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Could the navy be merged?
The navy should be central to the government's future defence policy, experts said today.
Speculation has been mounting after the head of the armed forces hinted that two services could be merged to save money.
It came at the launch of the green paper for the upcoming defence review, where the government offered a firm commitment to delivering the navy's two new carriers.
Admiral Lord West, the former head of the navy and now a government security minister, said: 'There has been some good news for the Portsmouth area with the carriers commitment, which will provide work for 50 years.
'I don't know any details about any possible amalgamations but what we can say is that with the carriers the service is well-set whatever the future holds.'
As the contents of the Ministry of Defence green paper were announced yesterday the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, pictured top, was asked if it was plausible that three separate armed services would still exist a decade from now.
'Certainly it is plausible,' he told the MoD news conference - but he said there were issues to be debated.
He said the close collaboration of Britain's three services in Afghanistan demonstates how the lines between each section are breaking down.
After Sir Jock's comments defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, pictured above, said he did not think any of the armed services will merge but was 'happy for people to discuss it'.
Defence sources said any possible merger would probably benefit the navy, because it would reduce competition for the stretched defence budget.
Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock, who sits on the Commons defence committee, said: 'This green paper is short on detail but it has produced more strong words about the carriers and I really can't see any government going back on that now.
'With regards to amalgamation it would probably be of benefit as well.
'I could see the army taking on the RAF planes, which would leave only two voices when it came to arguing for funding. To merge the navy into the other two services just doesn't make sense.'
The new green paper does not refer directly to the future of specific programmes - except to confirm the 20bn update of Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent will still go ahead.
But Mr Ainsworth said the 'likelihood' is the Royal Navy will still get two new aircraft carriers.
Former naval officer Steve Bush, who edits Warship World magazine, said: 'An amalgamation would be a positive thing for the navy because there are has been a precedent for it.
'The navy had the original Royal Naval Air Service before later versions became the RAF, and the when the Americans carried out the vast bombing raids in the war it was the United States Army Air Force which was used.
'So I could see the army getting the air force's transport and ground attack planes, while the navy could take the strike aircraft.
'It would have the benefit of correcting the situation where you've often got planes away from carriers for operations in Afghanistan.'
The green paper says funding for Afghanistan is to increase from 3.5bn this year to 5bn next year.
But Mr Ainsworth said the forces will not be able to insure against every risk and decisions will have to be taken on where the priorities lie.
'Tough choices will lie ahead and we need to rebalance our budget to better reflect our priorities,' he said.
The paper identified the three main threats as terrorists such as al Qaida, hostile states and fragile or failing states. It said that in future the UK and its allies would not necessarily maintain the technological edge they had become accustomed to over the past 20 years, so fresh alliances would be needed.
While Mr Ainsworth said that America was Britain's most important ally, he said the UK will have to look to co-operate more widely with countries such as France.
He said: 'In Europe, the return of France to Nato's structures offers an opportunity for co-operation with a key partner.'
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Friday 10 February 2012
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