All six Navy destroyers in port – so crews can go on leave
THE entire fleet of the Royal Navy’s most advanced warships is out of action, it was revealed yesterday.
All six Type 45 destroyers, which cost £1billion each, are docked in Portsmouth.
The Navy denied the ‘almost unprecedented’ situation was due to mechanical problems dogging the fleet in the Persian Gulf, where the state-of-the-art engines break down as the water is too warm.
The Ministry of Defence conceded the situation ‘does not look good’, but said the ships were docked for reasons including shore leave and using the vessels for training.
The Clyde-built Type 45 destroyers, billed as the mainstay of the Royal Navy, are the most powerful ships constructed for use by the British Armed Forces.
But HMS Daring, HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Defender, HMS Dragon and HMS Duncan all need expensive engine refits. Contractors claimed defence chiefs did not tell them the 8,000ton vessels would be spending long periods in warm waters.
As a result, in the Gulf, the ships’ gas turbine engines keep cutting out, leaving servicemen stranded for hours in darkness. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones told the House of Commons Defence Committee recently that the innovative engines ‘degraded catastrophically’ when operated in very warm seas. To fix the problem will mean cutting huge holes in the sides to fit new equipment.
The cost of the refits is believed to be one reason why construction of the Navy’s new Type 26 frigates on the Clyde has been delayed.
The MoD insisted the presence of the ships in dock was not connected to the engine issue.
But maritime strategist Professor Eric Grove told Sky News it was ‘almost unprecedented’ that all the ships should be sitting together in the Hampshire port, adding ‘it either showed a gross lack of
‘These ships should be at sea’
planning or was indicative of something more serious’.
He said: ‘It isn’t good. These ships should be at sea. The fundamental problem is, we don’t have enough frigates and destroyers. We are paying the price for the neglect of the Navy in recent years.’
A photograph showing the vessels in Portsmouth was published by the website UK Defence Journal. MoD spokesman Tom Sharpe said: ‘To have them docked for a sustained period over the summer is unusual but not unprecedented.
‘[The crew] have got to take leave and we’ve got manpower issues which are much publicised. It’s got to be planned in advance.
‘They spend so much time away and it’s about harmony time, getting the work-life balance right.
‘You could argue if you are trying to rebalance harmony time, it does not look good but in reality it combines everyone getting away at the right time of year. It’s just a coincidence, nothing to do with the engines.’ He said the ships could be docked for ‘anything from a few weeks to a month’, but that no other parts of the Navy were being left without protection.
Another spokesman added: ‘This week the Navy had over 8,500 personnel on operations around the world and 34 ships at sea.
‘All Type 45 destroyers are in port as they have either just returned from operations, are about to be deployed, are conducting training or carrying out maintenance, or are home for crew to take summer leave.’
It comes after pictures emerged showing damage to Britain’s newest and most advanced £1.1billion nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Ambush, after it crashed into a merchant ship during a training exercise which took place off the coast of Gibraltar.