GREAT BRITIAN: Brown to Cut Submarine Fleet [30 September 2009]

Situation Report: Great Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a statement on 23 September claiming he is willing to eliminate his nation’s current fleet of ballistic missile submarines. The announcement follows an international move to reduce nuclear arms worldwide. Such a statement is surprising, as Great Britain has no dedicated missile corps; it relies on the Royal Navy’s ballistic missile submarines and the Royal Air Force’s bomber command to sustain the nation’s nuclear deterrent. Unconfirmed reports by British naval officials say that the Royal Navy’s new Astute-class attack submarines will carry as many as 4 nuclear missiles. If true, this would lend credence to Brown’s statement, as Great Britain is unlikely unilaterally to eliminate a large portion of its nuclear deterrent.

UNITED KINGDOM: New Attack Submarine [16 September 2009]

Summary: The Royal Navy is completing final sea tests this week for the first vessel in a new class of highly advanced attack submarines.

Development: This is the first submarine launched by the Royal Navy since the HMS Vengeance in 1998. The new line of Astute-class submarines is set to replace Great Britain’s entire attack submarine fleet. HMS Astute will become fully operational in November and will replace the HMS Trafalgar. Her sister ships-the Ambush, Artful and Audacious-are set to be launched before the end of 2011. An additional three submarines have been planned for future construction. Once deployed, it will be one of the most advanced submarines in existence, rivaled only by the United States’ Virginia-class attack submarines.

Analysis: The HMS Astute, the first of seven planned Astute-class nuclear attack submarines, is Great Britain’s largest and most advanced submarine. The Astute is designed for both blue-water and brown-water operations and is the stealthiest submarine in the Royal Navy. The Astute-class employs advanced technology that will make it among the most deadly submarines in the ocean. The sub carries four modern SONAR arrays, which will be powerful enough to detect large surface ships up to 3,000 nautical miles away and vessels attempting to follow it. In the past, British submarines used unreliable rear-facing SONAR which could be hindered by the submarine’s own propeller.  The Astute-class will be the first to use advanced towed arrays. In addition, the traditional periscopes have been replaced with thermal imaging systems capable of delivering 360-degree views of the sea in only 6 seconds above the surface.

The Astute will carry a lethal array of weapons, including Tomahawk land-attack missiles, Spearfish torpedoes, and Submarine-Launched Harpoon missiles. A total of 48 assorted missiles can be loaded onto the submarine at a time. By comparison, the United States’ Virginia-class attack submarine carries 40 missiles. There is also some speculation that later Astute-class ships will serve as replacements for the Royal Navy’s Trident ballistic missile submarines and will contain up to 4 ballistic missile silos, but these reports are unconfirmed by the Royal Navy.

The Astute-class will also be among the quietest submarines in operation. Preliminary reports from the Royal Navy indicate that while traveling at its top speed of 30 knots, the 7800 ton submarine will have the SONAR signature of a baby dolphin. Unconfirmed reports also claim the submarine may be equipped with an underwater launch bay for undersea commando operations.

The submarine is designed to carry out long-term patrols. Astute-class submarines will have the ability to remain submerged for up to 70 days, and its nuclear reactor will last 25 years before refueling.

As a traditional world naval power, the Royal Navy is taking steps to continue dominance of the seas. The US and UK have begun launching several brown-water undersea vessels in anticipation of future naval combat in littoral waters. Brown-water submarines are often a rare addition to a navy, and even fewer of those vessels are nuclear powered. They are configured for service in shallow, littoral seas like those in the Baltic, the Artic littoral, and the waters off the China coast.  In comparison, Chinese and Russian brown-water submarines are primarily diesel-powered, making them less effective as they can only be submerged for a short amount of time, carry fewer weapons, and are much louder than their nuclear counterparts. The addition of the nuclear-powered littoral submarine to the modern British navy is a shift in the balance of power in the international community. These publicized additions could be met with a naval arms race for supremacy of European waters. With Russian ballistic missile submarine patrols increasing their frequency over the past year, tensions between the two nations could escalate as they vie for control of the seas.

[Andrew Schroeder, Matt Whitney]

UK: Relations with Muslim Council Suspended

Summary: The suspension of a community advisory body to the British Government reflects growing impatience with religious radicalism in the United Kingdom.

Development: The Labor Government has cut its ties to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) after the group refused to condemn a senior member who signed a public declaration in support of Hamas.  The document in question seemed to advocate attacks on the Royal Navy if it tried to stop ships smuggling arms into Gaza and was signed by the MCB’s Deputy Secretary General, Daud Abdullah.  The MCB, which has received close to half a million dollars in government grants, has been considered an ally of the Labor Government, at least since it gained national prominence as an adviser to then Prime Minister Tony Blair after the London underground attacks.  In response to the cut in ties, the MCB criticized the government’s new counter-terror strategy, which threatens to take tougher actions against domestic extremist groups.  It accused the government of a lack of balance by investigating Muslim groups, while failing to condemn Israeli “state terrorism” in Gaza.

Analysis: The row between the government and MCB is one more indication that Whitehall has yet to find a constructive approach to activist elements in its Muslim population.  Statements by community leaders, some politicians, and commentary in the blogosphere suggest many Britons are becoming increasingly impatient with religious militancy in the UK.  The recent arrest of twelve persons, ten of them Pakistanis on student visas, on suspicion of plotting a terrorist incident, will only feed the growing anger at radicalism and terrorist threats.  London again has revised its policy approach to Muslim communities, which remain relatively compact in ghetto-like conditions, but unless it re-vamps schools, stops the immigration of religious teachers from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and provides more opportunities for Muslim youth, a decline in home grown religious radicalism is unlikely.  Unless the UK gets a handle on these trends, it will continue to live with a cultural and demographic time bomb in its midst.

UK: Saudi Arabia To Buy Eurofighters [30 September 2007]

Summary:  The Saudi Arabian Government has announced a $9 billion deal to buy 72 Eurofighter Typhoons from UK-based BAE Systems.

Development:  The deal announced last week was described as a “new chapter” in cooperation with Saudi Arabia by the British Ministry of Defense.  Shortly after the announcement, the Saudis publicized an agreement allowing for the first 22 pilots to be trained in the UK.  Over 400 component and engine suppliers across Europe will see part of the revenue.

Analysis:  This major boon to the British and European economies will total a staggering $41 billion (est.) after it works its way through the economy.

The Eurofighter project is Europe’s largest military aircraft venture.  It employs 100,000 people in its three primary companies.  The deal comes at a time when BAE Systems is being investigated for possible corruption.  They were accused by the British and the American Governments of making payments to secure the contract.  The British charges were dropped last December by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, citing national security reasons.  Fears of a possible arms race in the region abound.  With Israel bombing Syria, France’s claim that war with Iran is necessary, and the announcement by Washington of a $20 billion contribution to the region for military spending last July, the situation in the Middle East has moved closer to a boiling point.

[Alex Nutting]

UNITED KINGDOM: Third of Army Not Fit for Combat [2 March 2006]

Summary:   According to the Parliamentary Public Affairs Committee (PAC), upwards of 30% of all military units had serious or critical weaknesses, calling into question Britain’s ability to fulfill its global military commitments. 

Development:  The PAC Report states that Britain’s continued involvements in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the capabilities of the military beyond those envisioned by the Ministry of Defense.  Involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has also lead to the Ministry of Defense to siphon £300 million from the Royal Navy in an attempt to bolster the Army.  Further, the report revealed that the Army is spending more than £100 million a year on private military contractors and questions why it is not being spent directly on the military.

Analysis:  This situation will likely continue to worsen as the UK has already committed more than 5,000 soldiers to Afghanistan and a planned scaling back of forces in Iraq seems to be in limbo.  If violence Iraq does not subside, it is unlikely that the British will be able to support two large scale operations.  This could force the UK to abandon its commitments in Iraq and force the US and coalition forces to take on a larger role in southern Iraq.