Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:06:03-4:07:10

What an empowered First Sea Lord could change in procurement

A proposal to give the First Sea Lord greater procurement authority raises the question of how long institutional reform would take to affect ship construction.

First Sea LordInstitutional ReformLive Q&AModern NavyNaval ProcurementRoyal NavyShipbuilding
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Question

What could a First Sea Lord with stronger procurement authority achieve for ship commissioning in the 2030s?

Short answer

The estimate is roughly nine years across successive officeholders, with construction speed improving first. The result would depend on who held the office and how quickly the reforms took effect.

Notes

The proposal gives the First Sea Lord greater authority over procurement and bringing ships into service. Its results would depend on the officeholder chosen and how quickly the new arrangements worked. The first officeholder would probably concentrate on establishing the office's powers and standards, with a successor beginning to change programs and a third delivering visible results. The estimate is roughly nine years before a substantial effect, with faster and more efficient construction expected to appear first.