Labour has unveiled a massive package of defence cuts this afternoon – just as war fears with Russia surged as Ukraine used British-made Storm Shadow missiles for the very first time.
The cuts, worth £500m – or less than one per cent of the MoD’s annual budget – will see five warships, dozens of military helicopters and a fleet of drones scrapped to save money.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the measures were the “common sense” thing to do in Parliament today, calling the outgoing military craft “outdated”.
The savings, which Healey blamed on the “dire inheritance” left by the Tories, will see assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, which have both been flagships, decommissioned.
Ageing Type 23 frigate HMS Northumberland is said to be beyond economic repair – and will be decommissioned along with two Wave-class tankers.
John Healey has confirmed the Ministry of Defence would be decommissioning the two former flagship vessels
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Healey told MPs: “I’ve introduced tight financial controls on the department, including a £300million reduction in planned consultancy spending.
“We’re getting a grip of MoD budgets and investing in people and in future technologies.”
He added: “For too long our soldiers, sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because ministers wouldn’t make the difficult decommissioning decisions.
“As technology advances at pace, we must move faster towards the future. So today, with full backing from our service chiefs, I can confirm that six outdated military capabilities will be taken out of services.
“These decisions are set to save the MoD £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years… savings that will be retained in full in defence.”
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HMS Bulwark will be decommissioned as part of a series of money-saving cuts
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Healey said he would retire HMS Northumberland as it is “a frigate with structural damage that makes her simply uneconomical to repair”.
In addition to this, 46 Watchkeeper Mark I uncrewed aircraft systems, and a 14-year-old army drone “which technology has overtaken” would also be retired.
He also told the Commons 14 Chinook helicopters, “some over 35 years old, [will be] accelerated out of service.”
The Defence Secretary also confirmed two Wave-class tankers – “neither of which have been to sea for years” – were in the decommissioning process, along with 17 Puma helicopters “some with over 50 years’ flying, [which] will not be extended.”
The cuts came minutes before it emerged that Ukraine had fired British Storm Shadow missiles at Russia
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But the news came at a troubling time – practically as he made his announcement, it emerged that Ukraine had hit Russia with British-made missiles.
Though in a written statement, Healey noted: “We face increasing global threats… War in Europe, growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East and technology changing the nature of warfare.
“As a result, defence needs increased resilience and readiness for the future.”
He also reaffirmed to a pledge that Labour will set out a route to hiking Britain’s defence budget to 2.5 per cent of national income – but failed to provide a date.
