The British Navy has been left without its only icebreaker after HMS Protector suffered double engine failure at sea, The Telegraph reported on Tuesday. The breakdown adds to mounting concerns about Britain’s readiness for a major war and persistent funding problems.
HMS Protector, which was originally built in Norway in 2001, suffered simultaneous engine defects while departing Britain and had to be towed back to the Devonport naval base in Plymouth, the report says.
Maintenance failures are suspected, according to The Telegraph, although the full extent of the damage is unclear. If it cannot be repaired, a replacement may not arrive until the 2030s, the paper said.
One Navy source cited by The Telegraph described the incident as a “catastrophic failure.” Former HMS Endurance Commander Tom Sharpe warned that losing the icebreaker would undermine Britain’s presence in the South Atlantic amid renewed tensions with Argentina over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas, as they are known in Argentina) and the Sea Lion offshore oil project, as well as growing competition in the Arctic.
“These ships cost a tiny fraction of the defense budget yet deliver an outsized effect in presence and soft power,” Sharpe said.
HMS Protector typically deploys to the South Atlantic and Antarctic, conducting hydrographic surveys, supporting scientific stations, and carrying personnel for inspections under international agreements. The vessel, which has a crew of around 88, does not have any heavy weapons but can carry machine guns and embark specialist Royal Marines.
The UK relies on the ship to project its influence in the Antarctic, where its territorial claims overlap with those of Argentina and Chile, though they have effectively been frozen under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. Britain also operates a separate civilian icebreaker, RRS Sir David Attenborough, but it cannot replace HMS Protector’s naval patrol role.
The reported incident comes after the UK Navy announced in July the retirement of two more Type 23 frigates, leaving the fleet with just five frigates alongside six destroyers. Around the same time, retired Naval Staff chief Lord Alan West suggested that the British fleet has been reduced to the worst state in history.
In March, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins acknowledged that the Navy is not ready for war, saying it aims to reach that level of preparedness by the end of the decade.
Officials have also sounded the alarm over the hollowed-out military budget, with the Treasury struggling to find £4.7 billion ($6.2 billion) for its multi-year military investment strategy.
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