"Threat to our way of life is real": Top Royal Navy brass call for "passionate" sailors’ voices on crucial visit

New Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, joined First Sea Lord Sir Gwyn Jenkins for a series of addresses. They spoke to service personnel, civil servants, and contractors, while at Navy Command on October 23.

Air Chf Mshl Knighton said in his address: “What we do, what you do, matters to our family, country and allies, it matters more than it has done for a long time. I believe passionately about our success being driven by our people who should be proud of what they do because what they do is extraordinary.

“When visiting the bomber returning from a 203-day patrol I was amazed by the phenomenal people whose professionalism was inspiring. The way the world works for the United Kingdom and our allies to prosper is under threat. What you do matters, more than in previous years but we are also honest about the challenges and the difficult decisions which are coming in the next few years.”

The visit is part of the First Sea Lord’s 100-day sprint where he oversees various military bases and operations. Both leaders held a Q&A session for attendees, discussing the public perception of the armed forces, civil service recruitment freezes, and capacity. They also visited the Portsmouth-based experimental ship XV Patrick Blackett.

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The First Sea Lord said: “I can’t emphasise or overstate enough how important it is to have Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton as Chief of Defence Staff. The threat to our way of life is real, and we heard the Chief of Defence Staff highlight the need for the United Kingdom to have a strong Royal Navy, and his unwavering belief in a hybrid Navy - one that is leading the way across Defence.

“We are passionate that our people are imperative to the success of Defence. During my 100 day sprint I have made it a priority to visit as many departments as I can, and these visits have underlined what an amazing organisation the Royal Navy is, with incredible people who are delivering outstanding work.

“But we can be better - by giving you the tools to dismantle bureaucracy – we can speed up our own processes and enable strong leaders to make effective decisions faster. If you have an idea for how our Royal Navy can be better, I want to hear it.”