UK to scrap warships, military helicopters and fleet of drones to save £500m
20 November 2024, 15:09 | Updated: 20 November 2024, 15:13
Ministers have scrapped six defence projects including drones, warships and helicopters, in a move to save half a billion pounds over the next five years.
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John Healey, the defence secretary, announced on Wednesday that he had decommissioned the schemes.
Mr Healey announced he was bringing forward the retirement of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, from 2033 and 2034, respectively, to April 2025. HMS Northumberland, a type-23 frigate, will also be retired early.
Two Wave Class tankers have also been deemed obsolete and will be decommissioned.
He also told the Commons 14 Chinook helicopters "some over 35 years old (will be) accelerated out of service”, as will 17 Puma helicopters.
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Mr Healey said: "I have made these decisions today in consultation with the reviewers to make sure these are aligned with their thinking, and we have done so in dialogue with Nato."
He added: "He mentioned HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. They were mothballed. There were no plans for either of these ships to go back to sea for nearly 10 years until they were due to be taken out of service.
"These were not ready to sail, these were not ready to fight, they were capabilities that can be covered elsewhere, and this will save us - every year - money that we can redeploy within defence to upgrade our forces and our technologies for the future."
Mr Healey went on to accuse the Conservatives of not having proper plans to fulfil their pre-election pledge of spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.
He said of shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge: "He knows the truth of the black hole that his Government left across the board, but he did nothing in defence to get a grip of the budgets, he did nothing to decommission out-of-date kit, and I'm taking the action now to strengthen defence for the future.
"These decision were overdue. The service chiefs support these changes, it means we can move more rapidly, as we must."
Chairman of the Defence Select Committee, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, said: "It's right that old platforms are being retired and we're transitioning to newer equipment, and I'm also glad to note that it has the full backing of our military chiefs.
"However, this is being implemented without the full findings of the strategic defence review being announced, and obviously there are cost implications."
The Labour MP added: "Will the unrequired kit be either sold to allies or be given to Ukraine?"
Mr Healey replied: "These are decisions I have taken now, as I said in my statement, that both help us to get a grip of the MoD budget now and to create greater scope to better implement the strategic defence review when it reports.
"These are decisions that as I have said are overdue, they are decisions that were ducked by previous ministers in the previous government.
"Further decisions about what to do with the decommissioned equipment have not yet been made, but I will make sure that when I make those decisions I will inform his committee."
