General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the head of the Royal Navy, warned that Britain risks losing its naval advantage to Russia due to insufficient funding and resources. He emphasized the need for more warships and drones to strengthen maritime readiness during a private event at Admiralty House. The article highlights recent budget cuts affecting the navy's capabilities, such as the reduction in frigates and the extended unavailability of submarines, leaving Britain vulnerable to Russian threats.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
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same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and head of the Royal Navy, warned that Britain faces a significant naval disadvantage against Russia, citing inadequate warship numbers and drone capabilities. Previously, he had expressed concerns about losing its maritime advantage to Vladimir Putin's forces. He emphasized the need for Britain to enhance its readiness for naval warfare and reclaim its status as a leading maritime power.
The Royal Navy has been severely impacted by budget cuts, reducing the number of available ships and submarines. For instance, in May 2023, it was revealed that the frigate fleet had dwindled to just five vessels after HMS Iron Duke, which underwent a £103 million refit three years prior, was retired due to technical issues.
Additionally, the navy's hunter-killer submarines have frequently been unable to deploy, leaving the country vulnerable. The shortage of operational naval assets exacerbates Britain’s defense challenges and highlights the urgent need for investment in naval strength to counter potential threats from Russia.
Written for “UK Naval Strengthening Urgency” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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The head of the Royal Navy has warned Britain faces defeat at sea against Russia without more warships and drones.
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Britain → see → warships
First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, has previously cautioned that Britain is 'at risk' of losing its naval advantage to Vladimir Putin's maritime forces.
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Britain → caution → forces
Last night, however, he told a private audience the country needs to 'strengthen our war-fighting readiness' and 'rediscover what it means to be a maritime nation... if we are to prevail in the Atlantic again'.
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we → tell → Atlantic
As the Daily Mail has revealed, our once world-beating Navy has been devastated by spending cuts.
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Navy → reveal → cuts
It is not only smaller than at any time in its history but most of the ships and submarines that remain are unavailable to deploy.
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that → remain → ships
In May this year, we revealed how the frigate fleet has been reduced to just five after the retirement of HMS Iron Duke.
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fleet → reveal → Duke
The warship was withdrawn from service for technical reasons just three years after a £103million refit.
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warship → withdraw → refit
To add to that, on numerous occasions this year the Royal Navy's entire fleet of hunter-killer submarines has been stuck in port unable to sail – leaving Britain at risk from Putin.
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fleet → add → Putin
And when RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by an Iranian-made drone in March, the destroyer HMS Dragon took three weeks to reach the island.
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destroyer → hit → island
First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins(pictured) , has previously cautioned that Britain is 'at risk' of losing its naval advantage to Vladimir Putin's maritime forces
UK submarines have also been completing record-breaking patrols of more than 200 days at sea due to the shortage of available vessels.
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submarines → jenkins(picture → vessels
Such epic voyages have become 'the new normal', according to Navy insiders.
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voyages → become → insiders
Addressing a private event at Admiralty House in Whitehall, General Sir Gwyn was reported as saying: 'The greatest threat to our security today is Russia.
'
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threat → address → security
Russia retains advanced submarines that are increasingly difficult to track, long-range precision weapons and specialist systems designed to operate deep under water.
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that → retain → water
Russia is probing, testing and mapping.
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Russia → probe → ?
'It seeks advantage in the grey zone, particularly around the critical undersea infrastructure on which modern societies rely.
'
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societies → seek → which
Churchill attached such significance to the Atlantic because he understood something important.
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he → attach → something
Sea power not only sustained us during the war.
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power → sustain → war
It arguably saved us.
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It → save → us
Lose the war at sea and you lose the war.
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you → lose → war
That was the warning of Admiral Pound, the First Sea Lord of the day, and it remains true now.
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it → remain → day
Yet despite the Russian threat, the Royal Navy, like the Army and Royal Air Force, is suffering a budget reduction.
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Navy → suffer → reduction
The services were ordered by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting to find £3billion in 'efficiencies' in this financial year.
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services → order → year
The Army must save £1.2billion, leaving the Navy and RAF to shave off £1.8billion.
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Army → save → 1.8billion
Russian advances into UK waters have risen by a third in the past two years, forcing the threat posed by the Kremlin to dictate defence priorities in this country.
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advances → rise → country
The defence spending crisis has triggered furious criticism from former military chiefs and opposition MPs.
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crisis → trigger → chiefs
While Mr Streeting has insisted other areas of public expenditure are 'valueless' if Britain is left defenceless, Andy Burnham has claimed national security cannot come at the expense of social security.
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security → insist → security
The Daily Mail's Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign has pushed successive governments for a rise in military cash.
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campaign → leave → cash
Within the budget constraints, General Sir Gwyn is introducing hundreds of uncrewed systems to support surface and subsurface fleets, focusing on drones to operate from aircraft carriers, frigates, destroyers and submarines.
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Gwyn → introduce → carriers
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