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The UK Government Is Being Criticized For Allegedly Selling Warships To The Brazilian Navy For An Amount Inferior To That Invested In Their Repairs.
The British government is being criticized for reportedly selling two ships from the Royal Navy to Brazil for a price considered below fair value. The ships allegedly sold are HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, which are said to have been purchased by Brazil for £20 million, even though the UK has invested a considerably larger amount in repairing the vessels over the past few years.
Even though the sale has not been confirmed, the speculated amount has generated reactions in the UK, which considers the price inconsistent with the maintenance costs of the ships.
A Possible Sale Of Two Ships Causes Controversy In The UK
The decision to retire HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark was made last year when the UK government announced the withdrawal of the two amphibious assault ships.
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The Labour Party government, currently in power in the UK, argues that the ships were retired as part of a cost-cutting process regarding defense.
The UK Ministry of Defense has invested millions of pounds to refurbish the ships over the past 14 years.
HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark underwent expensive refurbishments totaling £132.7 million since 2010, according to Defense Secretary Maria Eagle.
Moreover, there were plans for further investments, including estimated repairs of £72.1 million on HMS Bulwark between 2022 and 2025. However, the ships were retired before the refurbishment was completed.
Criticisms Of The Decision To Possibly Sell The Ships To Brazil
British experts and parliamentarians have also expressed concern over the hypothetical sale of the ships.
The shadow minister for the Armed Forces, Mark François, commented on the speculation, recalling that in 2015, the current Defense Committee of Parliament removed these ships from the fleet, judging it to be a “militarily senseless” measure.
For him, this possible sale of important assets like these two ships to Brazil for such a low amount also represents a financial mistake.
The UK Strategy
A British military source also warned that if the sale of large-capacity ships is completed, the UK compromises its operational capability in the future.
According to this source, if the country continues selling strategic assets, it may weaken its Navy.
Brazil, on the other hand, will have a robust naval force, as HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark are very versatile and can be used in a variety of missions, such as evacuations, combat operations, and humanitarian missions.
If the information regarding the sale is true, it is seen as a short-term measure that does not consider the long-term impacts on national defense.
So far, the British government has not officially commented on the criticisms and accusations related to the sale of ships to Brazil.
Source: Poder Naval
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