Thin Pinstriped Line

Defence is in the news again today, this time as part of a Sunday Times article suggesting that the budget faces significant cuts, that there are concerns about how the next Defence Review is being driven and that the Royal Navy is considering decommissioning HMS VANGUARD as part of this work. Given the same paper has recently published a variety of stories recently that were demonstrably false (such as the alleged scrapping of HMS PRINCE OF WALES), it is perhaps reasonable to ask how much of this one is actually true, or how much of it is conjecture and intentional leaking 70 Whitehall - Home of the Cabinet Office - Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright The first issue is the suggestion that the Treasury has refused to ringfence the defence budget and guarantee its size meaning, on paper, the MOD may face £4bn cuts. This is a challenge as the commitment to spending 2% of GDP on defence can arguably cut both ways. The main charge appears to be that despite being pushed to ...

As the month of May 2020 enters what feels like its fourth decade, it is hard to escape from drawing the conclusion that the world is, frankly, a bit of a mess right now. The combination of global pandemics, rising tensions across borders and a broader decline in international relations points to a decade ahead of turmoil and challenge. Looking at the world around us though, 2020 seems to have signalled certain key themes emerging which may indicate where future priorities may need to be focused and also highlighting where further risks could potentially have to be accepted. The most volatile domain this year thus far has probably been the maritime. A quick review of the worlds current trouble spots shows significant spikes in tension in the Gulf and South China Sea. The US Navy is engaging in a struggle to retain its dominant position in the Asia-Pacific region, against a Chinese Navy that is emerging as a capable and potent, albeit not operationally experienced, force to contend ...

The US Government has confirmed that it intends to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty in 6 months, ending its leading role in participating in this landmark international treaty intended to function as a confidence and security building mechanism in Europe. Open Skies is one of a suite of arms control treaties dating back to the late Cold War, and was intended to try to reassure nations that the other side was not massing for a surprise attack. By allowing overflights of territory and the ability to collect and process imagery, which could be shared with allies (and has to be shared with the host nation), it was designed to make it harder to mass troops on the Inner German Border in secret and in turn reduce tensions. When coupled with other agreements like the Vienna Document and the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, it was intended to make it harder for wars to start by accident, and to try to lower tensions and suspicions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Arm...

The Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, HMS PRINCE OF WALES has been in the news following video footage emerging showing a flood in one of the ships accommodation spaces. This footage, shot on a member of the Ships Company’s phones shows water pouring into a space, while commentary is heard around it. The footage has aroused a variety of reactions, from surprise at the perceived lack of action being taken, through to concern that a brand new warship is ‘leaking’. It is an interesting story and one worthy of further thought. From the outset it is important to be clear that all ships leak. The average modern warship is filled with miles of pipework carrying all manner of liquids around on a constant basis. The system is regularly put under pressure, and used around the clock to help keep a ship ready for operations. HMS PRINCE OF WALES0 Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright Much like towns routinely experience burst pipes, it is a reality that ships too ...

The news has broken overnight that an Iranian live firing exercise in the Arabian Gulf appears to have gone disastrously wrong. Media reports indicate that a missile, fired by the Iranian frigate Jamaran appears to have struck an Iranian support vessel (the Konarak), leaving 19 dead sailors and the ship probably a total loss. At the outset it is important to be clear that this is a tragedy for the families of the sailors involved. It is a timely reminder of the incredibly dangerous nature of maritime operations, and how things can quickly go horribly wrong in a very short time. The incident raises several issues and concerns that are worthy of further consideration. Firstly, it once again highlights that there appear to be significant command and control challenges within the Iranian Armed Forces which could be a real problem at times of heightened crisis. Earlier this year the shooting down of Ukrainian Airlines flight 752 in January by the Islamic Revolutionary Gua...

It is now 75 years since the war in Europe ended, heralding the closing of one significant era in history and opening the door to another. Looking back at images of that time it is hard to imagine that the world then, which appears so different, is still within living memory, or that participants from it are still with us. It is easy to imagine a French or German veteran of the war of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 still being alive in 1945 and wondering what manner of madness has befallen the world, and questioning how quickly it had seemingly changed, and asking what future either nation would have in the future. It is also strikingly similar that so many in the UK perceive 1945 as an epoch shift, marking the end of one world view, and setting the stage for what many perceive to be an era of decline and fall from influence. But is this true, and to what extent does the impact of the world of 1945 continue to be felt in how the UK sees the world? A superb shot from HMS L...