Commandos' battle with the Navy to
stop UK's only helicopter carrier being sold to a foreign force
HMS Ocean is the British Navy's only helicopter carrier but could be sold off
Royal Marines are fighting an internal Navy dispute to prevent the sale
There are fears that HMS Ocean could soon become a part of the Brazilian fleet
By Mark Nicol for The Mail on Sunday
The Royal Marines have launched a last-ditch bid to save HMS Ocean from being sold off to a foreign navy next year – leaving Britain incapable of mounting any major amphibious warfare operations.
The commandos are fighting an internal battle within the Royal Navy to save the UK’s only helicopter carrier, which could soon be part of the Brazilian fleet.
The Royal Marines havee launched a last gasp bid to save HMS Ocean from being sold off to a foreign navy next year. The commandos are fighting an internal battle within the Navy to save the vessel
They want the Navy to keep HMS Ocean – the subject of a recent three-part Channel 4 documentary – because the vessel is designed to support amphibious landing operations.
It took part in the start of the Iraq War in 2003 and served in Libya in 2011.
The sale of the 28,000-ton vessel would mean the Royal Marines could not launch any major amphibious assaults until 2023, when the new aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales enters service.
Last night, the bid to save HMS Ocean was backed by former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West, who said: ‘Selling the ship is a major error and the Royal Marines are very aware of that.’
The Ministry of Defence said: ‘A number of options are being considered for the future of Ocean. It is too soon in the process to discuss what those options might be.’
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