Fears as Keir Starmer ‘considers axing new warships’ for shrinking Royal Navy | UK | News
A former Royal Navy commander has expressed concern over reports that Sir Keir Starmer could undermine a new warship fleet. Tom Sharpe, who commanded four warships during his 27-year career, said he feared ministers would choose the “cheapest option” rather than the best option for the future of the Type 83 destroyer programme.
Reports claim the Prime Minister is considering scrapping plans to build warships expected to replace existing Type 45s over the next decade. Mr Sharpe said there was a decision to be made The First Sea Lord on the program as he pushes for a move to a “hybrid navy” that includes: conventional crewed ships and unmanned aerial vehicles. Mr Sharpe told the Express he was “55-45” in favor of tracking ships, which could cost £2bn per ship.
Ideally, he said, the Navy needs a drone to perform the tasks the advanced radar on the Type 83 is expected to do, but once they own a ship, commanders are “responsible for their own destiny.”
“The fewer moving parts, the better,” Mr. Sharpe said. He added: “We are guaranteed to choose the cheapest, not the best.”
Senior military officials say the Type 83 program will likely be withdrawn or canceled entirely to meet other priorities, such as unmanned aerial vehicles. TelegramThis spoiled the story.
It is reported that the project was put on the back burner due to a funding dispute between the Ministry of Defense and the Treasury regarding the document.
Defense is thought to need an extra £18bn and many projects are said to be under threat as part of cost-saving measures.
More money is expected to be allocated for defence, but reports suggest this will still be around £4bn short of what is needed.
Type 83 guided missile destroyers are still in the early design phase.
Although it is still unclear how many Type 83s are planned, they will replace the Navy’s six Type 45s between 2035 and 2038.
Type 45s are among the most advanced warships in the world but constantly suffer from availability problems.
Any delays in the Type 83 program will likely result in its predecessors being in service longer than originally planned.
This comes at a time of widespread concern about the state of the dwindling Royal Navy.
It remains unclear when replacements for the aging Type 23 fleet will be ready for operation.
