Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Paragraph: 45
The Government has ambitious plans for the Royal Navy.
Conclusion
The Government has ambitious plans for the Royal Navy. The Integrated Review has given the Navy a significantly increased, and potentially the leading, role in the UK’s security posture. It is likely to be the Government’s tool of choice to deliver its strategy of persistent engagement and competition below the threshold of warfare. As a result, the Navy must be able to deliver constabulary and presence operations for peace time maritime security, while still able to perform high-end warfighting functions effectively, including upholding NATO taskings and other international agreements.
Paragraph Reference:
45
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Response: The IR made a clear commitment to evolve from a force that is primarily designed for the contingency of a major conflict and warfighting, to one that is also designed for permanent and persistent global engagement. This commitment ensures that the RN will retain the full spectrum of capabilities to deliver across the range of national and NATO taskings. The RN has already begun delivering the IR commitment to shift to persistent global engagement. The extension in service of the Batch 1 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) has allowed the RN to maintain its commitments in Home Waters, while permitting the Batch 2 OPVs to be deployed globally. They have recently conducted maritime security and capacity building operations in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Guinea, Caribbean, and the Black Sea. Two Batch 2 OPVs are operating persistently in the Indo-Pacific now, and have already proved their worth through HMS SPEY’s response to support the people of Tonga. Their presence will be augmented by the Littoral Response Group (LRG) (South), whilst LRG (North) is pulsing from the UK and focused on the Euro-Atlantic. This expanded footprint builds on the enduring presence of the maritime headquarters, Type 23 Frigate and Mine Counter Measures capabilities in the Gulf, and our enduring presence in the Falkland Islands/South Atlantic and the Caribbean. This approach increases Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), which generates a comprehensive understanding and provides a common operating picture for the UK and our allies and partners. As an area of UK leadership, the RN works with national, regional, and international partners to support wider MDA capacity building. This includes UK/ French MDA cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) support to ‘The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia’ (ReCAAP). The RN continues to be ready for warfighting operations, with the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) at the heart of this critical capability. Building on the success of the CSG21 deployment (Operation FORTIS), we will continue to deploy CSGs at regular intervals, with even greater flexibility and capability being delivered by the procurement of more F-35B, eight Type 26 Frigates and three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) Ships, all of which will be operating by the mid-2030s. This will be underpinned by the delivery of the final three Astute Class submarines into service. We remain on course to achieve Full Operating Capability (FOC) for Carrier Strike in December 2023. As the leading European navy in NATO, we will continue to attribute the Continuous at Sea Nuclear Deterrent, Littoral Strike forces and a CSG to the Alliance.