The Telegraph: Navy’s only icebreaker out of action

The UK has been left without its critical icebreaker warship after she suffered an engine failure at sea.

The Telegraph understands that HMS Protector was leaving the UK on Tuesday morning when she suffered a double “engine defect” and was towed back to Devonport in Plymouth.

The Royal Navy will now assess whether the damage can be repaired. If not, a replacement may not be found until the 2030s.

It comes amid increasing threats from Russia in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Earlier this year, it was revealed a covert Russian operation to sabotage cables on the Arctic seabed had been disrupted by British, American and Norwegian forces.

It also comes after renewed Argentine threats towards the Falkland Islands.

One Navy source told The Telegraph that the warship was “a really important capability, not just for the Royal Navy but for the nation”. Another described the situation as a “catastrophic failure”.

The Telegraph understood maintenance failures had led to the problems on the ship, which typically patrols the South Atlantic, providing support services to the Falkland Islands.

Cmdr Tom Sharpe, who commanded HMS Endurance, Protector’s predecessor, said it would be “poor timing” to remove the ship from service.

“Withdrawing our ice-patrol capability from the South Atlantic, at a moment of renewed Argentine sabre-rattling over the Falklands and their resources, while the High North grows more contested, is poor timing.”

In March, Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord, admitted that the Navy was not ready for war. It has five active frigates, six destroyers and two aircraft carriers, alongside a submarine fleet of six Astute-class attack boats and four Vanguard-class subs, which carry the UK’s nuclear weapons.

Both carriers, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth, have reported mechanical problems since their maiden voyages.

Without HMS Protector in action, the UK is unable to fulfil its obligation under the Antarctic Treaty System of having a permanent sovereign presence in the British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

In 2008, HMS Endurance, the Navy’s previous icebreaker, suffered a flood caused by “poor engineering standards”.

At the time, the Navy insisted that she would be repaired and returned to sea.

However, she did not and was eventually replaced by HMS Protector after around three years.

Nicknamed ‘Swiss army knife’

With a crew of 88, she is typically unarmed, except for machine guns, but often carries a complement of Royal Marines.

Although classed as a Royal Navy warship, the vessel has retained her original red and white paint scheme.

The Royal Navy website says she is affectionately referred to as the “Swiss army knife – red, versatile, and always there when you need her!”

Cmdr Sharpe said Britain should look to Nato allies Finland or Norway, the latter having built HMS Protector, for a replacement.

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