Westward Editorial Comment.

THE UK’s top Naval Commander, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, is calling on the Labour Government to spend more on defence before it’s too late.

The Chief of the Naval Staff warned in a recent speech in London that Britain is on the brink of losing the North Atlantic to Russia, which is investing billions in its Northern Fleet, with a 30 per cent increase of incursions in British waters over the last two years.

The Russian presence in home waters is probing the nation’s undersea infrastructure of oil, gas, and communication pipelines.

The multirole ocean surveillance (MROS) vessel in operation with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), is a critical support arm of the UK Royal Navy and built to enhance the UK’s maritime capabilities. Functioning as a mothership for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), it houses a range of specialised capabilities for monitoring and safeguarding the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.

Sir Gwyn warned, ‘The advantage we have enjoyed in the North Atlantic since World War Two is at risk, and we are ‘holding on, but not much’.

Many of our readers on our website and online platforms have raised the issue of the Navy’s lack of escorts, especially the recent decommissioning of HMS Lancaster in Bahrain.

The decommissioning and loss of Britain’s HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark was one of our biggest stories on Westward Shipping News.

Under-spending and delivery delays of Britain’s nuclear deterrent and hunter-killer attack submarines being deployed on missions are also great issues.

Sir Gwyn, the first Royal Marine to lead the Senior Service and recently speaking at the International Sea Power Conference in London, explained that most of the country’s trade, data, and energy flows go above and below the water, and the North Atlantic is the ‘lifeline of our island nation’. 

In recent weeks the Russian spy and surveillance ship the Yantar has been seen tracking the UK’s undersea cables, with RAF aircraft scrambled to monitor the vessel, with lasers fired from the Yantar into the eyes of British pilots.

Sir Gwyn announced the first underwater sensors to monitor Russian movements will be launched in 2026.

Crewless Royal Navy vessels are also expected to join the fleet from 2027, and by 2030, Sir Gwyn expects ‘hundreds’ of drone vessels to be deployed.

FACT FILE

The British government has put off meeting NATO’s 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence until later this decade.

Defence was only mentioned in a few lines at Rachel Reeves recent budget statement in the House of Commons.

Sooner or later, the Government will have to choose its priorities in keeping Labour MPs happy, or defence of the realm.