'Nobody to make those decisions': Why mysterious Royal Navy Type 83 programme could be delayed to cut costs
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A lack of clarity and people without the right authority to make key decisions are causing various defence programmes to be delayed.
National secretary for defence at the Prospect Union, Bob King, said a complete lack of focus is causing decisions on major projects to be deferred. This includes the Type 83 programme, which would replace the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers.
Mr King referred to the lack of Defence Investment Plan (DIP), a financial framework which would set out how to achieve recommendations in the Strategic Defence Review. These plans were originally due to be published last autumn, but have failed to materialise - causing businesses to slash costs and people to lose their jobs. Mr King said there is a lack of high-ranking officials to push certain programmes, and a lack of overall strategy.
Speaking to the defence select committee today (March 23), he said: “If we don’t have the intelligence and information to decide what’s next, it’s difficult to decide what to do next even if the money is freed up. Someone said to me ‘when are we going to build Type 83’, and another said ‘we don’t need Type 83 now, as we’re doing everything with autonomous craft.
“It’s the same with submarines. If we’ve got boats, we need them out there and safe. You have one third of MoD staff on minimum wage, and 30 per cent are understaffed. This issue around a burgeoning MoD is simply fictional. There are not enough people to make these decisions. If you put something into that process, there’s nobody there to make those end decisions.”
The Times reported that delaying the Royal Navy’s Type 83 programme could save £10bn. Type 45 counterparts are due to be retired between 2035 and 2038, with the Daring-class ships being plagued with propulsion issues and power cuts. Three of the vessels are currently undergoing major refits to replace and fix their engines. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said this was purely speculation, and the department is working “flat out” to finalise the DIP.
Mr King said the DIP delays are affecting all programmes, which are driving skilled workers out of the sector. He said decisions being pushed back on the Military Satellite Communications System (SkyNet) is a grave concern. Airbus, based in Anchorage Park, is currently bidding for the contract and is one of Portsmouth’s biggest employers. Disgruntled aerospace and defence workers demonstrated outside Downing Street to show their frustration at jobs being at risk.
Mr King said it was a “very significant programme which is really important for the whole of UK defence. He added: “Without intelligence and information, you can have all the great submarines and aircraft you want. If you don’t know where to send them, they’re just very nice looking things. We are losing ground, and we are going to find it more difficult to get back.”