War under the waves

Russian sub activity off UK soars tenfold

RUSSIAN submarine activity off Britain has soared ten-fold, the Defence Secretary revealed yesterday as he launched work on a key facility at a Scottish RAF base.

Gavin Williamson said there was an increasing threat from Russian submarines in the North Atlantic.

He said this meant the £132million investment supporting a fleet of nine maritime patrol aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth was ‘incredibly important’.

Construction is now under way on the facility to house the Boeing Poseidon aircraft at the Moray base, with the first due to arrive in 2020.

Mr Williamson said the project would secure 2,000 jobs.

He said: ‘It’s going to be a major part of the local and Scottish economy. Even more important than that is what it means for our national security and how important Scotland is to our national security.

‘With Poseidon going to be arriving here from 2020, this is going to be absolutely integral in terms of our national security and in terms of dealing with the increasing threat we are seeing from Russia.

‘What we’ve seen from Russia in terms of the North Atlantic is a tenfold increase in submarine activity. They see the North Atlantic as an area of operations that they are stepping up, using more and more of their submarines to operate in the North Atlantic.

‘As a nation we have to respond to that threat and that’s why Poseidon is so incredibly important.’

The development will include hangers, engineering workshops and mission-planning facilities, with the aircraft used in anti-submarine missions, reconnaissance and maritime search and rescue roles.

The SNP had earlier called for urgent reassurances about the future of the Royal Marines in Scotland. Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: ‘The MoD is now in the midst of a further review which has resulted in speculation about the future of the Royal Marines in Arbroath.

‘I urge the Defence Secretary to end those fears once and for all by providing clear assurances about Royal Marine numbers and their long term future at RM Condor.’

But Mr Williamson hit back, saying: ‘It’s disappointing when the Scottish Government insists on scaremongering. Our commitment is absolute in terms of a Royal Marine presence here in Scotland.

‘The SNP are not in favour of the investment we have been making in the Dreadnought programme and our commitment to the naval base on the Clyde.

‘We are also listening to some of the problems that are being caused by the SNP, like the “Nat tax”.’