the Royal Family. Beautiful and elegant, she was a fine ambassador for the UK. She not only provided discreet and wonderful holidays for royalty but was a venue for UK diplomatic and trade missions, a role in which she was exceptionally successful. It is claimed that deals worth £3Bn to the UK economy were concluded aboard her in the early 1990s. The Conservative government of John Major planned to replace the ship and the RN had begun design work on the new ship. (Main image pictured above) The £100M design was externally broadly similar to its predecessor but with modernised bridge, flight deck and diesel-electric propulsion. Perhaps trying to enhance his flimsy socialist principles, Tony Blair axed the replacement project soon after his election victory in 1997. The ceremony to mark Britannia’s retirement held in Portsmouth was one of the most emotional RN ship decommissionings in living memory, complete with a queen in tears. Britannia is now preserved as award-winning tourist visitor attraction in Lieth.
The Daily Mail supported a campaign for a new Royal Yacht in 2011. The concept was for “A national flagship” with an emphasis on environment credentials (sail and solar power). There was an intention to provide sail-training and education for young people. This was an ambitious project for a 515ft four-masted ship, far larger than Britannia with construction costed at £80M. At no stage was there formal governmental or royal involvement and it was reliant on wealthy donors. Although an innovative and exciting concept, the project floundered through lack of funds.
A divisive proposal
Unfortunately any proposal for a new Royal Yacht goes to heart of British neurosis about class identity. Those steeped in an unhealthy culture of entitlement and petty jealously, together with the politics of republicanism, appeasement and hatred of your own nation (embodied by Jeremy Corbyn) would be implacably opposed.
In defence of the monarchy…
The queen is head of the armed forces (incidentally a valuable constitutional ‘safety valve’ absent in a republic). The monarchy represents lasting historical continuity and brings a gravitas and respect to the position of head of state that is increasingly missing from our elected politicians. The argument that they are a parasite on the taxpayer and abolishing the monarchy would save a bit of money is mere envy and very short-sighted. The interest and prestige generated by the Royal family generates its own economic benefit, hard to quantify but it almost certainly out-weighs the cost of maintaining them. Loved around the world, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth has worked incredibly hard throughout her life in the interests of the nation and continues this work despite being in her 90s. The Republic of Britain would be a poorer and a much-diminished nation. And after all, there is only one Royal Navy.
Although the new yacht would not be directly funded by the taxpayer, in a time of “austerity” it still looks like a wrong priority for government and gives the impression of Tory MPs more excited about playthings for royalty than addressing poverty or even the poor state of the RN. Inevitably there would be cries that “my local hospital / school / library etc is underfunded but we can find money for a yacht for our rich elites”
It is boom time in the super yacht-building industry as the number of millionaires and billionaires is on the rise. Exclusive marinas across the world are filling up with the status symbols of the uber rich, many of them tax-evading, non doms who have made their fortunes in the UK. Meanwhile the public finances are struggling and the the naval dockyards are increasingly empty of warships. A Royal Yacht would have a certain level of gravitas far above some billionaire’s crass display of obscene wealth but inevitably it would still be perceived as a plaything for the elite. Current dire manpower shortages leave the RN quite unable to provide the crew, further diminishing the special status of a new vessel.
Build a hospital ship instead
A far better use of political capital and financial resources would be to build one, or ideally two hospital ships. As we have advocated previously, cheap merchant ship conversions, manned by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary could provide a great humanitarian resource that would be worthy ’soft power’ ambassadors for Britain and give our armed forces a mobile hospital in time of war. This could be entirely financed by DFID with minimal impact on their already generous budget.
The new aircraft carriers – an eloquent expression of UK confidence
The UK is about benefit from the delivery of the two largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy. Their arrival will have a big impact abroad and are a ready-made statement of UK confidence and self-belief that renders a new yacht for such purposes rather redundant. The priority for HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will be operational tasks, they can also serve as spacious platforms for trade and diplomacy. Although HMY Britannia is sadly missed and principle of yachts for royalty or a national flagship seems reasonable, one can only conclude that building a replacement now would be the wrong ship at the wrong time.
A collection of updates to the Long Read projects… Soviet Monsters; Added new media and updated the content about the Chinese/Antonov for the AN-225 second fuselage. Defence Engagement from Above; Updated the content with information on the Nigerian helicopter maintenance facility and move of the Army Air Corps Defenders/Islanders to the RAF. Also, updated information on ...
This is the second of a two-part article by John Dunbar looking at OPV’s in Royal Navy service. Part 1 considered the way they could be deployed, this article focuses on the ship’s specifications and potential capabilities.
Jack of some trades – master of none
The primary complaint about the Navy’s current and future OPV’s is that they are jack of a few trades, incapable of many roles and master of none. Given the lack of aviation hangar facilities and with minimal weaponry, the River class OPV’s in their current form will often be limited to short range surveillance relying on radar or mark one eye ball to identify targets and the two pacific ribs with boarding parties to intervene. This is very much a barebones capability, and the Batch 2 OPV’s are arguably solid platforms capable of contributing much more to UK defence if their fit out is suitably developed and invested in over time.
Whilst Batch 2 OPV’s are large enough to be equipped with a much enhanced weapons fit (the German Branschweig class corvettes are 1,700 tonnes compared to a Batch 2 OPV at 2000 tonnes) they are not warships and their primary role must remain focused on providing a cost-effective presence where the capabilities of a frigate or submarine are unavailable, unnecessary or better deployed elsewhere. Investment should therefore focus on improving intelligence and surveillance gathering ability – enhancing the patrol rather than warfighting role – whilst taking into account opportunities to act in consort with other Royal Navy assets (and all the time without losing the economy of a lean manned ship!).
Make modular UAV capabilities available
The lack of a hangar capable of supporting indigenous helicopter operations has been the subject of much criticism. However, looking at the Fleet Air Arm inventory, it seems unrealistic to expect the existing numbers of Merlin or Wildcat helicopters to be sufficiently available to support operations from OPV’s on a permanent basis. A helicopter would also require an additional air compliment of around 12 crew to be accommodated, placing further demands on limited RN manpower and driving up OPV operating costs.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles could be integrated relatively easily, and deployment of Scan Eagle has already proven capable of significantly enhancing the operation of frigates and destroyers. UAV’s typically have lower capital costs, lower operating costs, lower manning and training demands, and offer levels of availability and mission duration many times that of a helicopter. Taking resources and finances into account, UAV’s probably the right choice for RN OPV’s. The step-change in OPV utility would be impressive. Assuming a 15km radar horizon, a batch 2 OPV has the capability to directly monitor around 700 km2 of ocean surface. In comparison;
Scan Eagle can operate at a range of up to 100km with mission durations of up to 20 hours. In November 2015 the Royal Australian Navy tested a Scan Eagle fitted with an advanced video reconnaissance system which enabled detailed video surveillance of an area of 45,000 km2 over a 12 hour period.
The Scheibel Camcopter 100 has an operating range of up to 180km from its control station and is capable of mission durations up to 6 hours. This could effectively extend an OPV’s ‘reach’ to an area in excess of 100,000 km2,
Given that even in a best-case scenario, four OPV’s might be available for deployment in home waters, it is clear that integrating UAV capabilities would radically improve protection of the UK’s 770,000 km2 EEZ, and make OPV’s genuinely valuable in counter narcotics, terrorism, piracy and people smuggling operations as well as providing improved situational awareness when delivering humanitarian aid.
Improve SIGINT and ELINT capability
Having invested in the OPV platform and its running costs, the ability to gather signals and electronic intelligence should be maximised. Combined with evolving UAV eavesdropping technology, OPV’s could provide persistent, low-cost electronic surveillance capability, particularly in littoral environments e.g. off the coast of Libya or Somalia. In the age of big data, capturing large packets of electronic information for analysis opens up new possibilities – and it is worth noting that the RAF has been particularly successful in sustaining its reconnaissance capabilities in the face of cuts on the basis of intelligence gathering performance in recent and ongoing operations.
Add anti-submarine surveillance capability
OPV’s are not a substitute for the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of a frigate or submarine – and it would be wrong to pretend that they are – but given the difficulty in detecting modern submarines, it is worth considering how OPV’s might contribute to a more effective detection capability, particularly in UK waters where protecting the at sea nuclear deterrent is a priority.
Sonar technology continues to improve, and systems such as Thales CAPTAS-1 towed array sonar are capable of detection at long-range and are designed to operate from noisy medium-sized platforms and as a containerised fit out. Alternatively, the ability to act as mother ships to future unmanned sub-hunting technology would be valuable additional capability and should be explored. There is a need for improved passive underwater surveillance of UK waters. The RN lacks small conventional submarines ideal for the task but additional towed array platforms available to work in conjunction with frigates and future Maritime Patrol Aircraft would be a big help.
Fitting a simple hull mounted sonar – such as Thales Bluewatcher which is based on the same technology utilised by the Merlin FLASH dipping sonar – would enable them to work more effectively in collaboration with and as a platform for Merlin ASW helicopters to interrogate any potential threats identified in UK waters would be another an even cheaper solution.
Sister ship to the RN’s River class, ‘Apa’ of the Brazilian Navy – note the 20mm cannon on the bridge wing
Improve self-defence capability
OPV’s on overseas deployment – particularly in the Mediterranean and East of Suez – can still expect to face a range of low to mid-level threats, particularly if they are undertaking intelligence gathering activities. These threats might include small boat swarm attacks, torpedo and gun boats, land based or surface based anti-shipping missiles and – less likely but still possible – attack by aircraft.
Assuming that Batch 1 OPV’s are retained for UK home waters operations only, improved self-defence capability would need to be focused on batch 2 OPV’s. As set out at the start of this article, this should be predicated on being able to safely undertake intelligence gathering and constabulary missions rather than integrating a warfighting function – if an attack is considered likely, then an OPV is probably not the right vessel to deploy in the first case. The aim should be to protect against an unanticipated direct threat and withdraw.
Batch 2 OPVs are fitted with CMS-1, the common command system intended to be fitted to all Royal Navy warships meaning that the command and control software for the entire range of Royal Navy weapons and technology is already available.
Provision of basic soft kill anti-missile protection consisting of Sea Gnat would be a sensible step for all Batch 2 OPV’s (plenty of which should be available from recently decommissioned Type 22 and 42 frigates). If a hull mounted sonar is fitted this should be capable of passive torpedo detection and could be linked to soft kill launchers for torpedo defence.
Whilst substituting the 30mm DSB main armament for a medium calibre gun such as the Oto Malera 76mm or Bofors 57mm may seem an attractive option, neither are currently in RN service; both would require extensive re-design and re-building to integrate into complete hulls; both would increase crew numbers needed for operation; and both are largely unproven in dealing with the missile threat.
As an alternative, adding 25mm cannon either side of the bridge (as per Amazonas corvettes) and substituting a Phalanx CIWS for the rear crane would provide an effective and much enhanced self-protection capability across the full range of likely threats without the need to structurally alter the existing Batch 2 design.
Whilst phalanx is expensive, it is unlikely that more than 1 or 2 would be required for OPV deployments at any one time, and integration risks are low given its current RN use in service. These could easily be transferred to any additional future Type 31 frigates (which may take on similar tasking as they come into service) and as such should represent a ‘no regrets’ investment given the improved crew protection they would provide.
Interim OPV squadron
Retaining the Batch 1 OPVs and small, affordable upgrades to the Batch 2s would provide the RN with a significant interim capability, at least until the arrival of the new frigates. This is not playing at fantasy fleets but utilises ships the RN already has and is building right now. This is an outline proposal only that could be reshaped, depending on operational requirements. In principle it could allow for a 4-ship home waters and fishery protection squadron as well as permanent forward-basing of vessels in Gibraltar, Bahrain, The Caribbean and Falklands, relieving pressure on the escort fleet.
Conclusions
Part 1 of this article argued the case for retaining Batch 1 OPVs in service. There is a great deal of potential to improve OPV fit out to meet likely demands of the wide range of roles they may be asked to undertake. Integrating UAV’s is a ‘must have’ priority to justify the circa £600m cost of building the new OPV’s given the lack of indigenous helicopter capability. Considering how to maximise other potential surveillance capabilities will be important in justifying what are arguably modest increases in capital investments and running costs associated with an enhanced fleet of nine OPV’s .
Whether by accident or design, the basic specification of the Batch 2 River Class goes a long way to preclude any hint of war fighting role but fears will undoubtedly persist that improving the capability of OPV’s will undermine funding for future surface combatant numbers. This should not, however, prevent the case being made for maximising the capability of River Class OPVs so that they can make a genuinely positive contribution to UK and overseas security, a motley crew of shapes and sizes though they may be. In the absence of that investment, real questions will remain as to decisions which have led to their construction in the first instance.
Estimated capital costs of upgrading the Batch 2s (excluding support): 6 x rotary UAV Systems 30m; 9 x Modular Towed sonar Array £27m; 10 x 25mm Cannon (2 each for 5 x Batch 2 OPV) £8m; 3 x Phallanx CIWS £25m. Misc Integration/modification costs £10 Total £110m.
**Batch 1 running costs are estimated at £16-20m per annum.
Ministry of Defence (MOD) Freedom of Information (FOI) responses published during the week commencing 19 September 2016 from Ministry of Defence – Activity on GOV.UK http://ift.tt/2d4VrA7 Number of personnel at RAF Halton, RAF High Wycombe, MOD Boscombe Down, RAF Swanwick, RAF Benson and RAF Odiham seen at MOD specialist mental health services (SMHS) from 2011 ...
Jim Shannon To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers on leaving service have transferred to the Reserves in each of the last five years. Mark Lancaster Defence Statistics publish information on a regular basis showing intake figures for the Armed Forces, including the Army Reserve. Information on the number of former ...
Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving armed forces personnel are in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance; and in respect of how many children such allowances are allocated. Mark Lancaster There are 3,008 serving Armed Forces personnel in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance for 4,454 children. ...
Ministry of Defence (MOD) Freedom of Information (FOI) responses published during the week commencing 5 September 2016 from Ministry of Defence – Activity on GOV.UK http://ift.tt/2d2rkNg Number of visits to Gibraltar by nuclear submarines since 2011 Ref: Navy FOI2016/06302PDF, 43.9KB Request for current Official Duty Holder (ODH) tolerable and as low as reasonably possible ...
Douglas Chapman To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expected lifespan is of the Sea Ceptor Anti-Air Missile System. Harriett Baldwin The Sea Ceptor system is currently being fitted to the Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigates as the principal anti-air missile system and will also be fitted to the Royal Navy’s future ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost of the refit to RFA Diligence in 2013 to extend its life to 2020. Earl Howe Refits of RFA DILIGENCE were carried out from June 2012 to February 2013, and from September 2014 to February 2015, costing £17.6 million and £11 million ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the response by Navy Command Headquarters to a member of the public on 12 February, what new studies in the Ministry of Defence have superseded the statement made in that response that the operational capabilities of both Diligence, as the operational maintenance ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Ascent Flight Training charges the Ministry of Defence to train a fast jet pilot to the point where they are ready to move on to the Operational Conversion Unit of their chosen aircraft. Earl Howe Ascent Flight Training charges approximately £610,000 to train each fast jet ...
Clive Lewis To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many sorties flown by RAF aircraft engaged on Operation SHADER in Syria and Iraq have (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway guided bombs been released; and how many of each such weapon type have been released in Syria and Iraq ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether RFA Diligence has been fully manned since her refit in 2015. Earl Howe Since the refit that completed in February 2015, RFA DILIGENCE has not been fully manned by Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. In addition, personnel supplied by contractors ensure that the safety and integrity ...
Lord Roberts of Llandudno To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been their total expenditure on military action in Syria and Iraq. Earl Howe From August 2014 to 31 March 2016, the net additional costs of counter-Daesh activity in Iraq and Syria were £265 million. These costs were met from a combination of the HM ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many fixed-wing jet trainees are projected to graduate from the Ascent Flight Training programme between 2016 and 2019; and when the programme is due to be fully up and running. Earl Howe It is anticipated that 118 fixed wing jet trainees will graduate from the ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the planned out-of-service date for HMS Ocean, and how her landing platform helicopter capabilities will be provided prior to the entry into service of HMS Prince of Wales. Earl Howe HMS OCEAN entered service in 1998 with an expected in service life of 20 ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government which five Type 23 frigates will be replaced by the new light frigate, and what are the planned out-of-service dates for each. Earl Howe The General Purpose Frigate programme is at a very early stage and the timetable for its entry into service has yet to ...
Brendan O’Hara To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used in Syria in each month since December 2015. Mike Penning The following number of Brimstone missiles have been released by UK aircraft engaged on Operation SHADER in Syria. Year Month 2015 December 0 2016 January 17 February 2 ...
Mrs Flick Drummond To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to renew the capabilities provided by the former RFA Diligence for repair and maintenance of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. Harriett Baldwin The Forward Repair Ship, RFA DILIGENCE, is one part of a system providing support facilities ...
Nowhere on the internet have the problems of the Royal Navy been more consistently examined than on this website and there are many serious concerns about the state of the Navy today. Unfortunately lost in a wave of negative and half-accurate media stories is the truth that even now, the RN is still delivering for the UK. The RN is under-funded and under-sized, especially when judged by the standards of its illustrious past and today’s growing threats. Judged by the standards of most of European and many world navies, it is still a relatively potent force and is consistently meeting the specific operational tasks it is given by government.
The excellent US defence writer David Axe has written about The slow death of the Royal Navy. Many of his points about the decline in the RN are valid (much of it sourced from this website) but it is hard to agree with his overall conclusion that the RN is “dying” when it will actually be more potent than it is now by the mid-2020s.
Even today, although there are significant challenges to overcome and much is resting on future promises, the RN cannot be written off.
In the week commencing 11th September 2016 the Royal Navy had over 7,800 sailors and marines directly preparing for operations or already on operations. 33 ships, submarines and units were deployed away from home base.
This includes Minor War Vessels and RFAs in the North and South Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Gulf and home waters as well as the unbroken Continuous at Sea Deterrent.
HMS Ocean and HMS Bulwark will deploy this week, with the RN leading the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) which will include Army and RAF units and forces from Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway. The JEF is not considered just an exercise (like the previous COUGAR deployments) and will encompass the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Gulf, possibly participating in anti-ISIL operations or responding to events as required. You can rightly point to the lack of an aircraft carrier, not enough escorts, RFAs doing the jobs of frigates and a manpower crisis but the RN remains one of a few navies still capable of leading a multi-national amphibious task groups.
No one is pretending everything is rosy in the garden but let us look on the plus side for a moment. If, for example you are serving on a Type 45 destroyer, having the media and every armchair admiral explaining your ship doesn’t work is unhelpful and mostly inaccurate. On every arrival of a Type 45 in port, which would be routinely attended by tugs anyway, some wag asks “has she broken down again?” In reality the average availability of the Type 45s since 2013 has been 94.6% and has never dropped below 90.47% during that time. In simple terms, the propulsion problems have led to a loss of around 5% of time on operations for the class. Not ideal, but certainly not the disaster it is publicly perceived to be. HMS Defender completed a 9-month deployment to the heat of the Gulf in July without any propulsion failure, the kind of positive fact the media likes to ignore.
The Portsmouth News has triggered another ‘Type 45 media scrum’ by indulging in some “journalism by FOI request”, managing to paint an unfairly bleak and rather out-dated picture of Type 45 availability. Looking at bald statistics about Type 45’s time alongside in the UK does not tell the full story. As in many defence matters, complexity is the enemy of the juicy news story. Drawing conclusions by looking at sea-to-shore ratios across a flotilla of ships, over a period of just one year, and using ‘days in port’ as the metric is flawed. For example, Type 45s as Portsmouth-based ships going through Operational Sea Training in Plymouth are counted as merely in a UK port. In reality the ship’s company is away from home, undergoing an exceptional training regime and being worked hard. If you measured this figure across all the ships and across their five year inter-refit cycle, you’d get a far higher availability figure than quoted in this narrow FOI.
After completion of well-deserved summer leave periods the Type 45 are now busy. At the time of writing, HMS Daring is in Malta on route to a 9-month period in the Gulf which will involve escorting US aircraft carriers. HMS Diamond is at sea off the coast of Libya, HMS Duncan is preparing for a NATO deployment and HMS Dragon will shortly be at sea on operations within UK waters. HMS Defender is about to commence a major refit. Manpower problems have relegated HMS Dauntless to a harbour training ship but it has at least been announced that she will begin a major refit towards the end of 2017 before returning to the operational status.
The Royal Navy is still in need of “saving” from a generation of politicians who have been generous on rhetoric but short on results. Pressure must be maintained for increased spending on the Navy and end to cuts, waste and absurd industrial policy. But consider the navy of today, often out of sight, over the horizon but still doing a highly professional job on a daily basis. Next time you hear the RN casually and inaccurately described as a “spent force”, spare a thought for the morale and contribution of those serving or considering serving. 2017 will see the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, not a panacea for every deep-rooted problem but undoubtedly a statement of intent and a sign there is still much Royal Navy history to be written.
Main image: HMS Diamond and RFA Mounts Bay – seen from HMS Daring, arriving in Gibraltar for resupply before sailing east. MoD image.
Excellent news, I have been a long time proponent of experimentation without specific fully worked up statement of user requirements. The Royal Navy has been publicising the upcoming Unmanned Warrior, and even has a Fleet Robotics Officer. And now, the British Army, as revealed in the latest DESIDER magazine, is joining the party. The Army ...
Clive Lewis To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s Finance and Economics Annual Bulletin: Trade, Industry and Contracts 2016, published on 25 August 2016, what information his Department holds on the SME status of the suppliers who were awarded contracts in 2015-16 but whose SME status was not assessed ...
Sir Nicholas Soames To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the Type 45 Destroyers are (a) available for operations, (b) being used for training, (c) preparing to deploy and (d) being refitted. Harriett Baldwin All ships rotate through planned operating cycles involving maintenance, training, deployment, leave and upgrades. This results in individual ...
Sir Nicholas Soames To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sailors have been recruited to the Royal Navy in each of the last five years. Mike Penning The number of Royal Navy personnel (excluding Royal Marines) recruited in each of the last five financial years is as follows: 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 ...
Sir Nicholas Soames To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the strength was of the Royal Navy Reserve in each of the last 10 years. Mark Lancaster The trained and untrained strength of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) from 1 April 2012 onwards is provided in the table below. April 2012 April 2013 ...
Lord Roberts of Llandudno To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many migrants have been rescued by British ships because they have found themselves in difficulty crossing the Mediterranean or Adriatic seas. Earl Howe In total, British ships have rescued over 24,000 migrants in the Mediterranean since April 2015. from Filtered Feed for Question and Answers: ...
Lord West of Spithead To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the planned in-service dates for the offshore patrol vessels presently on order or planned; and how much each vessel will cost. Earl Howe In August 2014, the Ministry of Defence placed a contract valued at £348 million with BAE Systems on the Clyde for ...
Brendan O’Hara To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of the operation (a) in August and September 2014 in which RAF Hercules dropped food and other humanitarian supplies to civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar, Iraq and (b) on 30 and 31 August 2014 in which two RAF Hercules dropped food ...
Alison Thewliss To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Hellfire missiles have been used in Syria and Iraq to date as part of Operation SHADER; and what the cost of the use of those weapons has been to the public purse. Mike Penning Between November 2014 and the end of August 2016 ...
With most of the UK’s stock of anti-tank Barmines either expired or used for Explosive Means of Entry (EMOE) in Afghanistan there is somewhat of a dilemma when it comes to the ‘return to contingency’, or conventional combined arms combat. The cupboard is bare. The Barmine Layers are currently being disposed of. Described by the ...
There was a flurry of news this week about the MoD considering extending the service of the SA80, with a handful of images reportedly showing prototypes of the A3 model. The images were released by the MoD as part of DVD2016 coverage, specifically on the Virtus contract for soldier equipment. What this flurry of news ...
This is the first of a two-part article by John Dunbar who suggests a much greater role could be played by offshore patrol vessels in a future Royal Navy force structure. The role of OPVs in the RN has been a long-standing source of controversy, with many seeing the construction of 5 new OPVs as an unnecessary diversion of money and manpower merely to sustain UK shipbuilding. Concerns also persist about the creation of a two-tier Navy with ‘up-gunned’ OPVs cast in the role of faux frigates lacking genuine fighting capability. This has sometimes precluded full consideration of OPV’s potential.
The problem
These are challenging days for the Royal Navy. There are continued delays in procuring the new Type 26 frigate, the Type 31 is still a concept and what remains of the 19 ship escort fleet is experiencing further reduced availability due to manpower problems and propulsion issues with the Type 45 destroyers.
As a result, RFA vessels and River class OPVs, as well as survey vessels such as HMS Enterprise are now regularly dispatched to cover duties previously undertaken by more capable warships. This ‘role drift’ has a dual impact, forcing vessels into roles for which they are unsuited (and preventing them training or operating in the roles which they are designed for) whilst creating a void in basic surveillance and patrol capability, particularly in UK waters. In June 2016 only 1 OPV was available for UK waters patrol work (Clyde was in the Falklands, Mersey was in the West Indies, Severn was in a Dutch Harbour) leaving UK waters unpatrolled, except by inadequate numbers of UK Border force cutters.
At the same time, Brexit suggests a need for improved surveillance and protection of the UK EEZ including an increased role in counter terrorism and anti-people smuggling operations; incursions by Russian Surface vessels and submarines have become more frequent. A shift in foreign policy to ensure the UK retains a visible, outward-looking global presence to address concerns of isolationism emphasises the importance of meeting standing commitments.
A realistic assessment of utility
Key to getting the best out of the current investment in OPV’s is a sharper focus on the utility of patrol vessels both in UK waters and in overseas deployment. OPV’s remain the most appropriate vessels for EEZ and basic constabulary duties, and have some simple plus points to consider in this respect. They require a modest level of manpower (typically a crew of 30-40 with accommodation for 50-60); as a result have low running costs (4 OPV’s can be crewed and maintained for the running cost of a single frigate); are simple designs with a high level of availability (around 220 days per year); and can provide vital command experience for the Royal Navy’s future leaders.
In their current form they are effectively limited to radar, Mk1 eyeball and boarding parties which limits effectiveness and sphere of influence. However, modest investment in capability improvements could enable OPV’s to contribute much more to intelligence gathering and surveillance activities where a frigate or submarine is not available to do so. Unmanned platforms in particular will transform the way in which OPV’s are able to operate in this respect.
If OPV’s are viewed, optimised and deployed as intelligence gathering and surveillance platforms in the first instance, with constabulary intervention capability in low intensity roles as a secondary role, they could become a far more useful asset in both UK and overseas deployments, enabling better strategic decisions about deployment of more capable warships and justifying the case for investment in manpower and capital.
First of the five new OPVs, HMS Forth begins fitting out at Scotstoun, Glasgow, August 2016. Photo: BAE Systems
A sensible assessment of OPV numbers
What does this mean for the number of OPV’s the RN might want to operate?
One OPV – currently HMS Clyde – is required for Falkland duties. It should be assumed that one further OPV is deployed to the West Indies for around 2/3 of the year from a UK base to undertake constabulary and counter-narcotics duties, perhaps with a more capable helicopter equipped warship or RFA vessel deployed during hurricane season for disaster relief operations.
To provide a continuous (at sea) UK EEZ patrol presence of three OPV’s – one in the Channel, one in the North Sea and one in the Irish Sea / Atlantic – requires five OPV’s. Having four OPV’s at sea would be preferable given the size of the area of ocean they will be required to cover, and this would require a UK-based fleet of seven. It is worthy of note that France (11-13), Spain (16) and Italy (10 ) all operate substantial numbers of OPV’s in excess of 1000 tonnes (and many more smaller OPV’s) even though their EEZ’s are considerably smaller.
Forward basing of an OPV in Gibraltar, or deployment to the Mediterranean in order to undertake constabulary activities would provide flexibility in preventing migrant trafficking and rescue missions which appear likely to remain a political and compassionate necessity in the medium-term. Forward-basing an OPV in Bahrain to cover anti-piracy operations on the east African Coast and to support mine counter vessel operations in the gulf may also be sensible at some point in the future, which would require at least one further OPV. Overall, this suggests useful roles for at least nine and up to as many as eleven, OPV’s.
A clearer view of the future
The MoD has now decided that the ‘up to six OPV’s’ set out in SDSR 2015 actually means 5. Whilst 5 new OPVs are marginally more desirable than existing 4, this will not go very far in preventing role drift and shortages in UK waters patrol capability. If one further OPV is deployed to the Caribbean, this would leave 2 Batch 2 OPV’s to patrol UK waters, meaning at most 1 OPV at sea for most of the year with a short period where two are available. The need to fly the flag and contribute to Mediterranean humanitarian relief programmes suggests that it will not be long before at least one and perhaps both of the remaining OPV’s are deployed outside UK waters.
Make the best of Batch 1 and the Batch 2 programme
Even given the constraints on spending, a fleet of 10 OPVs is a realistic possibility. Rather than retiring Batch 1 OPV’s, a decision to retain HMS’ Mersey, Severn and Tyne (in addition to HMS Clyde) is by far the cheapest and quickest way to improve the Royal Navy’s ocean going hull availability. These vessels remain largely fit for purpose for UK EEZ patrol activities and still have a good service life ahead of them.
Alongside the five new Batch 2 OPV’s that are already planned, this would provide a total of nine OPV’s in service by 2018. Making the most of the ships the RN actually has, as opposed to just structuring around promises of future ships seems a sensible option to rebalance deployment patterns in the short-term.
Cost and benefits
Sustaining a fleet of nine (rather than 5) OPVs need not be expensive – retaining Batch 1 OPV’s for UK water operations would increase annual costs by perhaps £16-20m, and increase manpower demands by around 200 including crew and shore staffing. Building additional Batch 2 OPV’s beyond the five already planned could be funded from existing MoD commitments to minimum annual spend with BAE system if it is necessary to bridge the gap to Type 26 construction.
The benefits of a larger fleet of OPVs are two-fold. Firstly, cost-effective deployment of patrol vessels will allow other surface combatants and support vessels to return to a more normal model of deployment or training – HMS enterprise could return to its ocean survey role in support of submarine operations rather than rescuing migrants, frigates can spend more time in high-end rather than constabulary roles, or with greater availability to deploy in response to events. Deployment pressures on overstretched crews could be eased.
Secondly, suitably equipped OPV’s could provide an affordable way of sustaining and improving the Royal Navy’s capacity to monitor UK waters, and to gather intelligence overseas, making a potentially significant contribution to UK security which would otherwise be lacking in the absence of sufficient number of frigates and submarines.
Conclusion
The fleet of five OPV’s is likely to prove inadequate in numbers to meet demand for deployment, particularly given the increasing, rather than decreasing need to patrol UK waters. Retaining batch 1 OPV’s would be a low-cost way to bring resources in to better balance with likely demand, and one or two additional Batch 2 OPVs would provide politicians and the navy with a much improved range of options over time.
It is also important to recognise that two wrongs don’t make a right – curtailing patrol capability to fund frigates results in role drift which degrades overall capability in other ways. So getting the right number of OPVs in service is a first step in getting the overall balance of the fleet right – as we are in OPV building mode, now is the time to make clear-sighted decisions as to how many OPVs we really need, and what they should be optimised to do.
To justify this increased investment OPV’s do arguably need to be capable of contributing more to UK defence. Part 2 of this article will explore the investment needed to maximise the intelligence gathering and surveillance capability of OPV’s, alongside consideration of the need for adequate protection to provide crew safety when deploying into an increasingly dangerous maritime environment.
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Clive Lewis To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving personnel will return from Germany as part of the planned rebasing in each year to 2020. Mike Penning The number of serving personnel that will return from Germany as part of the planned rebasing in each year to 2020 is shown below. ...
Clive Lewis To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many sorties flown by RAF aircraft engaged on Operation SHADER in Syria and Iraq have (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway guided bombs been released; and how many of each such weapon type have been released in Syria and Iraq ...
Mr Kevan Jones To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on (a) refurbishment of and (b) operations by the Command Support Air Transport Fleet in each of the last 12 months. Harriett Baldwin The Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) fleet managed by 32 (The Royal) Squadron comprises four BAe ...
A guest post from ‘Monty’ This article is intended to be a high-level discussion of the issues and potential fixes that would address the manifold problems faced by the British Army. It isn’t a deep-dive supported by detailed budgeting, planning and implementation considerations. So I trust readers will judge it for what it is rather ...
This publication provides annual statistics at 1 April each year on the UK armed forces vessels, land equipment and aircraft, and military formations. Also provided are statistics on the numbers of militarily useful, British registered vessels. Upcoming release dates for this publication are available here. from Ministry of Defence – Activity on GOV.UK http://ift.tt/2c7lGHv
ASV Global is a small business based in Portchester, Hampshire with 60 employees specialising in the design and build of unmanned and autonomous marine systems. ASV Global is responsible for the Unmanned Surface Vessel including Retractable Sonar within the Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) demonstrator project. The MMCM project is a collaborative procurement between the ...
The MoD has just announced another piece of the family silver is to be sold off. The oldest barracks in England, RM Stonehouse, ‘spiritual home to Royal Marines’ since 1756 is to be put up for sale.
Around 750 people are based at the barracks which is home to the headquarters of 3 Commando Brigade and other units including 30 Commando IX Group and Commander United Kingdom Task Group (COMUKTG). The site is old, grand and holds historic value and artefacts. Maintaining the site is more costly than a purpose-built modern alternative but it is perfectly fit for purpose and its imposing facade is keeping with the Royal Marines more than 350 years of outstanding service to the nation.
The MoD is in the midst of its Orwellian sounding “Estate Optimisation Strategy programme” which of course just another round of closures. It has the laudable aim to reduce waste in the defence estate where there is over-capacity of inefficient use of facilities. There is a temptation to have a knee-jerk response against any reductions but in many cases the plans are sensible and either the sites are entirely surplus of the work can be done eleswhere.
Stonehouse’s demise has been rumoured since before the SDSR but as the marines emerged unscathed in October 2015 this possibility was overlooked for a time. Just one of 13 sites on the newly released list of closures it is clearly the odd one out. The other sites all belong to the Army or RAF, both of which have suffered significant cuts and continue to reduce in strength. However one of the many good decisions of the 2015 SDSR was not to cut the strength of the Royal Marines. 3 Commando Brigade headquartered at Stonehouse and arguably Britain’s single most potent fighting formation is to remain in tact.
Government has quite reasonably has justified yet further reduction in the defence estate as an opportunity to release brown-field sites for badly needed new housing. Plymouth estate agents are already salivating at the prospect of another luxury flat development close to the waterfront. Only time will tell if the redevelopment of Stonehouse benefits the whole city or just and affluent minority.
Although local MPs may see it that way, it is ultimately not the job of the MoD to prop up the Plymouth economy or subsidise the preservation of historic buildings. However there is a bigger picture to consider. The building and surroundings that a military unit inhabits impacts its ethos, imparting a sense of history, pride and self confidence. It would be quite possible to dump the Royal Marines in cheap bog-standard modern buildings on some industrial estate but something significant would be lost. There is also the need for resilience and spare capacity. Stonehouse may have some excess space but that is exactly what might be needed in time of war when extra accommodation is required for units in transit, to house expanding units or recalled reserves.
The creeping peacetime-only mentality that is entirely driven by accountancy undermines the credibility of our whole defence. The bare-minimum, most financially efficient facilities will be totally inadequate in emergencies.
As a city distanced from the UK’s main economic powerhouses, Plymouth has relied heavily on the income from hosting naval forces over the centuries. But it is a two-way relationship, the people of Plymouth have supported the navy and marines in peacetime and shared their hardships in wartime. This closure is another blow to the city and The MoD should consider the impact that closures have on local communities that are deeply entwined with the military on their doorstep. The size of the defence estate across Britain has been in decline for the last 40 years but no where is it more noticeable than in Plymouth. In the square mile adjacent to RM Stonehouse, the Royal William Yard closed (1992), the Naval Hospital RNH Stonehouse closed, (1995), Mount Wise Naval HQ (Closed 2004), and large chunks of Devonport South Yard have been sold off and are being redeveloped. (Not far away the gunners of 29 Cdo have managed to keep their their base in the Hoe Citadel but, it too is under threat of closure). Shutting these facilities makes some sense (only if we accept that a much reduced navy make sense) and these prime sites have been redeveloped to the great benefit of many. However the end of Stonehouse is one closure too many and cannot be properly justified when the Royal Marines are not reducing in numbers.
It is not immediately obvious where the 750 Marines and supporting staff will be relocated. There has been some recent investment in a the new base at RM Tamar at the north end of Devonport Naval Base, now home to the 300 personnel and boats of 1 Assault Group. Whether there is space to expand RM Tamar as a new HQ seems unlikely although there is probably enough vacant space for a new facility elsewhere within the naval base which is now somewhat under utilised. Other local sites that have the potential for a new HQ would be HMS Raleigh, RM Bickleigh or the Hoe Citadel, either way if HQ 3 Cdo Brigade is to remain in the Plymouth area then it will probably require investment in new buildings to house them. Alternatively they could be relocated away from Plymouth to RM Chivenor (North Devon), RM Lympstone (South Devon), or even a defunct Army barracks in another part of the country.
Ministry of Defence (MOD) Freedom of Information (FOI) responses published during the week commencing 29 August 2016 Request for information on architects report on staircase conducted on 11 February 2016 Ref: DIO FOI 2016/05705PDF, 95.4KB No Information held by MOD on asbestos in departmental buildings Ref: DIO FOI 2016/04907PDF, 90.5KB Contractual payment schedule of the ...
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