And that is why I was disagreeing with you in the escorts thread about "double crewing" for overseas deployed ships. From memory Montrose does have double crew whilst Tamar / Spey have effectively crew and a half (please correct me if I remembered incorrectly) - so 3 shifts rotating with two shifts on active service at a time (so after any shift rotation there will be 1 old and 1 new shift).Scimitar54 wrote: ↑02 Jun 2022, 15:29 Crewing is bviously a “Given”, but HMG need to demonstrate a medium and long term commitment to the expansion of th RN, before both retention issues and difficulties in recruitment issues ease.
It is HMG cuts to defence that have driven (and are still driving) these difficulties.
Aficionados might still seek to join, but many people will not choose demanding jobs that are likely to put a strain on Family life, which because of inadequate force numbers is increasing. At the end of it, HMG has in recent years told a good number of people in mid-career that they are “No longer wanted”. What message do they think that this sends to others in the Armed Forces and to Potential Recruits?
I have specifically used the phrase “No longer wanted” above, because there is a HUGE difference between that phrase and “No longer needed”, which we all know was never the case!
That will be appealing to some potential recruits, especially those with young families, as their pattern of leave is more predictable and can therefore plan family life around that.
Now I do take on board your point that crewing model is more appropriate to a peacetime Navy rather than one aiming towards a more warfighting stance. But I do think there is space for both going forward - we want the high intensity warfighting core to face off vs Russia in the North Atlantic / High North with RN force comprising carriers, T45, T26 and Astutes etc. Then we have the lower intensity peacekeeping / patrolling force in Caribbean / Mediterranean / South Atlantic / EoS (allowing that the likes of East Med or Persian Gulf might hit medium intensity if tensions with the likes of Iran etc) with RN force comprising T31 and OPV.
Yes the first priority is high intensity tier one warfighting capability versus Russia. But the other areas are still going to be important as the RN is mainly involved in either protecting British Overseas Territories and also patrolling the major global shipping lanes. And trying to get back onto the direct topic in hand, it is shameful that RN could nt keep Talent / Trenchant in active service until the (admitedly delayed) last two Astutes were ready to enter service. So the first priority would have to be able to crew all 7 Astute boats simulataneously by the time that the last two are completed.
Beyond that it would be grat if the RN could build additional SSN to supplement the Astutes and not just eventually replace them. But I fear that prospect is a long way off both financially (unless the RN gets significant increases in budget spending) and oprationally (as the focus is on completely the Dreadnought SSBN).