Royal Navy is ‘pathetically weak’, says former First Sea Lord

The former head of the Royal Navy has launched a blistering attack on the state of the fleet, following the revelation that a quarter of the country’s frigates never spent a day at sea last year.

Admiral Lord West said Britain needed a Navy which would ‘make someone’s eyes water if they crossed us at sea’.

Instead, the former First Sea Lord said, the number of operational vessels was ‘pathetically low’ and questioned whether these were enough to keep Britain safe at a time when Russia is targeting pipelines and Beijing is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea.

Lord West spoke out after the Ministry of Defence released figures showing that of the 12 Type 23 frigates, three – HMS Iron Duke, HMS St Albans and HMS Sutherland – did not spend any time at sea last year. 

Another, HMS Argyll, spent just 21 days away from port. And of the six Type 45 destroyers, one, HMS Daring, spent no days at sea while undergoing a refit, and HMS Dragon left port for just 18 days.

Admiral Lord West said Britain needed a Navy which would ‘make someone’s eyes water if they crossed us at sea’

Last night, Lord West told The Mail on Sunday that years of defence cuts, recruitment issues and a lack of planning had left the Royal Navy with too few ships to protect the country’s sea lanes and territorial waters. 

He said: ‘The number of ships we have is pathetically low. We do not have enough ships in our territorial waters, exclusive economic zone or to ensure, with our allies, the security of the sea lanes and that is something that is crucial to this country. The danger is we have forgotten that we are a maritime nation which relies on the sea.

‘More than 90 per cent of all of our imports and exports go by sea. We have a huge tapestry of cables going across the Atlantic and to Europe. 

Pipelines bringing gas to this country. All of these things we know the Russians are looking at and we should be very concerned

‘The Royal Navy has had insufficient money for too many years and I worry that in the new Defence White Paper there will not be enough money to resolve these issues.’

The Navy said: ‘The fleet continues to meet all operational requirements.’ 

New Type 26 frigates were due to enter service this year, but have been delayed until 2028.