Half of Britain's warships to be mothballed

[Ban Hammer 14,414]

LONDON (AFP) - Almost half of the British Royal Navy's warships are to be mothballed as the Ministry of Defence tries to slash costs, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's government has admitted that 13 warships are in a state of "reduced readiness" and six further destroyers and frigates are being proposed for cuts, the paper said.

The move comes as ministers reportedly try to cut the defence budget by 250 million pounds (371 million euros, 486 million dollars) and amid major armed forces commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"What this means is that we are now no better than a coastal defence force or a fleet of dug-out canoes.

"The Dutch now have a better navy than us," said an unnamed senior officer.

It is likely that the six destroyers and frigates will eventually be sold or scrapped, while there are also fears that two new aircraft carriers promised in 1998 will never be built, the paper said.

Unnamed MoD sources told the paper it was possible that the navy would discontinue one of its major commitments around the world to save money.

It also quoted unnamed defence sources saying that two of eight destroyers on the order books will not be bought and added that one of Britain's three major ports was under threat.

The former head of the Royal Navy, Sir Alan West, told the Sunday Telegraph last week that the government was putting British interests at risk by reshaping the armed forces to wage long-term campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The MoD was behaving "like these tinpot countries" which fail to invest in major equipment programmes and was running the risk of turning the armed forces into "a gendarmerie".

This latest embarrassing report of defence underfunding comes the day after the government was criticised over claims that it was failing to provide decent accommodation for troops.

An MoD spokesman said that "no decisions" had yet been taken on the future of the ships and labelled the report of a possible base closure as "complete speculation".

link

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Strange they haven't thought of SELLING them to Canada for C$575 million (roughly the US$486 million mentioned)--as Canada is proverbially known for having obsolescent equipment.

[almaty 19]

Strange they haven't thought of SELLING them to Canada for C$575 million (roughly the US$486 million mentioned)--as Canada is proverbially known for having obsolescent equipment.

lol...that is good brother sriniv,....

\

Strange they haven't thought of SELLING them to Canada for C$575 million (roughly the US$486 million mentioned)--as Canada is proverbially known for having obsolescent equipment.

lol...that is good brother sriniv,....

\

[mawilson 2,133]

It is likely that the six destroyers and frigates will eventually be sold

I'd buy one if I had that kind of cash lying around

[Ban Hammer 14,414]

It is likely that the six destroyers and frigates will eventually be sold

I'd buy one if I had that kind of cash lying around

be a heck of a houseboat eh?

[Flames9_RN 359]

No no no. Canada will let them be mothballed, sit and rust for a few yrs and then buy them, just like the piece of ####### submarines they bought from the Brits!!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

No no no. Canada will let them be mothballed, sit and rust for a few yrs and then buy them, just like the piece of ####### submarines they bought from the Brits!!

Unfortunately, all-too-true (and they'll still play the CURRENT suggested price of C$575 million--inflation adjusted of course)

[Alex+R 0]

I could have sworn the thread title was "Half of Britain Worships Mothballs"...strange religion they have across the pond

[Ban Hammer 14,414]

I could have sworn the thread title was "Half of Britain Worships Mothballs"...strange religion they have across the pond

lol well sometimes that would not surprise me either......

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I could have sworn the thread title was "Half of Britain Worships Mothballs"...strange religion they have across the pond

This is more accurate