Originally Posted by
Not_a_boffin
There is a difference between "not saying anything about it" and uninformed pearl-clutching.
Selling off life-expired ships for scrap is absolutely the correct thing to do - see ex-Bristol and ex-Walney. The two T23 are less palatable as a number drop, but that should be temporary as all T26 and T31 are now on-contract (as opposed to just "in the long-term programme". So in terms of DD/FF hull numbers that should be resolved. Ditto, the FSS - all on contract at long last. Losing the SVHO isn't great, but they were approaching end of life (perhaps more than apparent!) and there is the ability to exploit uncrewed systems and MROSS for that.
The more serious issue is manpower - and specifically pinch point retention - which is a pay (and in the case of the RFA, terms and conditions issue). Plus the impact of residual ILS reductions and programme deferrals over a decade ago which mean running on old ships longer than they should have been, with consequent knock-on effects. Something which applies across all three services, particularly in engineering trades.
So - had the thread been titled "What do we have to do to fix retention and how much might it cost?" - that might have been useful.
Hits nail squarely on the head!
The MCMV will find new homes within NATO, most likely up around the Baltic where their sisters are already doing good work, or maybe in the Black Sea. That capability is moving on in a different direction.
Batch 1 OPVs will probably find new homes, they are already on a ‘stay of execution’ so this does not come as a surprise, but they are quite manpower heavy for constabulary roles.
The T23 in question are fit for scrap and nothing else, their hulls are absolutely knackered.
Surprised they pulled the SVHOs so quickly, wonder if they have a buyer for Echo, as the video only mentions Enterprise?
They need to man MROSS, T31 and eventually T26, so something had to give.
But they won’t solve retention until they stop treating JRs like children, particularly at LET level!