Royal Navy Borrowing German Ship for NATO Mission

0:00On March 27, the Royal Navy has borrowed a German frigate to lead a NATO mission in the North Atlantic after running short on ships. The destroyer HMS Dragon was supposed to take charge, but got pulled to Cyprus earlier this month amid tensions with Iran. Now, the German ship FGS Saxon is stepping in, with British sailors aboard to handle the leadership role. This comes right after the US President took a jab at Britain's aircraft carriers, calling them toys compared to American ones. It also follows a recent incident where an Iranian drone struck a UK base in Cyprus and Britain needed help from France, Greece, and Italy because no. Royal Navy ships were nearby to defend it. Former military leaders and a World War II veteran have slammed the situation as a disgrace, saying it undermines Britain's standing and that leaders should face tough choices on spending. They argue it sends a bad signal to NATO allies who once saw the UK as a top naval power. NATO's latest report revised Britain's defense spending downward to 2.31% of GDP last

1:03year and 2.28% for. This year, though UK sources blame GDP changes. Defense Secretary John Haley admitted he's unhappy, noting it takes six years to build a warship, and he fumbled numbers on available frigates and destroyers. The Ministry of Defense insists this shows NATO's strong bonds and highlights rising UK spending by nearly 9 billion pounds since last year. Still, the move underscores ongoing challenges in keeping the fleet ready for commitments.