Q&A ยท 3:28:22-3:29:04

The Royal Navy's most serious capability gaps

Insufficient numbers compound gaps in strike aircraft, submarines, escorts, and amphibious flight decks.

Question

What is the most glaring missing capability in the current Royal Navy?

Short answer

Numbers overall, especially strike aircraft, submarines, escorts, anti-ship weapons, and large amphibious flight decks.

Notes

The first problem is numbers across the fleet, followed by connected shortages in large flight decks, anti-ship weapons, submarines, escorts, and F-35s. British anti-ship strike was meant to come from aircraft and submarines. Too few of both makes ship-launched strike weapons more urgent. Designing Albion and Bulwark as LHDs would also have added large amphibious aviation decks.