British Navy criticised on Iran sailor capture reports

Defence analysts criticised the British Royal Navy over government-commissioned reports they said failed to find anyone accountable for mistakes during the seizure of 15 British sailors by Iran.

Experts also said the investigation was not transparent and undermined the confidence in the navy.

"It doesn't do very much for confidence in the senior leadership of the navy, or the confidence of our allies and our reputation amongst potential opponents. Our credibility as a naval force around the world has taken a battering," said Tim Ripley, defence analyst at Jane's Defence Weekly, last week.

The seizure of the 15 sailors in March in the northern Gulf sparked a 13-day standoff between London and Tehran, which ended when Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad released the sailors as a "gift to the British people".

Iran said the sailors had strayed into its territory while Britain insisted they were operating in Iraqi waters on a UN-sanctioned mission when they were seized.

The two reports commissioned by the government concluded no individual was to blame either for operational mistakes during the group's capture or for the decision to allow two of the group to tell their stories to the media in exchange for cash after being freed.

Only the review of media practices, which recommended banning military and naval personnel from being paid for talking about their work, was published earlier this week.

The report into operational mishaps was confidential as it contained secret details of British troops' rules of engagement but leaked in the British media.

"This idea that no-one can find out what happened is unbelievable. After the event I read a dissection of it in every newspaper, naming who did what and when and who was there," Mr Ripley said.

The capture of the sailors and marines prompted questions in Britain about why they had been seized with such apparent ease and why help was slow to come.

Countering criticism the sailors had been outgunned and that helicopters had not been deployed, published extracts from the classified review said training and cooperation, not equipment or resources, were the problem.

Experts said the conclusions looked particularly weak given the navy's reputation for calling any mistakes to account.

Paul Beaver, independent defence analyst, said he was surprised no one had been found culpable for operational mistakes. "There are two or three people who should have resigned instantly," he said.

The aftermath may also harm the navy's case as it battles for a share of the government's defence budget at a time when the focus is mainly on the army and the airforce deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"If you want to keep your slice of the financial cake you have to do your bit and do it well. The navy has two big black marks against it at a time when it is trying to fight for the eye of the Treasury," said Charles Heyman, author and expert in defence matters.

At the very least the investigation should serve as a "wake-up call", several experts said.

"The navy has had difficulty understanding that we are at war. Some 50 kilometres north of where these sailors were, we were at war with Shia groups that are supported by Iran - and the navy seems to have totally missed the point," Mr Beaver said.