Express: "Royal Marines Cuts U-Turn: 1,500 Troops And Assault Vessels Saved"

[soleil]

"Britain is to retain its ability to land troops on enemy shores by sea after plans to cripple the Royal Marines and axe two amphibious landing craft were shelved.

The plans, leaked last year, would have seen the Commando regiment reduced by up to 1,500 troops and assault vessels Albion and Bulwark scrapped as part of £20billion cost-saving measures.

According to senior sources, Ministry of Defence mandarins have now accepted a new plan, endorsed by Admiral Sir Philip Jones, which promises to deliver the same savings but result in only 450 Royal Marines being axed."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/943000/royal-marines-attack-crafts-saved-landing-plans-leaked

 

[Branch-Hopper]

Still 450 too many, but this is the classic Whitehall Mandarin method: Threat to cut X. Then when we only cut an Nth of X we look like the good guys.

The cuts of 60 Chinook and three T23 is a huge price to pay.
However the retention of the LPD's is a huge victory for the RN.

 

[Seadog]

Quoting the Express

and axe two amphibious landing craft were shelved.

Landing craft? WTAF?

 

[alfred_the_great]

Still 450 too many, but this is the classic Whitehall Mandarin method: Threat to cut X. Then when we only cut an Nth of X we look like the good guys.

The cuts of 60 Chinook and three T23 is a huge price to pay.
However the retention of the LPD's is a huge victory for the RN.

Personally, I’d rather have three T23 and 60 Chinook than a single LPD...


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[Ninja_Stoker]

Personally, I’d rather have three T23 and 60 Chinook than a single LPD...


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I get your drift entirely.

Conversely, I always wonder why we need 4 SSBNs and crew, with just one permanently on patrol, to maintain our nuclear deterrent when 100 aircraft with a strategic nuclear weapon delivery capability, together with conventional bomber or fighter capability, dispersed at sea or afloat would not be considered an infinitely cheaper and capable alternative.

 

[Ballistic]

100 aircraft with a strategic nuclear weapon delivery capability

Go on, I'll bite.
What weapon system is this then?

 

[wave_dodger]

According to senior sources, Ministry of Defence mandarins have now accepted a new plan

Well, seeing as the proposition has only just been released by the RN to the centre and the other TLBs have yet to submit theirs I suspect this is a very early call by a journo who has made a very optimistic call. By the same measure no cuts have been decided yet either - proposals had been made to operate within our CT, that is all.

It is for Defence to now decide how it wants to select the 3 sS proposals and how it wants to operate going forward, and those decisions remain to be taken......

 

[wave_dodger]

Go on, I'll bite.
What weapon system is this then?

Ninja is suggesting re-arming Ground Attack aircraft with a nuclear capability. Which is plausible, the numbers might be a stretch but the issue comes around the surety of response and the surety of the weapon system which is why ICBMs became the weapon system of choice.

Aircraft can be intercepted on the way in, their airfields/hangars/crews compromised in times of crisis/TTW, but ICBM, especially those at sea are pretty impervious to compromise and once launched are very difficult to intercept and defeat, especially with the advent of MIRV and other capabilities some carry.

 

[wave_dodger]

Still 450 too many, but this is the classic Whitehall Mandarin method: Threat to cut X. Then when we only cut an Nth of X we look like the good guys.

Never worked in Main Building? FinMilCap - largely uniformed, biggest decision makers here....

The cuts of 60 Chinook and three T23 is a huge price to pay.

All subjective as no decisions have yet been taken, but three T23 isn't a huge price when you look at when they might go, what material state they are in, what refits/FTSP packages you might save and what they can XD/donate early to T26.

 

[Dusty70]

I see in Telegraph today that Albion is going to the South China Seas to support Sutherland and Argyle - I don't think we will lose the LPDs now - they will keep swapping round Albion and Bulwark as before