As a 17 year old who is planning on joining the marin a after university, I am deeply disturbed at the prospect of scrapping the ships and a number of marines.

No more cuts to any of our armed forces. We face trouble from Muslim terrorists North Korea and Russia is investing more in its armed forces. You cant trust the EU and there new armed force. You MPs need to wake up cut foreign aid and look after our own.

I have read all the valid comments in the support of retaining the R.M. and the amphibious caperbility,and the are mainly from ex-serviceman from all aspects of service,who are pointing out the obvious fact this unit of the armed forces must be maintained,are biggest allly the USA like to see the UK talk from a position of strength and not just political talk . This unit must be maintain R.J.Barker R.N. RNR retired

The Royal Marines provide a unique and very specialist skill that can not be generated overnight and takes years to build upto. On top of the obvious task of stepping off a Amphibious ship into an opposed or unopposed landing is actually in its own right a very complex and detailed task. But the RM also fulfils many other roles. Ship protection / boarding parties, nuclear protection, SFSG and despite having small numbers in comparison to Army numbers makes up a vast proportion of SF numbers. Don’t forget they are the UK’s only Mountain and Arctic warfare troops, another skill that should be kept as Russia flex’s its muscles on the northern flank. Cutting any numbers of RM or Amphib shipping, afterall the new carriers have no surface assault ability would be a game charger for UK Defence. Just look at the news over the last few years. You don’t even need to go back as far as the Falklands, if Al Faw in Iraq. In the med forctge refugee crisis, hurricane relief, Sierra Leone, ships teams, amongst many other the RM are always being used by HM government somewhere! What are all the Army units doing in comparison? In summary - the RM are a specialist force, highly professional, diverse, adaptable and are ALWAYS spearheading uk foreign and Home interests. By looking at reductions and cuts to any of the RN/RM capabilities is military suicide!

We are an island nation surrounded by the sea so to defend ourselves we need a naval force as well as air defence.

I would like to answer the questions posed in the link email if I may. - How important are the Royal Marines and Albion class ships to the UK? We are told that the UK's ambitions post-brexit, is to be an outward looking nation. I would imagine that this would include a continued commitment to NATO and to the commonwealth nations. We have seen on many occasions that an amphibious task group can deploy quickly and land assets across a beach or a port facility. This could be in support of military action or in support of a humanitarian effort. The new aircraft carrier's, whilst impressive to look at, do not present such a versatile platform from which a landing force can be deployed. - How do you think that having fewer Royal Marines since 2010 and more recent changes in numbers have affected the Corps? The RM has been asked to more with less in recent years, just as other branches of the armed forces have. However, the RM contributes hugely to the UK's special forces community. I believe it would be very remiss to deplete the greatest asset that the UK armed forces, and in particular, the RN, have to offer. - Do you think that further changes will affect supporting units within 3 Commando Brigade? Yes, because a reduction in the size and role of 3 Cdo Bde would, I would expect, mean a reduction in the need for tailored artillery and engineer support. - What do you think the impact has been of having one of the two Albion class ships at extended readiness, so that only one is available for deployment? It was similar situation with the previous ships Fearless and Intrepid but it was manageable. However, even a reduced readiness is better than the complete loss of the amphibious capability. - What could UK Armed Forces do to match the capabilities that might be lost? Are the alternatives good enough? The role of Albion/Bulwark cannot be replicated in either the carriers or the LSD(A) Bay class RFA's. The carriers are designed for air operations (I'm sure the aviators wouldn't give up their seat to fit in the amphibious forces command element). The LSD (A)'s do not have the command/ops room capability of the LPD's. - Are there enough exercises and training to keep amphibious capability at high readiness? The number of exercises for this type of operation have reduced over the last decade but I believe that was due to the on-going commitment in Afghanistan. With the larger part of the RM involved with Op Herrick, the relationship between the RM and the larger part of the RN has become more distant. That was certainly my experience before I left the RM. The only way to improve that relationship is to work together, by exercising and re-learning. - What do you think will happen to unit morale and satisfaction with Service life if the reported changes and reductions happen? Service morale is pretty low as it is but reductions to the RM and a change in the role of 3 Cdo Bde would be hugely detrimental. The Corps is unique, but it works, the Brigade works, the training methods work and the ethos is envied world-wide. The RM and 3 Cdo Bde is a proven asset, not just to the RN, but to the UK and the international defence community. Why break it? - What do you think will happen to the communities where these capabilities are based if the reported changes and reductions happen? It's not that long ago that Devonport was identified as the base for the UK's amphibious capability. The loss of the LPD's would undoubtedly have a negative effect on the work undertaken in the dockyard.

I think the versatility and rapid response capability of the Royal Marines makes them the most important armed force we have in Great Britain. Having three family members in the armed forces, I know that morale in the army and Royal Marines is ebbing. Any more cuts would put morale at rock bottom.

Rapid response " crack" troops do not grow on trees. If you disband a Commandoe it cannot be reformed in less than 3 years if then. Hardly rapid. You continue to have military priorities but want to do it with less. Foreign Aid.. When UK forces are deployed to NATO areas or British Dependant Nations be it fir security or aid for natural disasters the Foreign Aid budget should be paying to ease some of the pressure on the Defence Budget

I fear politicians have short memories. Had it not been for 3 Cdo Brigade in 1982 and the Navy's ability to get them there using its amphibious capabilities, the Falkland Islands invasion would have had a far different ending...... The Royal Marines are one of the best fighting forces in the world and have demonstrated time and time again how good they are. The UK has a number of overseas territories which might well need their intervention in the future - and of course they have proved themselves to be effective in Afghanistan, a place far removed from their normal activities, thus proving they are not necessarily a completely "specialist" force with no other role. So far as ships are concerned, OCEAN is [or should be!] a strategic asset which in any sensible defence review should be replaced. Ideally she should be replaced with something akin to the Australian "CANBERRA" class LHD, giving her an even more useful support role as she could then embark the F35B for combat air support over the beachheads. The "ALBION" class LPD is a fine type and if anything needs reinforcing, not removing. More "BAY" class LSL[A] ships could provide back-up to the "ALBION" class, but are in no way to be thought of as replacements. Hardware is one thing, but manpower is essential. The devastating effect on morale MUST be considered. When we send our marines and sailors to war, we MUST ensure they feel they have our support and must trust the leadership. Years of government cuts on both sides of the House are eroding that "faith in leadership and trust" upon which our armed forces depend - and if the men don't "believe", are they going to fight properly?? And of course there is an economic issue to consider. Get rid of the amphibious ships and their logistic support and you obviously sacrifice thousands of jobs. Economically, that will not only devastate the lives of those unfortunate enough to be discarded, but will also seriously affect the areas in which they live - no wages mean no spending in towns and villages in those areas, with consequences we have seen throughout history. And, of course, there would be a loss of revenue for the Government since all these people do pay taxes......

We will need to relie on the Navy and the Royal Marines to keep our island even safer after Brexit as well as are other interest abroad