DSEI 2023: Has the Royal Navy cut back its support vessel fleet too far?
The new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will provide essential dry stores replenishment to the RN and enable long-duration deployments globally. (Photo: BMT)
In the early 2000s the complaint in the Royal Navy was that it had mortgaged its future to get the two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers into service and as a result had suffered significant cuts to its surface combatant fleet.
This is being rectified with new frigate and destroyer programmes on the cards. Nonetheless, with the focus on replenishing high-end warship numbers, the price now being paid is that cuts have fallen on the RN’s support ship capability instead.
Over recent years, to provide the MoD with savings the RN’s support ship capability, largely provided by the Royal Fleet
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