UK Royal Navy: News & Discussions
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British jets on a British carrier in British waters for first time in decade
By George Allison - January 29, 2020
British F-35B jets have landed on HMS Queen Elizabeth in British waters.By George Allison - January 29, 2020
HMS Queen Elizabeth recently left Portsmouth to conduct training with UK F-35 Lightning jets in home waters. Specifically, the ship is sailing to conduct Carrier Qualifications as well as Landing Signal Officer qualifications with 207 Squadron, the UK’s F-35 Lightning training squadron.
“It is a real honour for me to be taking HMS Queen Elizabeth to sea for the first time as her new Commanding Officer. This period at sea will build on the successes of the Westlant 19 deployment, providing a fantastic opportunity for the ship to further its generation towards carrier strike, and will train and qualify UK F-35 pilots in UK waters for the very first time.”
Image Crown Copyright 2020207 Squadron will be flying aircraft to and from the decks, day and night from their base at RAF Marham. Six pilots, both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, will carry out their aircraft carrier qualification in that time.
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Note from the author: I guarantee that this article will attract people proclaiming ‘But these aren’t British jets, they’re American in origin!’, people that will purposefully ignore that ‘British’ in this context is being used to highlight that these F-35Bs are British owned and operated. Leave them to it.
Source: UK Defence Journal
Thales to provide Royal Navy with the most advanced mission systems to protect UK maritime interests globally
Thales, as part of Babcock Team 31, has been selected to deliver the digital heart of the UK’s next generation frigates. Thales will be the mission systems integrator for the Type 31 programme, delivering the combat system, communications systems and the navigation and bridge system. The T31 general purpose frigate programme will provide the UK Government with a fleet of five ships, at an average production cost of £250 million per ship.
Following a comprehensive competitive process, T31, a capable, adaptable and technology-enabled global frigate will be the UK Royal Navy’s newest class of warships, with the first ship scheduled in the water in 2023.
At its height, the programme will maximise a workforce of around 1250 highly- skilled roles in multiple locations throughout the UK, with around 150 new technical apprenticeships likely to be developed. The work is expected to support an additional 1250 roles within the wider UK supply chain.
Building on our global successes Thales is expanding its capabilities in mission systems delivery in the UK. This will generate new jobs and technical skills in Crawley, West Sussex where the new team has been established. A new naval combat management centre has also been developed to provide a space for customers, employees and end-users to train, test and see how our solutions deliver operational benefits and to continuously gain customer feedback.
Thales, as part of Babcock Team 31, has been selected to deliver the digital heart of the UK’s next generation frigates. Thales will be the mission systems integrator for the Type 31 programme, delivering the combat system, communications systems and the navigation and bridge system. The T31 general purpose frigate programme will provide the UK Government with a fleet of five ships, at an average production cost of £250 million per ship.
Following a comprehensive competitive process, T31, a capable, adaptable and technology-enabled global frigate will be the UK Royal Navy’s newest class of warships, with the first ship scheduled in the water in 2023.
At its height, the programme will maximise a workforce of around 1250 highly- skilled roles in multiple locations throughout the UK, with around 150 new technical apprenticeships likely to be developed. The work is expected to support an additional 1250 roles within the wider UK supply chain.
Building on our global successes Thales is expanding its capabilities in mission systems delivery in the UK. This will generate new jobs and technical skills in Crawley, West Sussex where the new team has been established. A new naval combat management centre has also been developed to provide a space for customers, employees and end-users to train, test and see how our solutions deliver operational benefits and to continuously gain customer feedback.
“Thales has been at the forefront of innovation with the Royal Navy for over 100 years. We are immensely proud of the trusted critical solutions we provide to the Royal Navy to protect our waters. This means we can continue to expand our significant UK footprint whilst also looking to export markets.” Victor Chavez, Chief Executive of Thales in the UK
Notes to editors:- Tacticos is the mission system and has been designed from the outset to be open and provides access to the core data model via open published standards that can be used to enable continuous growth and evolution through life.
- Type 31 will offer the Royal Navy a new class of ship with a proven ability to deliver a range of peacekeeping, humanitarian and warfighting capabilities whilst offering communities and supply chains throughout the UK a wide range of economic and employment opportunities.
- A key element of the Type31 programme is to supply a design with the potential to secure a range of export orders thereby supporting the UK economy and UK jobs. Type31 will offer export customers an unrivalled blend of price, capability and flexibility backed by the Royal Navy’s world-class experience.
- Type 31 is a multi-role frigate equipping today’s mariner with real-time data to support immediate and complex decision-making.
Royal Navy To Get First Large Autonomous Submarine
The Royal Navy have awarded a contract for what may be the world’s largest underwater drones. Armed submarine drones are just around the corner and the U.K.’s Royal Navy does not intend to be left behind. The ‘Manta’ XLUUV (extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle) will be 100 ft long and have the capacity to be armed. This means that Britain is joining the U.S. in leading world development of full-sized underwater combat drones.
At 100 feet long the Royal Navy's Manta XLUUV could be the largest submarine drone in the world
H I Sutton
The news was shared by Admiral Anthony Radakin, First Sea Lord, at the Underwater Defence & Security conference Thursday. The event, taking place in Southampton, United Kingdom, is attended by NATO and NATO-friendly navies and defense firms. Details were later confirmed by the Royal Navy.
The Royal Navy does not have plans to increase the number of Astute Class nuclear powered attack submarines or next generation SSN(R). So XLUUVs could be an affordable force multiplier.
Today In: Aerospace & Defense
Having an XLUUV is significant as it will allow the Royal Navy to learn how to use them. Building them is one challenge, developing the tactics and doctrine is another. The future may favor the early movers such as the Royal Navy and U.S. Navy who learn how to use them effectively.
Steve Hall, Chief Executive of the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), says that there are other challenges which this project will help the Royal Navy overcome. XLUUVs will take the International Rules of the Road, the maritime law designed to prevent collisions, into uncharted territory. And adding an armament will further complicate the law. This situation is similar to when armed aerial drones were first being used. Aerial drones generally have a human in the loop before the weapon is fired, but this may not be practical for an autonomous submarine.
MSubs S201 will be the basis for the for the Royal Navy's first XLUUV
MSubs
The contract has been awarded to U.K. based MSubs Ltd, part of the Submergence Group. The company has a history of building midget submarines and large autonomous underwater vehicles. Customers include the U.S. Navy SEALs, whose new Dry Combat Submersible (DCS) is entering service. The U.S. Navy’s own XLUUV, the Orca, is being built by Boeing however.
One of the most ambitious aspect of the Royal Navy XLUUV is that it will have a range of around 3,450 miles (3,000 nautical miles). This implies a diesel-electric or air-independent-power (AIP) as batteries alone are unlikely to be enough.
The first vehicle will be an enlargement and automation of the existing S201 crewed submersible built by MSubs. But the company offers all-new XLUUV designs including the larger Moray. This has a sail like a submarine and can perform a wide range of roles such as anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare and attacking surface ships. It also conducts surveillance and intelligence gathering, and can support Special Forces. The exact armed roles that the Royal Navy has in mind are unclear, but the Moray may hint at the direction things are going.
China, South Korea and Japan are known to have large AUVs under development. It remains to be seen how Russia may respond to this trend.
Royal Navy To Get First Large Autonomous Submarine
The Royal Navy have awarded a contract for what may be the world’s largest underwater drones. Armed submarine drones are just around the corner and the U.K.’s Royal Navy does not intend to be left behind. The ‘Manta’ XLUUV (extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle) will be 100 ft long and have the capacity to be armed. This means that Britain is joining the U.S. in leading world development of full-sized underwater combat drones.
At 100 feet long the Royal Navy's Manta XLUUV could be the largest submarine drone in the world
H I Sutton
The news was shared by Admiral Anthony Radakin, First Sea Lord, at the Underwater Defence & Security conference Thursday. The event, taking place in Southampton, United Kingdom, is attended by NATO and NATO-friendly navies and defense firms. Details were later confirmed by the Royal Navy.
The Royal Navy does not have plans to increase the number of Astute Class nuclear powered attack submarines or next generation SSN(R). So XLUUVs could be an affordable force multiplier.
Today In: Aerospace & Defense
Having an XLUUV is significant as it will allow the Royal Navy to learn how to use them. Building them is one challenge, developing the tactics and doctrine is another. The future may favor the early movers such as the Royal Navy and U.S. Navy who learn how to use them effectively.
Steve Hall, Chief Executive of the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), says that there are other challenges which this project will help the Royal Navy overcome. XLUUVs will take the International Rules of the Road, the maritime law designed to prevent collisions, into uncharted territory. And adding an armament will further complicate the law. This situation is similar to when armed aerial drones were first being used. Aerial drones generally have a human in the loop before the weapon is fired, but this may not be practical for an autonomous submarine.
MSubs S201 will be the basis for the for the Royal Navy's first XLUUV
MSubs
The contract has been awarded to U.K. based MSubs Ltd, part of the Submergence Group. The company has a history of building midget submarines and large autonomous underwater vehicles. Customers include the U.S. Navy SEALs, whose new Dry Combat Submersible (DCS) is entering service. The U.S. Navy’s own XLUUV, the Orca, is being built by Boeing however.
One of the most ambitious aspect of the Royal Navy XLUUV is that it will have a range of around 3,450 miles (3,000 nautical miles). This implies a diesel-electric or air-independent-power (AIP) as batteries alone are unlikely to be enough.
The first vehicle will be an enlargement and automation of the existing S201 crewed submersible built by MSubs. But the company offers all-new XLUUV designs including the larger Moray. This has a sail like a submarine and can perform a wide range of roles such as anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare and attacking surface ships. It also conducts surveillance and intelligence gathering, and can support Special Forces. The exact armed roles that the Royal Navy has in mind are unclear, but the Moray may hint at the direction things are going.
China, South Korea and Japan are known to have large AUVs under development. It remains to be seen how Russia may respond to this trend.
Royal Navy To Get First Large Autonomous Submarine
Royal Navy Submarine In Incident With Ferry Identified
Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published a report on a 2018 near miss between a Royal Navy submarine and a passenger ferry. The ferry is named, obviously, but the submarine is not. Based on the images of the mast, however, we can identify the type of submarine involved.
The mast matches the type found on a Vanguard Class ballistic missile submarine. Submarine expert Richard W. Stirn specializes in documenting submarine masts and sensors. He identified it as the CK51 optronics mast made by Thales. This is like a digital periscope, and it is found aboard the Vanguard class. Other Royal Navy submarines, of the Astute Class and Trafalgar Class, have different masts.
Recognizing a submarine based solely on its mast is a skill used by navies. If you imagine that you are in a patrol aircraft, the masts might be the only part of the enemy submarine which you can see. These same skills can be applied here.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniel...housands-of-their-colleagues--their-airlines/
A diagram of the mast arrangement of the Royal Navy's Vanguard Class Submarine. Note that generally ... [+]
The incident involved the ferry Stena Superfast VII, which was crossing the North Channel between Belfast in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland. The report concludes, “This incident happened because the submarine’s control room team overestimated the ferry’s range and underestimated its speed.” The submarine was conducting routine pre-deployment safety training.
In nautical terms, the area where the submarine incident occurred is known as Area Beaufort. The ferry had 215 passengers and 67 crew on board. The submarine may have had around 130 crew aboard for normal operations. The two vessels came within 250 yards of each other, which is considered unsafe.
The Vanguard class boats, termed ‘bombers’ in Navy parlance (or ‘boomers’ in the U.S. Navy), carry the country’s nuclear deterrence. At least one Royal Navy bomber has been a sea every hour of every day for the past 50 years. This is termed the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD).
The 17,500-ton submarine can carry up to 16 Trident-II D5 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Exact details about these missiles is classified but they are known to have a range in excess of 7,500 miles and can carry multiple nuclear warheads. To put the submarine’s firepower into perspective, it is considered enough to deter other countries from launching a nuclear strike. In other words, a single retaliatory strike from this submarine would guarantee a cost which is unacceptably high to the attacker.
It is not the first time that one of Britain's Vanguard submarines has come close to disaster. In February 2009 the lead boat, HMS Vanguard, collided with the French 'bomber' Triomphant. Both submarines were submerged, and thanks to their high degree of stealth, they were, it seems, unaware of the other. Fortunately both boats came out relatively unscathed.
Submarine incidents are mercifully rare. However they are potentially serious and investigations like this are essential, and testament of how seriously it is taken. The risks to the submarine are equal, or greater, than to the ferry. And thanks to a fleeting glimpse of the masts, we know which class of submarine was involved.
www.forbes.com
Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published a report on a 2018 near miss between a Royal Navy submarine and a passenger ferry. The ferry is named, obviously, but the submarine is not. Based on the images of the mast, however, we can identify the type of submarine involved.
The mast matches the type found on a Vanguard Class ballistic missile submarine. Submarine expert Richard W. Stirn specializes in documenting submarine masts and sensors. He identified it as the CK51 optronics mast made by Thales. This is like a digital periscope, and it is found aboard the Vanguard class. Other Royal Navy submarines, of the Astute Class and Trafalgar Class, have different masts.
Recognizing a submarine based solely on its mast is a skill used by navies. If you imagine that you are in a patrol aircraft, the masts might be the only part of the enemy submarine which you can see. These same skills can be applied here.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniel...housands-of-their-colleagues--their-airlines/
A diagram of the mast arrangement of the Royal Navy's Vanguard Class Submarine. Note that generally ... [+]
The incident involved the ferry Stena Superfast VII, which was crossing the North Channel between Belfast in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland. The report concludes, “This incident happened because the submarine’s control room team overestimated the ferry’s range and underestimated its speed.” The submarine was conducting routine pre-deployment safety training.
In nautical terms, the area where the submarine incident occurred is known as Area Beaufort. The ferry had 215 passengers and 67 crew on board. The submarine may have had around 130 crew aboard for normal operations. The two vessels came within 250 yards of each other, which is considered unsafe.
The Vanguard class boats, termed ‘bombers’ in Navy parlance (or ‘boomers’ in the U.S. Navy), carry the country’s nuclear deterrence. At least one Royal Navy bomber has been a sea every hour of every day for the past 50 years. This is termed the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD).
The 17,500-ton submarine can carry up to 16 Trident-II D5 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Exact details about these missiles is classified but they are known to have a range in excess of 7,500 miles and can carry multiple nuclear warheads. To put the submarine’s firepower into perspective, it is considered enough to deter other countries from launching a nuclear strike. In other words, a single retaliatory strike from this submarine would guarantee a cost which is unacceptably high to the attacker.
It is not the first time that one of Britain's Vanguard submarines has come close to disaster. In February 2009 the lead boat, HMS Vanguard, collided with the French 'bomber' Triomphant. Both submarines were submerged, and thanks to their high degree of stealth, they were, it seems, unaware of the other. Fortunately both boats came out relatively unscathed.
Submarine incidents are mercifully rare. However they are potentially serious and investigations like this are essential, and testament of how seriously it is taken. The risks to the submarine are equal, or greater, than to the ferry. And thanks to a fleeting glimpse of the masts, we know which class of submarine was involved.
Royal Navy Submarine In Incident With Ferry Identified
An accident investigation report has been published into a near miss between a Royal Navy submarine and a passenger ferry. It does not name the submarine. Based on the images of the mast, however, we can identify the type of submarine involved.
www.forbes.com
Grandchamp would be disappointed in this behaviour. And they still didn't lose the sub though, take note Turkey.
Honestly, that might be exactly the person you would want with their finger on the trigger. He will just press it once the command is given and carry on eating.
Unlikely. He isn't Irish by any stretch of imagination. In any case he'd have been much more useful when those pesky Iranians seized one of your rust tubs.
You could always have let out news then that one of your boats had gone rogue & was anxious to send the mullahs to meet Allah. Damn that actually rhymed.
If it didn't have the desired effect, you could always claim the commander was Irish for added effect. That'd scared the heebiejeebiee out of them. Voila! You'd receive your tub back intact.