Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey announced on Wednesday that the country's military will decommission two former Royal Navy flagships and more than a dozen ageing helicopters as part of cost-saving measures.
The new Labour government, which took power in July, is dealing with strained public finances, attributing the situation to the 'dire inheritance' left by the previous Conservative administration. In a parliamentary announcement, Healey revealed that the assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, along with an ageing frigate and two support tankers, will be decommissioned. Additionally, fourteen of the oldest Chinook transport helicopters will be retired early, and the lifespan of Puma support choppers will not be extended beyond March 2025.
The Army's Watchkeeper drones, which have been in service for a decade but are now obsolete due to numerous issues, will also be grounded. Healey emphasized that 'for too long our soldiers, sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because ministers wouldn't make the difficult decommissioning decisions.' He added, 'As technology advances at pace, we must move faster towards the future.'
The decision drew immediate criticism from opposition MPs, who highlighted the need for strong Western military deterrence in light of Russia's war in Ukraine and escalating global tensions. A Tory MP described it as 'a black day for the Royal Marines.' However, Healey stated that the decommissionings would save £500 million over five years, with those savings 'to be retained in full in defence.' He also noted that 'these will not be the last difficult decisions I will have to make to fix the defence inheritance that we were left with,' but they will help manage finances and 'give greater scope to renew our forces for the future.'
Britain spent an estimated 2.3 per cent of GDP on defence last year, with the new government aiming to increase that to 2.5 per cent by an unspecified date.
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