Is the Royal Navy too small to deal
with Iranian threat?
The Week,
by
Staff
Original Article
Posted By: DVC,
7/22/2019 2:25:27 PM
The Royal Navy is too small to counter the potential threat from Iran, the defence minister has admitted.
Tobias Ellwood told The Times: “The threats we’re facing are changing in front of us, the world is getting more complex. If we are wanting to continue to play this influential role on the international stage it will require further funding for our armed forces, not least the Royal Navy. Our Royal Navy is too small to manage our interests across the globe.”
The news comes after it emerged that Tehran had ignored warnings from a British warship against seizing a UK-flagged tanker in the Gulf. The Stena Impero and her 23-strong crew
Reply 1 - Posted by:
coldoc 7/22/2019 2:33:21 PM (No. 130705)
Having a weapon and the conviction to use it are two distinct things. Judging by GB's subservience to a minority of their population gives me little hope they are capable or willing to confront their enemies, be they foreign or domestic.
18 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
DVC 7/22/2019 2:34:33 PM (No. 130709)
Agreed, #1, but they don't currently have the credible capability, let alone the will.
7 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
anniebc 7/22/2019 2:36:59 PM (No. 130714)
They probably expect us to do it.
25 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
KTWO 7/22/2019 2:57:11 PM (No. 130756)
Let's guess.
A tiny navy, underfunded for decades, operating thousands of miles from home, with no air support, and forbidden to be utterly ruthless, faces a foe with none of those restrictions.
17 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Strike3 7/22/2019 2:57:27 PM (No. 130758)
What a pathetically weak position in which to have found yourselves. Barry the Magic Muslim attempted to reduce the US Military to the same state to appease his mussy bros but that got us President Trump. I don't think Britain has such a person waiting in the wings. The Iranian Navy is a concern but the thousands of jihadis living within their country are much more dangerous.
I don't want to rub it in but the American ships in the 1700s took on a much larger British Navy and won the war. The size of the fight in the dog and all that, you silly delusional blokes.
12 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
BarryNo 7/22/2019 2:58:05 PM (No. 130759)
There is only one appropriate response for a regime like Iran. Jefferson answered it early in America's life with his actions against certain pirates that were blackmailing every nation in Europe.
Kill. Them.
Attack them where it hurts and make it painfully clear you will not tolerate their actions. A few cruise missiles into every place the Mullahs tend to congregate might make the survivors a little more amenable to reason.
Better yet. eliminate their ability to wage war and execute ALL actors attempting terrorism on their behalf. You have to make these kind of people fear you, because they don't understand anything else/\.
22 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Omen55 7/22/2019 3:02:46 PM (No. 130769)
Granted Britannia no longer rules the waves.
But can they at least rule a gulf?
10 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
chance_232 7/22/2019 3:06:11 PM (No. 130774)
Britian has like the 4th largest Navy. Iran has essentially 4 surface vessels, maybe 2 dozen diesel subs and a plethora of boats. Boats, not ships.
6 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
FunOne 7/22/2019 3:12:06 PM (No. 130783)
"Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour'." ---Sir Winston Churchill.
Yes, Sir Winston was correct. That WAS their finest hour. Some hope for the Brits during the Thatcher era, but she only slowed the eventual decay of their once proud military.
9 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Clinger 7/22/2019 3:12:24 PM (No. 130784)
Yup and why is that? Because the American taxpayer has been picking up the tab since WWII.
21 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Daisymay 7/22/2019 3:36:35 PM (No. 130798)
Too darn bad!! If they don't want to lose more ships, they had better put on their Big Boy Pants and strap a Gun on and go fight for their country. Otherwise, they are screwed! I don't care if all of their ships are seized. We can defend our own ships. We, the TAXPAYERS, pay so that our country is ready to defend. We should NOT have to defend the British Fleet as well. We actually use GUNS to defend our country! OMG! So, while Charles and the rest of the Powdered and Perfumed members of the Royals reach for their Smelling Salts, their ships are being towed to Iran! We should get the heck out of that Region and let them fight it out!
16 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
stablemoney 7/22/2019 3:51:52 PM (No. 130813)
Please. The Royal Navy defense minister should be replaced, as it is obvious he does not want to defend his country. I bet if a Winston Churchill were again Sec of Navy there would be no we can't do thats.
2 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Vesicant 7/22/2019 4:03:45 PM (No. 130831)
That's what happens when you take out Tomahawk launchers and replace them with transgender bathrooms and halal kitchens.
10 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
DVC 7/22/2019 4:03:49 PM (No. 130832)
#9, The Royal Navy has 13 frigates in commission and six guided missile destroyers, one micro aircraft carrier (with about 6 or maybe 8 fixed wing aircraft, not quite operational) and a couple of landing ships with one or two helos. If you have 13 frigates in commission, you probably have 2 or more in the yard for overhaul at any one time, so maybe 11 available to cover the entire planet. If they want to go ship for ship against Iran (a sadly minimalistic approach), the Brits need to have about 40% of their available frigate capability (4) in the Gulf. Oh yeah, how long can a frigate cruise before needing refueling? Do they have any military fueling tankers....and better assign a guided missile destroyer to defend their own refueling tanker(s).
How about air defense? Iran has aircraft. Well, better have at least one of those guided missile destroyers along with the frigates so that you can deal with the Iranian air threat. Better two GM destroyers so they don't get overwhelmed. I hope none are in the yard or needed elsewhere.
It turns out the RN has TWO fast refueling tankers. So send one, and another guided missile destroyer to keep the tanker safe, now we have half of all the guided missile destroyers that they own committed.
Four frigates, three guided missile destroyers and one (maybe both) of their fast tankers. Maybe one of their "replenishment tankers", too (they have three total). They are committing a huge chunk of their total surface capability to match or slightly overmatch Iran.
The trick to a Navy is DETERRENCE, having a big enough, powerful enough, credible enough force that the other side says, "Better not try them on, it would be bad.".
If the other side says, "Heck, I think we can beat them" - right or wrong, your Navy has already failed you.
5 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Toby Ten Bears 7/22/2019 4:19:11 PM (No. 130848)
It's not their Navy that's too small.
5 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
VinGoombatz 7/22/2019 4:38:30 PM (No. 130869)
You all are forgetting that the next generation of royals include photogenic women and adorable babies. I know this because I see the publicity every day. So everything is fine.
5 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Ida Lou Pino 7/22/2019 5:00:08 PM (No. 130880)
#17 has the right idea.
What the Brits can do is listen to His Royal Highness - - Prince Dumbo Ears. They can pump huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere above Iran - - and shorten its climate change doomsday from 12 years to 12 weeks.
That will quickly enable the Brits to destroy Iran - - without firing a shot. But in the end that won't do too much good - - since we'll all be dead 11 years and 9 months after that.
But - - hey - - give it a go anyway. Keep calm - - and carry on.
0 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Grounded 7/22/2019 6:02:26 PM (No. 130913)
Great Britain has gone from Empire to Impotence. I daresay the Royal Navy would be hard pressed to exert control over the English Channel. Never mind the Straits of Hormuz.
4 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
JunkYardDog 7/22/2019 7:02:05 PM (No. 130948)
How the might have fallen. What was once "Make the world England" is now an impotent force incapable of defending its interests. Britain has a long way to go before it can hold its head up proudly.
2 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
RenoVet68 7/22/2019 7:54:03 PM (No. 130978)
I believe it's Prince (I talk to plants) Charles. Camila is his horse.
0 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
oldsfc 7/22/2019 8:46:01 PM (No. 131013)
No way.
0 people like this.
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I have commented repeatedly on other threads about the sad, pathetic state of the Royal Navy and all of the European militaries. Yes, the RN is too small, by a lot, and far too weak.