The idea of establishing a British-led naval task force in the Black Sea has been put forward as a critical response to Russian aggression and a step toward reinforcing NATO’s presence in the region.
The concept, detailed in a recent article in Britain’s World, the Council on Geostrategy’s online magazine, explores how the UK could reshape the geopolitics of the Black Sea through deeper engagement with regional allies like Romania.
Britain’s World offers expert analyses on Britain’s global posture, publishing articles such as “The Case for a British Task Force in the Black Sea” by James Rogers and George Scutaru. This memorandum underscores the strategic significance of the Black Sea, where Russia has pursued its revisionist agenda most forcefully.
The article argues that:
“If Kyiv loses the war, the threat from Russia will grow; and if the Ukrainians win or receive security guarantees, the threat from Russia will not subside. Should the Kremlin remain in control of Crimea, it will possess a platform from which to strike Ukraine and contest the Black Sea.”
The authors outline potential threats, including:
“Blocking perimeters under the pretext of naval exercises, placing real or fake mines, intense electronic warfare, jamming and spoofing GPS signals, abusive ship inspections, cyber attacks, and disinformation campaigns.”
To address these challenges, the article proposes a joint British-Romanian naval task force to uphold security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. It highlights Romania’s growing strategic importance, particularly its Neptun Deep gas project, which could reduce European reliance on Russian energy.
The authors note:
“Romania is particularly important because it is building a large gas project… By 2027, Romania plans to become the European Union’s largest gas producer by exploiting up to 100 billion cubic metres from these offshore fields.”
The proposal suggests leveraging Romanian shipyards to construct warships compliant with the Montreux Convention, which limits naval re-entry to the Black Sea. It recommends using the Type 31 frigate as a cost-effective and flexible option:
“A fleet of four Type 31 class frigates—two procured by Romania and two by the UK—could provide significant operational flexibility, carrying advanced weapon systems and mission-specific payloads, including undersea drones and mine-clearance equipment.”
The article further asserts:
“Just two operational Type 31 class frigates could contain up to 328 missiles, which, when working in tandem with NATO air and land forces, would provide a formidable defensive screen with which to strengthen the alliance’s posture in the Black Sea.”
The value of Britain’s World
This memorandum, featured in Britain’s World, highlights the magazine’s role in delivering thought-provoking analyses on geopolitics, defence, and foreign policy. By exploring ambitious and complex issues, such as a British task force in the Black Sea, the magazine provides a platform for high-profile contributors and in-depth strategic discussions.
Britain’s World offers readers regular insights into the United Kingdom’s evolving role on the global stage, making it a valuable resource for those interested in understanding how Britain navigates an increasingly complex international landscape.
Subscribers can access articles, memorandums, and expert commentary that continue to shape discussions on the UK’s position in the world.
Right now I’d welcome a British Naval task force operating in the waters around the British Isles. Problem is we have too many clown politicians “self-pleasuring themselves” over meeting a reality detached objective of meeting a NATO minimum spending target. The fact that this funding wasn’t enough to sustain defence capabilities is completely lost to them. Next time a Tory politician opens his mouth and brags about it somebody should metaphorically give them a smack in the mouth,
There are no ships even to protect Britain.
Obviously deploying ‘just 2’ ships to the Black Sea makes them unavailable for other NATO taskings, so the meaningful question is whether the Black sea is the most useful place to deploy, given a finite number of hulls. If NATO naval assets are required there then it seems more logical for Italy or Turkey to provide them.
I thought the priority area for “all” the 5 T31s was specifically for the Gulf – Suez area? Is there now a case first a few more T31s for the RN?
*for
Essentially your tying 10% of the UKs major surface combatants into an enclosed sea that has almost no strategic value to the UK.
Yes it’s a great way to combat Russia, but I would challenge.
1) The flexibility of the approach and best use of RN surface combatants to support UK global interests ( supporting our strategicly important sea lanes and straits).
2) if you assume one is available, the viability of One UK surface combatants ability to survive in an enclosed sea so close to a peer.
3) of all NATO powers this specific job should be turkeys and the other Black Sea nations. Not the nation with a core responsibility for the northern seas and North Atlantic.
Hmmme
Well Ergodan spends all his time playing the ends against the middle.
So pot stirring is endemic…..look at the S400 / F35B fiasco….he got an aircraft carrier with no aircraft in exchange for having no land AAW system….
Turkey is half-in half-out of NATO given its cosying up to Putin.
All that said we did send a T45 into the Black Sea before the ballon went up?
Is A140 the best platform – depends what is bolted onto it.
All that said there has to be an international way of calming what is going on in the Black Sea. Trouble is given the grey zone warfare I’d not be surprised if mines were ‘floated’ into the path of ships….so a good sonar fit is called for.
Hi SB,
I’m not sure that it is possible to calm things down anywhere at the moment. Russia has made grey area warfare it’s normal modus operandi and been getting away with it for at least 20 years (the Soviets occasionally ‘knocked off’ a defector but basically played by the rules). China and Iran are likewise pushing their luck these days (although Iran has had a serious slap of late).
As such I think any attempt to calm things down with a show of strength will need to be backed up with strength in depth. Two RN T31’s built in Romania might calm the Black Sea down a bit, but without a significant increase in RN strength covering the Eastern Atlantic, North Sea and North Norway there is little to stop the Russians (or any other rogue actor) from simply interfering with off-shore infrastructure in these areas. Also, we have been strengthening our relationships with NATO allies around the Baltic, so I would put the Baltic ahead of the Black Sea for our interests.
However, the article does pose a potential future weakness for NATO, namely the gas pipelines that will be required if Romania is to supply the EU with gas. Russian crewed merchant ships dragging their anchor has become a serious threat these days, let submarine set explosives…
We still need a much bigger navy but it seems need does not make it onto the political agenda.
Cheers CR
Afternoon mate, that’s not how I read this article. Believe ( might be wrong), that Romania builds these 4 ships , 2 of which we pay for and crew, (a difficult proposal for our finances I know).
Being built in Romanian yards means they cane stay in the Black sea, and this would obviously raise our numbers of T31 frigates to 7.
The drawback being that they would probably be based entirely in this region, so we would be playing at being a policeman much like the US currently does. My take on it only.,
Simply dreaming as there are NO available Ships for such a tasking and will not be for the foreseeable future as the RN is way too small even to defend the UK, Not going to happen so another load of hot air coming from the uneducated. RN Escort Fleet insufficient to cover the basics today even if they had the 19 minimum they should have today.
There are NATO countries that border the Balck Sea, its their job to look after it not ours.
Selling a couple of A140s to Romania would be a plus and maybe Bulgaria and even Ukraine too if able to be constructed in Romania. Aren’t they later going more for the French FDI frigates? Expect competition from Turkey who are already building couple of ships for Ukraine, corvettes i think?
And building a few more T31s would help the RN be in a few more critical places too!
Selling a couple of A140s to Romania could be a plus and maybe Bulgaria and even Ukraine too if able to be constructed in Romania. Aren’t the later going more for the French FDI frigates? Expect competition from Turkey who are already building couple of ships for Ukraine, corvettes i think?
And building a few more T31s would help the RN be in a few more critical places too!
The story suggests building two extra frigates for the UK in Romania not transferring any from elsewhere. It would mean a permanent UK presence in the black sea with the two vessels never leaving the area.
T31 is a design which the UK are building anyway and crew could be trained in UK and deployed to Romania to operate the vessels, just as we already do with a type 23 frigate in the Gulf.
Doubling up again! Sorry.
This new comments format is dismal. No edit facility & no email when someone replies. Plus we alll become “Space Invaders” icons. Exasperating.
Dearie me……lets actually build dome 1st. Surely other nation(s) would be better suited. We (when built) still wont have any spare to casually assign here & there.
Lets build them, get them into service, fitted with and assign them to OUR priorities. Turkey…..if really onboard with NATO can deploy
Well that was a magnificently bonkers waste of pixels. It’s politically impossible for a government of any persuasion to build major surface combatants outside Scotland so the idea that two RN Type 31s will be built in Romania is ludicrous.
And yet T26 is being built in Australia and Canada, and submarines in Barrow
Fast way to be sunk…
Romanian English naval task force 🤦♂️
Four frigates to control the black sea 🙅
Romanian gas, missiles, Britains world vision, containing Russia, the light brigade. 🤹
No ambassadors have spoken with Lavrov since the invasion, this ain’t the mid 20th century when there where no nukes.
What we have here is the last leaders of our civilization squabbling over ‘allegedly’ the last of Earths resources.
Make peace you imbeciles. 🫶✌️
You’d need to get Putin on board first. Good luck with that.
The RN will be lucky to come out of the SDR with no cuts to the existing order book, let alone getting more T31s. Pie in the sky stuff.
These think tanks can propose anything.
HMG and HMT think differently, no matter how much grandstanding they indulge in.
As it’s not a vital artery like the Indian Ocean, Med, Gulf, Red Sea, or our GIUK area, isn’t the Black Sea the last place we’d want to send assets anyway ?
With the coming Strategic defence cuts (review) the R.N..will be reduced to little more than a coastal force.
1 carrier to be sold/mothballed
The orders for the type 26 and 31 Will be reduced
At least another auxiliary ship Will be axed.
The current government is not interested to defend Britain quite the opposite, even less than the previous one, they,re more interested to protect ilegal inmigrantes and to Islamize the country.
Oh yes of course they want to “Islamise” the country, it was in Thier manifesto just after “implement the great replacement program” what bonkers crap.
Have you read the news lately ? It,s very clear that Britain is already an islamised country where muslims have impunity, that you din,t want to see the reality doesn,t mean isn,t happening.
A T45 or USN AB is essential as part of such a force for air defence. Also NATO air cover. Better still send much of NATOs amphibious assets(reactivate at least one of the Albions) & retake Crimea for UKR who it belongs to. There’ll be no security for UKR or the Black sea until the Rusian threat is contained. The US also needs a POTUS who doesn’t endorse invading neighbours & supports democracy & the rule of law.
Another blood stupid idea. Read your Naval history!!!
Stupid idea. We have already deployed Typhoons to Romania to boost their defences. Increasing that operation would be far more effective than sending under armed vulnerable frigates into an effectively landlocked sea where even Russia no longer dare risk its surface warships.
Almost as daft an idea as the tilt to the Pacific.
The idea that we should commit new and expensive ships to protect future Romanian offshore gas production when the demented Miliband has stopped new licences for UK offshore drilling is laughable.