Britain's Only Icebreaker Breaks Down

Britain's only icebreaker ship is out of service as the Royal Navy grapples with financial problems.

The British Navy has been left without its only icebreaker after HMS Protector suffered double engine failure at sea, The Telegraph reported on Tuesday. The defeat added to growing concerns about Britain's readiness for a major war and ongoing funding problems.

Originally built in Norway in 2001, HMS Protector suffered a simultaneous engine failure while leaving Britain and had to be returned to Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth, according to the report.

According to the Telegraph, there is a possibility of a maintenance failure, although the full extent of the damage is not known. If not repaired, it may not be replaced until 2030, according to the newspaper.

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A naval source was quoted by the Telegraph as describing the incident as a "disastrous failure". Tom Sharpe, former commander of HMS Endurance, warned that the loss of the icebreaker would weaken Britain's presence in the South Atlantic amid fresh tensions with Argentina over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas, as they are known in Argentina) and the Sea Lion offshore oil project, as well as growing competition in the Arctic.

"These ships cost a small fraction of the defense budget, but have a big impact on presence and soft power," Sharpe said.

HMS Protector is usually deployed in the South Atlantic and Antarctica, conducting hydrographic surveys, supporting scientific stations, and transporting personnel for inspections. International contracts The ship, which has a crew of about 88, has no heavy weapons but can carry machine guns and carry specialist Royal Navy personnel.

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Britain relies on the ship to demonstrate its influence in Antarctica, where its territorial claims overlap with those of Argentina and Chile, although they are effectively blocked under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. Britain also operates a separate civilian icebreaker, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, but it cannot replace the maritime patrol role of HMS Protector.

The reported incident comes after the British Navy announced in July that it would retire two more Type 23 frigates, leaving just five frigates in addition to six destroyers. Around the same time, retired Chief of Naval Staff Lord Alan West suggested that Britain's fleet had been reduced to its worst state in history.

In March, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins admitted the navy was not ready for war and said it aimed to reach that level of readiness by the end of the decade.

Officials have also sounded the alarm about the empty military budget, as the Treasury struggles to find 4.7 billion pounds ($6.2 billion) for its multi-year military investment strategy.