British Defense Cuts

[NuclearID]

Britain decommissions Watchkeeper drones.

The decommissioning of this relatively new type of drone is due to the economic difficulties of the British Army.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1860663476928098464

 

[william]

The United Kingdom has announced sweeping cuts of its Armed Forces as it seeks to save money, despite the precarious security situation in Europe and elsewhere. The Royal Air Force, British Army, and Royal Navy will also lose frontline equipment, and it’s not necessarily clear how capabilities will be maintained once these assets are withdrawn.

Speaking in parliament today, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey outlined the plan, which will affect all three branches of the British military.

The assets to be withdrawn include the following:

The Royal Navy’s two Albion class amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark will be taken out of service at the end of the year, around a decade earlier than planned — although their withdrawal has been threatened now for several years. With their retirement, the ability of U.K. Royal Marines to launch land assaults from the sea will be notably reduced.

The Royal Air Force will lose its fleet of 17 Puma battlefield mobility helicopters, together with 14 of the oldest Chinook heavy-lift helicopters used by the same service. The United Kingdom had already ordered new Chinooks to modernize that force, some of which date back to the very first deliveries of these helicopters in the early 1980s. However, today’s decision leaves a question mark over plans to replace the Puma fleet, under the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) program. There had already been suggestions that the NMH might also face the ax. The British Army’s controversial fleet of 47 Watchkeeper drones is being culled.

The Royal Navy will bid farewell to the Type 23 frigate HMS Northumberland. Earlier this year, the Type 23 fleet had been reduced by two, with the decision to withdraw HMS Argyll and Westminster, reportedly in order to free up personnel to staff its new class of frigates. This reduced the service’s fleet of Type 23s to nine. All this comes at a time when the Royal Navy’s major surface combatants are in high demand, including in the Red Sea.

Other naval assets getting chopped include the two large Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler.

As it stands, the U.K. Armed Forces — like many others around the world — are being asked to do a lot more, with less. There is also the possibility of more cuts to come. After all, the U.K. government is expected to release its latest defense review next spring, and that might see another raft of cuts to all three services. With funds for defense spending limited, there will be fears that more equipment might be axed as an easy option for making short-term savings.

British Defense Cuts Hit All Three Services Hard

Amphibious assault ships, drones, and an entire fleet of helicopters are all being axed in a cost-saving effort. Amphibious assault ships, drones, and an entire fleet of helicopters are all being axed in a cost-saving effort.

www.twz.com

 

[Torch]

The only thing they are going to have left to defend themselves is a Trans themed Doctor Who Cosplayer, a vicious street cleaner and a toothless police dog.

 

[Yingyang]

Every empire has its day.

NEXT.