The Fleet

Abstract

What type of navy should the UK have? Martin argues in this chapter that it should be functional, one that matches the requirements of the UK as a globalised post-modern maritime state. The current Royal Navy is too small and focused on warfighting. The ever fewer numbers of ships available to the Royal Navy is a result of an ever-reducing circle: warfighting requires technology which increases costs which results in fewer ships. Martin argues the circle must be broken. The chapter focuses on the interests of the UK as a post-modern maritime state and the trend directions of the twenty-first century. The conclusion is that, the Royal Navy surface fleet must be larger and in addition to a warfighting ‘core’ it requires many more ships of cheaper design and lesser warfighting capability to enable presence in areas of the world that matter to the UK in pursuance of general maritime security activities. This will be costly, Martin concludes, but in the twenty-first century the interests of the UK demand the costs must be met.