Royal Navy chief warns UK must rebuild fleet to counter Russia

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord, has warned that the United Kingdom must rebuild its naval capabilities to avoid defeat in a potential conflict with Russia. Speaking at a private event, Jenkins stated that Russia represents the greatest threat to British security, noting that Moscow possesses advanced, difficult-to-track submarines and long-range precision weapons.

Jenkins highlighted that Russian vessels are actively “probing, testing and mapping” the sea floor, specifically targeting critical undersea infrastructure. He warned that in a future conflict, enemies might attempt to sever transatlantic cables, similar to tactics used during previous wars. To counter these threats, the Navy chief called for an urgent increase in the production of warships and drones to protect the Atlantic.

The warning comes as the Royal Navy operates at its smallest size in living memory, currently deploying two warships every week to monitor Russian activity. While military leaders have called for defense spending to reach 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has not yet committed to this target, emphasizing that any increases must not compromise the welfare budget.