Royal Navy - 1980
The British Royal Navy, once the world's largest fleet, remained the most important non-superpower navy in 1980. However, two decisions taken during the 1960s profoundly altered its missions and operational behavior: the decision not to build a new-generation aircraft carrier and the decision to withdraw from east of Suez. The full effect of the first decision was finally felt in 1979 when Britain's last attack carrier, Ark Royal, was retired without relief. In partial compensation, however, RAF squadrons of Buccaneers and Phantoms (eventually to be replaced by Tornados) were dedicated to maritime operations around the British Isles.
The effect of the second decision was that, even though Britain occasionally sent task groups to operate overseas, nearly all her forces were committed to NATO to operate in European waters (the eastern Atlantic and the Channel) in case of war.
When looking at the force structure of the Royal navy since 1951, by 1980s there was a pronounced decline in nearly all categories of ships. This, however, is due in part to the fact that the British navy was practically the only European fleet to emerge from World War II with the makings of a large reserve fleet. By looking carefully at the figures, however, one can discern some trends and continuities. The decline in the larger classes is indisputable: even the large destroyers of the postwar Devonshire class were beginning to disappear, and only three new ships larger than destroyers, the V/STOL and helicopter carriers of the Invincible class, had been provided for. (It should be noted, however, that Britain was also maintaining four SSBNs and had decided to update this force.)
The main sign of continuity can be seen in the large frigate category. If one includes in this category the destroyers converted to frigates in the early 1950s and the new Sheffield-class, the force of large frigates built or converted since World War II has remained between 50 and 60 units since 1961. The Leander modernization programs and continuing production of the Sheffield and Broadsword classes would probably keep it there. The 12 second-line frigates of the Dundas class had been disposed of by 1980, and, unless some of the new Type-24 export frigates were acquired, they were not likely to be replaced.
The shift from diesel to nuclear submarines led to a decline in the attack submarine force from 46 in 1967 to 27 in 1980: construction of a new diesel submarine class, the Type-2400, was under consideration to prevent further decline. Britain's minesweeper force declined in size since the mid-1960s along with most other NATO mine forces, but by 1980 it was being upgraded qualitatively by production of the Brecon-class minehunters. Britain no longer maintained a force of fast attack craft, and her eight large amphibious ships are used for logistics support or for seamanship training. The RAF maintained four squadrons of Nimrod maritime patrol craft. Some of these were being converted to airborne early warning aircraft, and the rest are being updated.
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