The Royal Navy
There is a big case for re-establishing the Royal Navy as our key armed force as well as our deterrent. We have never really been a military power. Our Empire was built on Naval power and this remains the best instrument of defending the United Kingdom’s interests as well as its security. The new Defence Review would be well to consider this.
Recently there have been the first of two classes of outstanding new warships, world leaders. One is the the Daring class of destroyers and the other is the Astute class of nuclear submarines. These are the most powerful ships of their type ever sailed by the Royal Navy and more technologically advanced than any similar in the world. On order, but way behind schedule are the two Queen Elizabeth class carriers.
These two vast ships, second in size only to the giant Nimitz class U.S carriers and bigger by far than France’s nuclear powered Charles de Gaulle, are, like the new submarines and destroyers, a quantum leap in capability and more than world class. Or so I thought.
I discover to total incredulity that these vast ships are to be powered by gas turbines because to fit nuclear reactors is too expensive. This is as preposterous and proposing tanks be drawn by horses because we cannot afford the engines. Unless these two carriers can cruise anywhere in the world without refuelling they are a complete waste of money. The very nature of the weapon is that it is independent of refuelling ships and without the hazard of thousands of tons of on board inflammable fuel. It is integral to the very concept that such ships should, like the top submarines, be nuclear powered.
If we cannot afford proper propulsion systems we cannot afford these ships, any more than you can afford to built a house if there is no money for the roof. If this is the case we should scrap the project and build something useful to budget, perhaps some more Daring or Astute class vessels. If the need really is there it must be properly met and we must cough up for the cost of the reactors. Building giant aircraft carriers with cruise ship propulsion systems is a ridiculous as sending troops into battle in Land Rovers. We made the one mistake. Let us not multiply it on a vast multi £billion scale with these aircraft carriers.