The Royal Navy's HMS Prince of Wales may need to be escorted by French warships if deployed to the Middle East, amid concerns over the state of Britain's naval fleet. The carrier's crew has been given five days' notice to prepare for potential movement as tensions in the region escalate.
Defence sources indicate that the UK could struggle to provide adequate protection for the carrier, as many frigates and destroyers are undergoing maintenance or dealing with technical defects. Typically, a carrier escort group includes two to three destroyers or frigates and an attack submarine. Currently, only HMS Dragon is believed to be ready for operations among the Navy's six destroyers, while of the seven frigates, only HMS Somerset and HMS St Albans are available.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge criticised the government, stating: 'Labour’s talk of putting a carrier on greater readiness is a distraction from the real question: why didn’t Starmer plan properly and move naval assets weeks ago?' He added that the government has 'prioritised welfare over defence,' leaving the Ministry of Defence to make £2.6bn in cuts this year.
Protection for HMS Prince of Wales could be partly provided by HMS Duncan, but it is likely to rely on aid from French and other European allies. Last week, western officials said HMS Duncan had not been deployed to the Mediterranean sooner due to the need to protect the high north, highlighting competing priorities.
The situation has renewed calls for increased defence spending. The Spring Budget offered few details on defence spending plans, while welfare spending is set to rise by £18bn in a single year. Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, warned: 'The explosion in the welfare budget at the expense of investing properly in our defence risks the very existence of our country.'
