John Healey announced major cuts to military equipment on wed 11/20/24‚ targeting six projects to save money: the decision affects all three service branches
The Armyʼs main drone program Watchkeeper (which started about 14 years ago) will stop working next march; along with several navy ships including HMS Albion HMS Bulwark and HMS Northumberland - all getting ready for early retirement. The RAF isnt spared either: theyʼre losing 14 old-school Chinooks and 17 Puma copters
Military tech experts point out that the Watchkeeper system – despite having good sensors – needs constant updates to stay useful: “UAVs need software and logic updates every 6-12 weeks to remain effective against enemies“ [[The Royal United Services Institute researchers]]
General Sir Roly Walker supports the changes with a down-to-earth view: “All warhorses must go out to pasture at some stage often because weʼve found a faster better and cheaper way.“ The militaryʼs top boss Admiral Sir Tony Radakin backs this up saying they need to focus on making forces “more lethal and responsive“
However Lord West (who used to run the Navy) isnʼt happy with these choices: “The Navy has been squeezed more and more“ he explains while pointing out a big issue – you need extra ships because in real fights some get damaged or lost. His main worry: theyre cutting too much without clear plans for replacements