U.K. Nuclear-Powered Royal Navy Submarine In 'Near-Miss' With Scottish Ferry

HMS Sceptre on the Clyde in Scotland © Reuters / Mick Storey / Royal Navy MD

Scotsman: Nuclear-powered submarine in ‘near miss’ with ferry from Scotland

A nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine has been involved in a near-miss with a ferry.

An investigation has been launched into the previously unreported incident, which occurred in the Irish Sea on November 6.

The ferry was Stena Superfast VII, which operates between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

It has a capacity for 1,300 passengers and 660 cars.

Read more ....

More News On A U.K. Nuclear-Powered Royal Navy Submarine In A 'Near-Miss' With A Scottish Ferry

Royal Navy nuclear submarine's near miss with ferry -- BBC
Nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine in 'near-miss' with ferry -- SKY News
Nuclear Submarine Involved in a Near Miss with Car Ferry -- Popular Mechanics
UK Nuclear Submarine Almost Crashes Into Passenger Ferry in Irish Sea – Reports -- Sputnik
UK nuclear sub narrowly avoids collision with passenger ferry -- RT

British Nuclear Submarine Involved In Collision With A Merchant Ship

A picture taken on July 20, 2016 in the port of Gibraltar shows the nuclear submarine HMS Ambush (C) making an unscheduled stop in Gibraltar due to a sustained damage to its conning tower after hitting a vessel (AFP Photo/DM Parody)

The Guardian/Press Association: Nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine involved in collision

No damage to HMS Ambush nuclear reactor or injuries to crew recorded after ‘glancing’ collision off coast of Gibraltar

A nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine has been forced into port in Gibraltar after a collision with a merchant vessel.

An immediate investigation has been launched after HMS Ambush was involved in the “glancing” collision while submerged off the coast of Gibraltar, the Royal Navy said.

The Astute-class vessel suffered “some external damage” but no crew members were injured in the incident. The attack submarine’s nuclear reactor was also undamaged, the Royal Navy said.

Read more ....

More News On A British Nuclear Submarine Involved In Collision With A Merchant Ship Off The Coast Of Gibraltar

British nuclear submarine docks in Gibraltar after collision -- AFP
Collision sub docks in Gibraltar -- Gibraltar Chronicle
BREAKING: British nuclear submarine crashes into ship near Gibraltar -- Daily Star
U.K. Nuclear Submarine HMS Ambush Collides With Merchant Vessel -- USNI News

The Bridge Of The HMS Queen Elizabeth Is Transported

Have You Left Something Behind? Bizarre Spectacle As Bridge Of £6bn Aircraft Carrier Sets Sail Without The Rest Of The Ship -- Daily Mail

* The bridge set sail for a 600-mile voyage to join the remained of the warship
* HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of two new warships ordered
* They are the largest ships ever built for the navy

The bridge of a huge, new £6bn warship set sail for an extraordinary 600-mile voyage today, but something rather important was missing - the rest of the ship.

The large section of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier was a strange sight to see as it left the BAE Systems’ shipyard in Portsmouth, Hampshire to join the remainder of the 65,000-tonne carrier on a dry dock in Rosyth, Fife in Scotland.

Onlookers compared the fully-painted, 680-tonne bridge of HMS Queen Elizabeth to ‘something out of Star Trek’ as it towered over surrounding boats.

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My Comment: This is something that you definitely do not see everyday.

Britian's Former Navy Flagship HMS Ark Royal Sold Off As Scrap Metal

HMS Ark Royal. Wikipedia

HMS Ark Royal To Be Sold Off As Scrap Metal -- The Telegraph

Former Navy flagship HMS Ark Royal will be sold on as scrap metal for £3 million as part of a move that the Ministry of Defence has described as "difficult but necessary.

An announcement in Parliament tomorrow is expected to reveal the details of the deal after the vessel was decommissioned in 2010 five years ahead of its expected sell-by date.

The decision comes following a bidding process which included proposals to turn the 22,000-ton ship into a helipad in the Thames, a museum, a hotel, a casino or a diving wreck off the South coast.

Last year HMS Invincible was also sold to a Turkish scrap metal firm as part of the MoD's drive to get its finances in order.

Read more ....

My Comment: A sad way to end an incredible 32 years of service.

Britain Warns That They Could Send Naval Reinforcements To The Gulf

On standby: the Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll in the Strait of Hormuz Photo: REUTERS

Britain Could Send Military Reinforcements To Gulf -- The Telegraph

Britain could send military reinforcements to the Gulf if the dispute with Iran escalates, according to Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary.

He said the decision to send HMS Argyll as part of an international flotilla of warships through the sensitive Strait of Hormuz on Sunday sent a "clear signal" to Tehran.

The deployment defied explicit Iranian threats to close the waterway. It coincided with an escalation in the West's confrontation with Iran over the country's nuclear ambitions.

Read more ....

Update: UK Could Send Military Assets to Strait of Hormuz -- ABC News/AP

My Comment: It seems that everyone is preparing for the worse.

800 Years Of Building British Warships About To End

Facing closure: The naval dockyard at Portsmouth

Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard Under Threat As Defence Company Considers Mothballing 800 Years Of History -- Daily Mail

The historic naval dockyard in Portsmouth could be closed, bringing to an end 800 years of shipbuilding.

Defence giant BAE Systems is considering mothballing the base which launched ships that allowed Britain to rule the waves for centuries.

Some 3,000 jobs are under threat under the company’s review of its warship business.

Read more ....

My Comment: A truly end to an era.

Britain Will Be Without Any fully-Working Aircraft Carriers Until 2030

How they will look: An artist's impression of the new carrier which will not be fully capable until 2030. Daily Mail

MPs Warn Royal Navy's Carriers Will Be Costly, Late, And Of Limited Use -- The Guardian

Public accounts committee says switch to US fighters raises expense significantly.

The aircraft carriers being built for the Royal Navy will be less useful, take longer to finish, and likely cost more than claimed, a parliamentary watchdog warns.

The first, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will be mothballed immediately it is launched in 2016, according to the existing plan. However, the second, HMS Prince of Wales, is not now expected to be fully operational until 2031. Moreover, it will only be able to stay at sea for up to 200 days a year, significantly fewer than envisaged, says the Commons public accounts committee.

Read more ....

More News On Britain's Aircraft Carriers

Britain will be without any fully-working aircraft carriers until 2030, MPs warn -- Daily Mail
Defence cuts: Carrier 'fully operational in 2030' -- BBC
MPs: This plan for proper navy carriers and jets is crazy! -- The Register
New carrier 'not fully capable' until 2030 -- Defence Management
Ministers blasted over shambolic aircraft carriers programme by powerful Public Accounts Committee -- Mirror.co.uk
Defence Review: Aircraft Carrier Costs Could Spiral Three Times More Than The Expected £4.4 Billion, Say MPs -- eGovmonitor

Going To War With Only Four Missiles

Armed: A Lynx helicopter comes in to land on HMS Westminster off the coast of Libya. HMS Westminster was 'dangerously under-defended' when it was called to patrol close to Benghazi in March, officers have revealed

Just FOUR Missiles: What HMS Westminster Was Carrying When Sent To Defend The Libyan Frontline -- Daily Mail

A royal navy warship was left ‘dangerously unarmed’ with as few as four missiles while it carried out operations off Libya, it emerged yesterday.

HMS Westminster held only two rounds of missiles during the recent Nato mission to protect the country’s civilians from Colonel Gaddafi’s forces.

The Type-23 frigate has a capacity of 32 Seawolf and eight Harpoon missiles but was only armed with the four missiles which are fired in pairs therefore allowing it only two rounds to fire.

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My Comment: Something is telling me that with the war now over, the HMS Westminster is back to its prewar stockpile of missiles (i.e. four missiles).

The Shrinking British Navy

Submarine Delay Due To Budget Cuts 'Puts Britain's Security At Risk' -- Daily Mail

Britain's security could be put at risk by a shortage of cutting-edge attack submarines, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

Budget cuts will mean the Royal Navy has to cope with having fewer of the latest ‘hunter-killer’ subs.

Britain’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, reveals the MoD’s concerns in a report published today.

Read more ....

My Comment: Expect even more cuts if Britain is hit with a hard recession that many are now predicting as the EU debt crisis continues.

Another Broken Promise From The British Ministry Of Defense

Senior officers have condemned the MoD as 'cack handed' for sacking the sailors while they were serving at sea Photo: TAM MACDONALD

Submariners Sacked At Sea Despite MoD Promise -- The Telegraph

Swathes of sailors on submarines have been sacked at sea despite Ministry of Defence promises that no servicemen would be made redundant.

A fifth of submarine medics serving on board Trident nuclear deterrent and hunter killer submarines have been axed, including one who cared for the wounded on the HMS Astute after a crewman went on the rampage.

It is understood that several sailors were told they were losing their jobs while conducting covert operations after their captains received a signal at sea from the Ministry of Defence.

The Navy sacked the personnel despite a previous promise that no-one from the overstretched and undermanned Submarine Service would be among the 5,000 sailors being made redundant.

Read more ....

My Comment: The US is also starting to have problems with their own submarine fleet.

HMS Dragon: Britain's Newest Warship

(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Ship shape: The Royal Navy's latest warship HMS Dragon sails into her new home in Portsmouth. She will undergo a series of tests before being declared ready

HMS Dragon Roars Into Life: Royal Navy's Latest And Most Technologically Advanced Warship Is Launched -- The Daily Mail

With a red dragon proudly emblazoned on her bow, this is the Royal Navy's latest technologically wizard warship.

She may not breathe fire but she does come so powerfully armed that she will be able to fend off multiple and simultaneous attacks at supersonic speeds.

And her highly sophisticated Sea Viper missile defence system is designed to smash even the most vicious aircraft and anti-ship missiles.

Read more ....

My Comment: Impressive.

British Nuclear Submarine Commander Accused Of Accidently Sinking A French Trawler

British Nuclear Submarine Commander Accused Of Killing French Fishermen But Was Russian Vessel To Blame? -- Daily Mail

* Son of killed fishermen claims Commander Andy Coles 'admitted' accident with French trawler
* Navy sources say Russian submarine dragged fishing boat under while spying on Nato exercise
* Coles relieved of command after Navy flagship ran aground while he was in charge in separate incident last year

A Royal Navy submarine commander has been accused of killing five French fishermen by accidentally dragging their boat underwater.

The son of one of the seamen killed says he has 'proof' that HMS Turbulent, commanded by Commander Andy Coles, became tangled in the trawler Bugaled Breizh's nets while on exercise and sank the boat in 2004.

But Navy sources told the Daily Telegraph that a Russian submarine spying on Nato exercises was to blame, and insist that no Navy boats were anywhere near the French trawler when it sank.

Read more ....

My Comment: A mystery that obviously has left many people unhappy with the official version of this event.

On Board Naval Destroyer HMS Liverpool

The crew celebrating the Royal Wedding in the Junior Rates' dining hall

Here's Looking At You, Mr Gaddafi: On board Naval Destroyer HMS Liverpool, Currently Under Enemy Fire Off The Coast Of Libya -- The Daily Mail

In this dispatch from the navy destroyer, Andrew Preston reports on our sailors' perilous - and invaluable - vigil over our enemy No 1

6.39am, shortly after sunrise
Sea state 1: calm but rippled
Visibility About five miles
Ship’s position 13 miles off the coast of Brega, the front line in Libya

The piercing klaxon of the ship’s general alarm shatters the early morning peace. A startled pair of turtle doves hitching a ride on the ship’s guard rail flutter off to continue their migration north.

‘Hands to action stations. Hands to action stations. Assume CBRN damage control. State 1. Condition Zulu.’

The mood below decks changes at once. There’s no panic, more a sense of ordered rush.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1391537/Libya-On-board-naval-destroyer-HMS-Liverpool-currently-enemy-coast.html#ixzz1Nk58sJSF

My Comment: I love the above picture of some of the crew watching the Royal wedding. With the exception of one guy, all the rest are women. Hmmmm .... how come that does not surprise me.

Russian PM Putin Attempts To Soften His Image To The West

In August 2009, Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin of Russia rode a horse in southern Siberia. Mr. Putin was recently interviewed by a blogger for Outdoor Life magazine, in which he spoke of the fragility of life. Pool photo by Alexei Druzhinin

Texas Blogger’s ‘Man Crush’ On Putin Leads To Lengthy Heart To Heart -- The Telegraph

MOSCOW — Gayne C. Young, a high school English teacher from Fredericksburg, Tex., is not a specialist in foreign policy. The blog he writes for Outdoor Life, a magazine for hunters and fishermen, focuses on subjects like his Labrador puppy, unusually large carp and a subdivision near his home that has been overrun by feral hogs.

Nonetheless, last week Mr. Young scored a journalistic coup, publishing a lengthy written interview with Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir V. Putin. Mr. Young approached the Russian government last year after blogging repeatedly about his “man crush” on Mr. Putin, and the questions he sent the Russian prime minister were, shall we say, softballs. They included, “Are there Yetis or Russian ‘wood goblins’ in the taiga?” and “Are you the coolest man in politics?”

Read more ....

My Comment: My nationality is Russian .... so I follow Russian politics closely. But after reading this puff piece on Putin .... my eyeballs are looking skyward right now.

Construction Begins On Britain's Second Aircraft Carrier

A computer image of one of the planned Royal Navy aircraft carriers. Image from The Courier

Second Wave Of Aircraft Carrier Construction Begins -- The Daily Mail

Defence Secretary Liam Fox and the country’s top military brass will this week assemble on the banks of the Clyde for a ceremony to mark the start of construction on Britain’s second giant aircraft carrier, the Prince of Wales.

But there is a good chance that the 65,000- ton vessel, which is not due to be launched until 2020, will never see action – and may even be mothballed.

This is because the Government has not yet made up its mind whether Britain can afford two huge carriers, together expected to cost more than £7 billion.

Read more ....

My Comment: Years late .... billions over budget .... for an aircraft carrier that will not have any planes for three years .... they have now started to build this thing.

Britain's New Trident Fleet To Cost £25bn

Nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard arriving back at HM Naval Base. Photo from Defpro

New Trident Fleet Cost Will Top £25bn -- The Guardian

Defence secretary Liam Fox announces new funding but says Lib Dems will oversee review into 'alternatives'.

The cost of a new fleet of Trident nuclear missile submarines could more than double to £25bn by the time they are built, the defence secretary, Liam Fox, told MPs.

The figure was released as the Ministry of Defence announced significant new funding for a new Trident system even though, at the Lib Dems' behest, a final decision is not due to be taken until after the next general election.

The figure does not include the price of warheads, the running costs, and the bill for leasing Trident missiles from the US.

Read more ....

More News on Britain's New Submarine Fleet

Trident replacement to go ahead, Fox confirms -- BBC
Fox angers MPs by ordering plans for a new Trident fleet -- Daily Mail
UK Announces Plans for Successor Nuclear Deterrent Submarine -- Defpro
Work begins on new Trident system - at a cost of £25billion -- Mirror
UK to spend 3 bln pounds on nuclear sub work -- Reuters
Work on Trident nuclear renewal gets go ahead -- BBC
Britain Approves Design of New Nuclear Submarines -- Defense News/AFP
Billions are spent on 'son of Trident' but future still in doubt -- News Scotland
Fox undermines review of Trident -- Herald Scotland
Trident review seeks cheaper option -- Financial Times
Q&A: Trident replacement -- BBC

French-Built Rafales Jets Are To Be Used On Britain's Aircraft Carriers

The Rafale, built by French aeronautics constructer Dassault.
(Photo: Reuters)

Politicians Hide Their Plans To Put French Jets On Royal Navy Carriers -- The Telegraph

The Royal Navy won't be flying Anglo-US Joint Strike Fighters, but providing a platform for French Rafales as part of an EU force, writes Christopher Booker.

The magnificent military pageantry of the royal wedding coincided, sadly, with yet another humiliating instance of the precipitate decline in Britain’s military power. There has long been something very odd about the two giant aircraft carriers which are to be the centrepiece of Britain’s defence capability over the next 50 years – one to be instantly mothballed, the other not due in service for another decade. Now, it seems, the bill for this project is to rise yet again, by further billions of pounds, because, according to the Ministry of Defence, one carrier needs extensive modification to accommodate the Joint Strike Fighters we are allegedly building with the US.

Read more ....

My Comment: The U.K. and France agreed to an understanding last year to work more closely in military matters. If this report is true, I guess they are putting substance to what they discussed a few months ago.

Building A British Aircraft Carrier Is No Easy Task

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Aircraft Carrier: A Mind-Boggling Building Job -- BBC

In a shipyard in Scotland the future of the Royal Navy is slowly taking shape. But the construction of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is a mammoth task.

Imagine an aircraft carrier as a 65,000-tonne jigsaw puzzle and you have got a good idea of the scale of the building of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The pieces are being built at six shipyards around the UK and will be slotted together at Rosyth in Fife using an enormous crane which was transported by sea from China.

Around 10,000 workers across Britain are employed on the £5bn project with up to 25,000 engaged in building components for the Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft.

The carrier will have between 12 and 40 F-35s, or Joint Strike Fighters, costing around £65m each.

Read more ....

My Comment: Forget about what it takes to build the HMS Queen Elizabeth, just look at how big a Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier is .... and be more impressed on what it takes to build one of those. On a side note, the zoomable image at the bottom of this BBC report is a cool thing to use .... check it out.

Deadly Shooting Aboard A British Nuclear Submarine

The incident is reported to have taken place in Southampton docks close to where nuclear-powered submarine HMS Astute is berthed.

Officer Shot Dead And Another Is Fighting For Life After Sailor Opens Fire As Mayor Visits Nuclear Sub HMS Astute -- The Daily Mail

Mayor and Southampton City Council chief exec on board during shooting
Royal Navy serviceman arrested for shooting of two colleagues

An officer was killed and another is fighting for his life after a shooting spree by a sailor on board the Royal Navy's flagship nuclear submarine.

Police arrested an armed sentry after the incident today on the HMS Astute in Southampton docks as guards were changed over at midday.

The shooting occurred as local dignitaries, including the city's mayor and council chief executive were touring the £1.2 billion boat, which had docked on Wednesday after 46 days at sea.

Read more ....

More News On the Shooting Aboard The HMS Astute

One killed in HMS Astute nuclear submarine shooting -- BBC
Man arrested over fatal shooting on nuclear submarine -- The Guardian
Aftermath of nuclear submarine shooting in Southampton (Video) -- The Telegraph
Navy man held after submarine death -- Press Association
One dead in shooting on British submarine -- AFP
Man held after shooting onboard UK submarine -- Reuters
Man Killed In Shooting On UK Nuclear Sub -- SKY News
Shooting aboard British sub kills 1 -- CNN
Fatal Shooting Aboard British Nuclear Submarine -- FOX News

My Comment: Here is a good summary on the troubled history of the HMS Astute.

HMS Ark Royal For Sale On 'Military eBay'

Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal on Tyneside to celebrate her 30th birthday where she was built. FreeFoto.com

HMS Ark Royal Put Up For Sale On 'Military eBay' -- The Telegraph

The Royal Navy's former flagship HMS Ark Royal has been put up for sale on the Ministry of Defence's auction website.

Just two weeks after the aircraft carrier was decommissioned at its home port of Portsmouth Naval Base, Hampshire, the Ark Royal has been advertised on the edisposals.com website.

The sale follows that of its sister ship HMS Invincible, which was towed away last week to a scrapyard in Turkey after being sold on the same internet site.

Read more ....

More News On The HMS Ark Royal

Carrier HMS Ark Royal put up for auction on MoD website -- BBC
UK aircraft carrier Ark Royal for sale on Internet -- AP
HMS Ark Royal up for sale on MoD website -- Portsmouth.co.uk
MoD sells Ark Royal on internet -- London Evening Standard
HMS Southampton and Ark Royal for sale on auction website -- Daily Echo

My Comment: This is not my way for the Royal Navy's former flagship to go .... but 'the times are a changing'.