Welcome to the second part of a Warships Pod special, with returning guest Lee Pilgrim and host Iain Ballantyne diving into the state of the Royal Navy today, its decline since the 1990s and where next.

Also in this episode, Iain and Lee consider the failure of strategic vision in the UK when it comes to its navy. They ask what can be learned from a crucial oceanic struggle during the Second World War.

The future of Britannia Royal Naval College (BRBC) Dartmouth – the officers’ training academy of the Royal Navy - is discussed along with a shake-up in training for both officers and ratings.

Among other topics tackled is a decision to commit a British destroyer to operations East of Suez during a time of war between the USA, Israel and Iran.

*For more on navies and their activities worldwide, get the magazine! Web site http://bit.ly/wifrmag Also, follow it on X @WarshipsIFR Facebook @WarshipsIFR and Warships IFR TV on YouTube @warshipsifrtv3668

The June 2026 edition of Warships IFR is now out and among its features are: the Black Sea mine menace; Australia’s naval boost; the Royal Navy countering Russian intrusions into seas off the UK; the Iran War and its global consequences; the second part of a series on the ill-fated Dardanelles-Gallipoli campaign on WW1.

To ensure you get the magazine in hard copy and/or digital subscribe now!
https://warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/

•Lee Pilgrim has worked in defence and intelligence - for government and industry - for over 30 years, in the UK and overseas, so has some useful insights into a broad spectrum of topics. His social media posts on X are well worth a read, so follow him on there @MtarfaL He has also written numerous articles for Warships IFR and contributed to its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy 2026’.

•Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of ‘Warships IFR’ magazine (first published in 1998) along with its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy’ (since 2003) and ‘Guide to the US Navy’ (since 2018). Iain is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, plus ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron’ and ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ (both published by Canelo). In 2017 Iain was awarded a Fellowship by the British Maritime Foundation, which promotes awareness of the United Kingdom’s dependence on the sea and seafarers.
Visit his web site Bismarckbattle.com and follow him on
X @IBallantyn
Instagram.com/iballantyn
Bluesky iainballantyne.bsky.social

In the first instalment of a two part discussion host Iain Ballantyne talks to returning guest Lee Pilgrim about the State of the Royal Navy and its decline over the past 20-30 years.

Topics they tackle in this initial helping include: the shortage of Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers; Britain’s enduring dependency on the sea; seablindness that sees governments good at lawfare but poor at wielding military, and especially naval, power; the habit of reacting to events that need a naval/military response, rather than forward planning to handle them; whether or not the hybrid navy concept will be the RN’s saviour. Does it run the risk of focusing on autonomous systems that are years away from being full-fledged capabilities while the current fleet perishes?

They discuss how the UK needs to focus on the now, not the tomorrow when it comes to defence. Also commented on is the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP). It is seemingly another example of a government dodging hard decisions in boosting defence and kicking the can down the road.

Iain and Lee also discuss the disease of defence short-termism and the UK taking capability holidays and expecting allies to fill in gaps torn in sovereign defence - something those allies may not always be willing to do.

*For more on navies and their activities worldwide, get the magazine! Web site http://bit.ly/wifrmag Also, follow it on X @WarshipsIFR Facebook @WarshipsIFR and Warships IFR TV on YouTube @warshipsifrtv3668

The June 2026 edition of Warships IFR is now out and among its features are: the Black Sea mine menace; Australia’s naval boost; the Royal Navy countering Russian intrusions into seas off the UK; the Iran War and its global consequences; the second part of a series on the ill-fated Dardanelles-Gallipoli campaign on WW1.

To ensure you get the magazine in hard copy and/or digital subscribe now!
https://warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/

•Lee Pilgrim has worked in defence and intelligence - for government and industry - for over 30 years, in the UK and overseas, so has some useful insights into a broad spectrum of topics.
His social media posts on X are well worth a read, so follow him on there @MtarfaL He has also written numerous articles for Warships IFR and contributed to its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy 2026’.

•Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of ‘Warships IFR’ magazine (first published in 1998) along with its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy’ (since 2003) and ‘Guide to the US Navy’ (since 2018). Iain is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, plus ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron’ and ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ (both published by Canelo). In 2017 Iain was awarded a Fellowship by the British Maritime Foundation, which promotes awareness of the United Kingdom’s dependence on the sea and seafarers.
Visit his web site Bismarckbattle.com and follow him on
X @IBallantyn Instagram.com/iballantyn Bluesky iainballantyne.bsky.social

Host Iain Ballantyne talks to guests Gary Blackburn and James Bosbotinis about the Iran War, including the Strait of Hormuz struggle, how the conflict could shatter NATO plus what it has revealed about the state of the Royal Navy.

Topics also touched on in their lively chat include the American decision to try and coerce the Tehran regime with the use of airpower alone, conceptual confusion at the heart of the campaign’s strategy and the problem of tactical prowess (as demonstrated in the Venezuelan raid) not transferring into realising strategic ends in the Iran War (so far).

Gary and James provide their perspective on other matters, such as: the pivotal nature of the Strait of Hormuz battle in shaking up the global order; the falling out between the USA and key allies over a refusal to commit naval forces to opening up the Strait; and its impact on the future of NATO. Is the Alliance dead or might it survive?

The United Kingdom’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP) paralysis is considered, along with the necessity for the Royal Navy to remain at the heart of defence for island nation, imports-dependent Britain. However, also highlighted is seablindness and a failure at the highest levels of government to understand the how to wield a navy to perform a vital role in reassuring allies and safeguarding national interests.

*For more on navies and their activities worldwide, get the magazine! Web site http://bit.ly/wifrmag Also, follow it on X @WarshipsIFR Facebook @WarshipsIFR and Warships IFR TV on YouTube @warshipsifrtv3668

*The Iran War is a major element in the May edition of Warships IFR, which is published in the UK on 17.4.26 and rolling out globally. Available in shops and supermarkets hard copy and also as a digital edition available here: https://surl.li/ljyxbt

•Dr Gary Blackburn is an honorary fellow of the Centre for Security Studies at the University of Hull. He has taught Security Studies and Military History at the Universities of Leeds and Hull, respectively - and has written for Defence Studies and The Critic, and for the latter about aspects of the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review of Defence and Security. Follow him on X at @gjb70

•Dr James Bosbotinis is a freelance specialist in defence and international affairs and the Book Reviews Editor of ‘The Naval Review’. He has written widely on issues including: development of maritime strategy, long-range strike technologies (including hypersonic weapons) and their impact on strategy; Russian naval and wider military modernisation; China’s evolving strategy and naval force development. Dr Bosbotinis contributes to various international media outlets. He is also an Associate Member of the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies, King’s College London. For more information about Dr Bosbotinis visit
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbosbotinis
He is on X @JamesBosbotinis

•Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of ‘Warships IFR’ magazine (first published in 1998) along with its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy’ (since 2003) and ‘Guide to the US Navy’ (since 2018). Iain is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, plus ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron’ and ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ (both published by Canelo). In 2017 Iain was awarded a Fellowship by the British Maritime Foundation, which promotes awareness of the United Kingdom’s dependence on the sea and seafarers. Visit his web site Bismarckbattle.com and follow him on X @IBallantyn