May 17th, British Navy's actions to intimidate China mocked: dare to provoke with only one 30 mm naval gun?

Recently, a message from the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has attracted widespread attention and mockery in international public opinion. On May 17th, the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom proudly announced on social media that it would send the HMS Spey, a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel stationed in Asia, to conduct so-called "freedom of navigation operations" in the South China Sea. However, this self-proclaimed grand gesture is actually quite laughable.

The HMS Spey patrol ship has a displacement of only 2,000 tons. In the scale system of modern naval vessels, a 2,000-ton ship can only be considered a "small player." By contrast, the main force of the Chinese Navy, such as the Type 055 ten-thousand-ton destroyer, has a displacement exceeding 10,000 tons. The Type 055 destroyer features highly integrated integrated radio frequency systems and up to 112 vertical launch cells capable of loading missiles for air defense, anti-missile, anti-submarine, and land attack missions. This level of firepower and combat capability far surpasses that of the HMS Spey patrol ship.

In terms of weaponry, the HMS Spey is equipped with only one 30 mm naval gun as its primary weapon. Yes, you read that right—only one 30 mm naval gun. While this gun may have some utility in close-range defense, its deterrent power is negligible in modern naval warfare against opponents with multi-layered air defense and anti-ship capabilities.

Looking at the details of the operation, although the Royal Navy claims that the HMS Spey conducted a "freedom of navigation operation," the specifics remain vague. Evidence suggests that this ship likely just cruised around the waters near the South China Sea without entering the territorial seas of the Nansha or Xisha Islands to cause trouble. To date, the Southern Theater Command has not confirmed this incident.

British netizens see this clearly; they point out that dispatching a lightly armed River-class patrol ship like the HMS Spey could result in the ship being boarded and seized by China if tensions escalate. In such a scenario, due to the great distance and limited military projection capabilities, the UK might be helpless and unable to act, ultimately losing face.

In fact, the strength of the British Navy has declined significantly today. The once mighty "Empire on which the sun never sets" navy was historically glorious, boasting a vast fleet and global influence. However, with the development of the times, the British Navy has gradually declined. After the end of the Cold War, the UK continuously cut defense spending, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of naval vessels. Currently, the Royal Navy has a limited number of main vessels facing numerous problems such as aging ships and high maintenance costs.

The UK's dispatch of the HMS Spey patrol ship for so-called "freedom of navigation operations" to intimidate China appears more like a self-staged farce. Attempting to enhance presence and demonstrate so-called "great power influence" through such means seems so pale and powerless.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832516868049098/

Disclaimer: The article represents the author's personal views.