OPINION SPECIAL - War on Terror

FLAG OFF SCOTLAND SPECIAL

In this web special, WARSHIPS IFR Editor Iain Ballantyne talks to Rear Admiral Derek Anthony, who has been Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland (FOSNNI) and Naval Base Commander, Clyde (NBC) since August 2000.

Rear Admiral Anthony in his office at HM Naval Base Clyde, while being interviewed by our Editor. The Kilo Class model on the table was presented to FOSNNI by Russian submariners when their boat visited the Scottish naval base in 2001. Photo: Nigel Andrews.
To begin the interview I asked Rear Admiral Anthony if having a background as a submariner helps in his job.

“It is not essential, but it is helpful. For 30 years this was purely a submarine base, but, from 1996 onwards it has been a place where submarines are still very important, but support is also provided for Minor War Vessels based on the Clyde and to a number of visiting surface warships on a regular basis. I do have some experience of surface warships myself, having been Commanding Officer of the Type 22 frigate HMS Cumberland in the early 1990s.”

So, you would consider that your career has prepared you well for the post of FOSNNI and the boss of HM Naval Base Clyde?

“It has prepared me very well. I have first-hand knowledge of getting submarines and warships to sea. I have therefore had prior experience of dealing with naval bases from both sides of the fence, so to speak, which gives me an insight into what ships and submarines expect and what can be provided.”

A decade ago the UK had various regional flag officers, most notably Flag Officer Portsmouth, Flag Officer Plymouth and of course Scotland had its own dedicated Flag Officer. The other two have ceased to exist due to reorganisation of the Navy’s structure, but FOSNNI remains...why is this?

“It is very important for the cohesion of the naval case in the region. Scotland is a special case because it has its own Parliament...its own distinct national institutions. It therefore deserves its own senior naval representative and every day I am involved in representing the Navy as part of the business of national life at the highest level. The Royal Navy’s presence in the community is much more than just this naval base, or other establishments in Scotland. At the end of 2002, and again this year, sailors have been on the streets of Scotland providing emergency cover during the on-going fire-fighters’ strike and they were out in the fields helping to cope with the Foot and Mouth epidemic of two years ago. The naval presence also provides substantial employment. Issues like the New Chapter of the Strategic Defence Review have to be explained as part of a process of regional engagement, to reassure people about their future as employees of the Ministry of Defence.”

The Vanguard Class ballistic-missile submarine HMS Victorious going alongside at HM Naval Base Clyde. Photo: Nigel Andrews.

The fact that HM Naval Base Clyde is home to Britain’s nuclear deterrent force surely makes Scotland an extremely important part of the nation’s defences?

“Defence is a reserved issue, overseen by the British government in Westminster rather than being devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Therefore HM Naval Base Clyde is indeed of utmost importance to the UK as a whole. The presence of nuclear-powered submarines, four of them armed with Trident missiles, does need sensible handling and understanding. It is another good reason for Scotland having its own Flag Officer.”

What exactly is Scotland’s attitude to the Royal Navy?

“I think Scotland is hugely supportive. A disproportionate number of recruits to the Navy come from Scotland, Northern Ireland and also northern England. Scotland’s positive view of the Navy is partly a product of pride in the past - some of the greatest warships of Royal Navy history were built on the Clyde - and it also springs from the fact that the Navy is today part of the fabric of Scottish life. Warships and fleet auxiliaries are still being built on the Clyde, and of course the presence of warships and submarines off Scottish coasts, alongside here and at Rosyth Dockyard, does not go unnoticed.”

What proportion of your time is taken up by Northern Ireland, which, after all, remains a turbulent part of the UK?

“I take a close interest in Northern Ireland because it forms an important part of my operations. One of our Minor War Vessels is on patrol off the Northern Ireland coast 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. We also have a Naval Intelligence unit in Northern Ireland supporting the Army’s General Officer Commanding, or GOC. There is still a lot of ‘business’ over there. There is a degree of criminality, smuggling, and also a latent terrorist threat that might involve moving arms and equipment by sea. We used to have two patrol boats crewed by RN sailors and with Royal Marines embarked based in Northern Ireland. Their job was to patrol loughs and other stretches of water close to the border with the Republic, to ensure terrorists were not infiltrating across. But, with the peace process, a different approach is now used. The two small patrol boats have been withdrawn and the three Hunt Class vessels that now tackle the Northern Ireland patrols are based here. As mentioned previously, there is always one on task with some Royal Marines embarked. The patrol vessels stay at sea, or otherwise are alongside here, but they do call in at ports in Northern Ireland from time to time.”

The terrorist threat is, of course, not confined to organisations in Northern Ireland. Post-September 11, nuclear sites of strategic value are thought to be on the hit list of Islamic terror organisations such as Al-Qaeda. How is HM Naval Base Clyde meeting that challenge?

“This is one of the most secure bases in the UK. With the nuclear deterrent force operated from here it has to be. At the top end of the scale we are confronted with the sort of terrorist threat you mentioned. We also have to deal with people from anti-nuclear organisations that try to break in from time-to-time to make their point. The peace camps outside the base perimeter mean there is a risk of that sort of thing happening at any time. Every now and then the peace protest presence increases dramatically and they try to shut the base down by blocking its entrances and staging other stunts. We have up-graded our defences since September 11 and have a pretty flexible threat-response profile that enables us to deal with whatever endangers base security. September 11 caused us to think about new ways in which we might have to protect ourselves and our families, but it has not affected how the bases does business, as it was already functioning at a high level of security.”

In 2001, HM Naval Base Clyde was host to the Royal Navy Submarine Service centenary, which must have been quite something for you to preside over.

“It was incredible. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a Russian submarine coming up the Clyde and into the Gareloch. For an old Cold War submariner it was a great day and we had the Russian ambassador standing next to me to welcome the Northern Fleet Kilo boat. It was a fantastic day and, in fact, a superb week, with submarines from so many other nations coming to help us celebrate. I had met Russian submariners before and knew that they were very much like us. But what made the centenary extra special was the joyous collection of different boats and submariners. There is a special bond between submariners no matter what country they come from. Submariners think the same way, which perhaps springs from the common dangers and opportunities we are all presented with. Language is not a barrier to that understanding.”

Of course the end of the Cold War not only brought Russian submarines to the Clyde, it also created its share of misery through defence cuts in the UK. Is HM Naval Base Clyde secure?

“About six months ago a decision was taken, committing the Royal Navy to three major bases in the UK - Portsmouth, Devonport and Clyde. That means the RN base is here for at least the next 50 years. As regards the submarines themselves - the Trident missile-carrying boats will continue for another 20 years or so, the Swiftsures will carry on until replaced by Astute later this decade. There is considerable focus here at the moment on creating Astute Class facilities for support and training. We are also building a new jetty, as the A Class submarines will be almost twice the size of the S-boats. The Royal Navy is investing, not cutting. However, we are looking at how we can improve our means of delivering services to the fleet while achieving savings. The role of the base is defined and the future investment is laid out. It is an exciting time to be here and I am very upbeat.”