Navy cuts mean less maritime security

Monday, May 18, 2009

Support for the Royal Navy has become so bad that the service now has a mere nine ships allocated to protecting Britain's territorial waters, according to a new report out by MPs today.

In the Commons Defence Select Committee's report on National Security and the role the MoD plays, MPs found maritime security to be a glaring weakness in the National Security Strategy (NSS).

Years of cuts to the Navy's budget coupled with numerous ships being taken out of service and not replaced has left Britain with minimal maritime defences.

Testimony from various government agencies revealed that the MoD and government are content with current domestic maritime security. An intelligence first approach has according to officials, safeguarded the country.

But statistics shown to MPs found that Britain is protected by three Type 23 Destroyers, three Hunter Class minesweepers, two River-class offshore patrol vessels, and one support tanker.

Only six of the ships are dedicated specifically to British maritime security. Other ships conducting exercises or patrols near Britain could be recalled in the case of an emergency.

The government however has claimed that a collection of ships from other agencies provides additional protection to the UK. The MoD police have around 50 vessels used for security purposes, although many of these are used to guard MoD facilities and high profile capabilities such as the nuclear deterrent. Police forces around the country have 70 vessels in total while the Coast Guard has five "in shore" vessels and the UK Border Agency has five patrol cutters.

"We are concerned at the level of action being taken to address identified threats to
aspects of critical national infrastructure," the report said.

Infrastructure such as ports and important natural resource depots such as oil refineries that are located close to the water are vulnerable MPs said.

The findings were part of a large examination of the role the MoD plays in national security. MPs said that the MoD makes a "vital and unique" contribution to security but called on other departments to better understand, direct and resource the MoD's contributions.

Conservative shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said that the govenrment needed to clarify its NSS policy.

"It is clear from this report the government has not given sufficient attention to the role of the armed forces in its domestic security policy. The lack of clarity about the role of the MoD in terms of maritime security needs to be addressed," he said.