The UK military is hurting financially, and the situation has become so dire that they are resorting to scrapping warships and aircraft in a bid to save money – and the timing couldn’t be worse given the numerous serious threats from abroad due to rising geopolitical tensions.
Defense Secretary John Healey announced that the military would be able to save as much as half a billion pounds during the next five years by getting rid of the “outdated” equipment.
He told parliament that the decision was part of a restructuring and modernization program for the UK's armed forces. However, the military has already been reduced dramatically after decades of cuts aimed at saving money.
He said that although the country is facing rising global threats, “serious financial pressures” are impacting the country's defense budget.
"War in Europe, growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East and technology changing the nature of warfare. As a result, defence needs increased resilience and readiness for the future," he said.
The Defense Secretary reiterated the government’s intention to lift the defense budget to 2.5% of the national income but did not supply a date or timeline.
“To ensure that Britain is kept secure at home and strong abroad in a changing world, defence needs to make changes too. Difficult decisions are required," he clarified.
What is being scrapped?
The UK Defense Ministry said it has chosen equipment for “accelerated retirement” that is outdated so they can focus their limited resources on weapon systems that are more appropriate for modern warfare – even though Russia has been successfully using older tanks, helicopters, artillery and guns following the destruction of their newer weapons in its war in Ukraine.
Here's a look at what is on the chopping block.
First, the Royal Navy intends to take out a pair of amphibious assault ships, the HMS Bulwark and the HMS Albion. Removing them at the end of this year will be a decade earlier than planned and marks a serious blow to the Royal Marines' capability of launching land assaults from the sea. They are said to cost millions of pounds per year to maintain despite being held at reduced levels of readiness. Scrapping them means the UK will not have any remaining amphibious assault ships.
They'll also be taking out a fleet of 17 Royal Air Force Puma helicopters and 14 of their oldest Chinook helicopters. In addition, less than six years since entering service, they'll be retiring 46 Watchkeeper drones worth around £5 million each.
They're also pulling a pair of large Royal Fleet auxiliary ships known as the RFA Wave Ruler and the RFA Wave Knight. These ships have been bringing the supplies and fuel needed by the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers for their operations around the world.
A Type 23 frigate that needs expensive repairs is also being pulled, the HMS Northumberland, although it is worth noting that it is already operating past its out-of-service date.
The army is believed to be scrapping the aircraft as part of a shift in focus on the development of newer and more innovative drone capabilities.
It doesn't look like they will stop there, either. Healey told MPs: "These will not be the last difficult decisions I will have to make, to fix the defence inheritance that we were left with."
The Director of Military Sciences at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, Matthew Savill, told the BBC that some of what is being scrapped was approaching retirement.
"But the fact that defence either can’t crew them, or is prepared to cut them to make very modest savings over five years is an indication of just how tight resources must be in the MOD right now," he added.
