Navy in most ‘parlous state’ it has been in for 60 years, says its former chief

The Royal Navy is in the most “parlous state” it has been in for 60 years and does not “deliver what the nation needs”, a former chief of the service has said.

Lord West of Spithead added his voice to the growing criticism of the lack of military presence in the Mediterranean to defend against Iranian attacks.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced HMS Dragon would be deployed to defend Cyprus after RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone – with families of service personnel moved away from the area as a precaution.

Two Wildcat helicopters will join the vessel, equipped with Martlet missiles – which are designed to counter drone attacks.

Some have suggested the UK’s decision to have a presence in the Mediterranean has been too slow and questions have been raised over the country’s capability to send vessels on operations.

On Wednesday, Lord West told the Press Association the Royal Navy is “too small” and has “not been looked after properly”.

He said: “The bottom line is the Navy’s in a more parlous state than at any stage in the 60 years I’ve been on the active list.

“It’s too small, it’s not been looked after properly, there’s been insufficient (funds) spent on it, and I’m afraid it doesn’t deliver what the nation needs.”

HMS Dragon is one of the UK’s six £1 billion Type 45 destroyers – with three currently being refitted and one undergoing maintenance.

The vessel, which carries more than 200 crew, is designed to combat aircraft and missile attacks.

The UK also has two £3 billion 650,000-tonne aircraft carriers that can carry up to 72 aircraft, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, but both are also currently undergoing maintenance.

The country’s only Astute Class nuclear-powered attack submarine that is not undergoing maintenance, HMS Anson, arrived in Australia on February 23.

Facing questions from broadcasters on Wednesday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray insisted the UK had been building up defensive capability in recent weeks amid criticism of a lack of air defence in the region.

He told Times Radio: “What’s important is that we have been prepared in the build-up toward this and that we now step up and make sure we have the defensive capability there.”

The UK’s response to the drone strike on RAF Akrotiri appeared to be dwarfed by that of France, who sent their flagship nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle, to the region, accompanied by its air wing, and its escorting frigates.

Citing the attack on the British base in Cyprus, Mr Macron said Rafale fighter jets, air defence systems, and airborne radar systems had also been deployed in the Middle East since the US’s offensive operations.