One of the UK's first F-35B Lightning II aircraft takes off from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force were familiarising themselves with the F-35 processes and procedures both in the air and on the ground at the US Air Force Base. The F-35B Lightning II will place the UK at the forefront of fighter technology, giving the Royal Air Force a true multi-role all weather, day and night capability, able to operate from well-established land bases, deployed locations or the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.
The Lynx Mk8 helicopter from Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster leaves RFA Wave Knight. The Lynx is the backbone of the Fleet Air Arm and front-line operations by the frigate and destroyer fleets, operating over the ice of Antarctica and the sands of the Gulf, the expanse of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the confines of the Strait of Gibraltar or English Channel.
South African Navy submarine SAS Charlotte Maxeke cuts through the surface ahead of Type 23 frigate HMS Portland during an exercise off the coast of South Africa.
A Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank of the Royal Welsh Battle Group on Exercise Prairie Storm at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada. The prairie of Alberta has provided an excellent opportunity for the British Army to train on a large scale since 1972. The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is an organisation situated on one of the most sparsely populated areas of the Alberta plain. BATUS is equipped with in excess of 1000 vehicles including a full complement of Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Each year a Regiment is sent there for six months to take the part of the 'enemy' for the other Regiments that are there to train each year.
RAF Regiment gunners with the Royal Air Force Reserves are pictured on exercise in Bardufoss, Norway. During the training exercise known as Arctic Kite, personnel from 606 (Chiltern) Squadron along with 2623 (East Anglian) Squadron, No 28 (AC) Squadron equipped with Merlin helicopters from RAF Benson and 244 Signal Squadron from the British Army undertook a variety of missions. As part of the RAF Reserves annual continuation training, 606 (Chiltern) Squadron have deployed along with personnel from both the British Army and Royal Navy to Bardufoss, Norway; the Royal Norwegian Air Force Base (RNoAF) famous for its Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force training cadre (known as Clockwork) conducting Mountain and Cold Weather training for air and ground crews, 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle. The British personnel are due to be in Norway for approximately two weeks conducting training to test deployed field skills within a realistic austere environment, achieve and support joint evaluation training in a temperate location and promote further opportunities for both existing and potential reserves.
Royal Air Force personnel from MOD St Athan in South Wales, parade through the town of Barry as part of the 40th Anniversary of RAF St Athan being granted the Freedom of the Vale of Glamorgan.
Red berets of the Army's 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police holding British and German flags at a parade in Bergen, Germany. With a history that goes back to the end of the second World War, 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police, paraded in the nearby town of Bergen near Hannover for the final time. With visitors from the RMP association as guests, it was an event filled with mixed emotion. Sadness to see an end to the close ties with a community that began in occupation and developed into being allies and partners, to the joy and happiness of a safe return from operations in Afghanistan. The unit will now disband under the Army 2020 restructuring and the soldiers relocated to other established units mostly in the UK.
Red Berets of the Army's 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police are pictured at a parade in Bergen, Germany.
A British soldier is silhouetted at the Adazi Training Area in Latvia during the multi national Exercise Sabre Strike 2014. The exercise spans multiple locations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and involved approximately 4,700 personnel from 10 countries. It was designed to promote regional stability, strengthen international military partnerships, enhance multinational interoperability and prepare participants for worldwide contingency operations.
HMS Enterprise was launched at Appledore in Devon in 2002 and is designed to carry out a wide range of survey work, including support to submarine and amphibious operations. Hydrographic ships work in a variety of sea areas to gather and process hydrographic and oceanographic data for planning and operational purposes. In addition this data will be dispatched to the UK Hydrographic Office for analysis and inclusion into navigational charts and other navigational safety publications. The ships also closely monitor other vessels whilst deployed and deterring any potential illegal activity.
A Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle streaks across Salisbury Plain during Exercise Lion Strike.The Warrior infantry fighting vehicle has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 main battle tanks over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in the assault.The Warrior family of seven variants of armoured vehicles, which entered service in 1988, has been highly successful for armoured infantry battlegroups in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Kosovo and Iraq.They provide excellent mobility, lethality and survivability for the infantry and have enabled key elements from the Royal Artillery and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to operate effectively within the battlegroup.A highly successful armoured fighting vehicle, Warrior can be fitted with enhanced armour and is continuously being updated - the battlegroup thermal imager was fitted to increase its night-fighting capability.
The Astute class is the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service of the Royal Navy. The class sets a new standard for the Royal Navy in terms of weapons load, communication facilities and stealth. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. Seven boats will be constructed. The first of class, Astute, was launched in 2007 and commissioned in 2010, and the second, Ambush, was launched on 6 January 2011, and commissioned on 1 March 2013. Astute was declared fully operational in May 2014, while Ambush is undergoing maintenance in preparation for operational deployment.
Characteristics
The boats of the Astute class are powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 (Core H) (a pressurised water) reactor and fitted with a pump-jet propulsor. The PWR2 reactor was developed for the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines. As a result the new submarines are about 30 per cent larger than previous British fleet submarines, which were powered by smaller-diameter reactors. Like all Royal Navy submarines, the bridge fin of the Astute-class boats is specially reinforced to allow surfacing through ice caps. These submarines can also be fitted with a dry deck shelter, which allows special forces (e.g. SBS) to deploy whilst the submarine is submerged. More than 39,000 acoustic tiles mask the vessel's sonar signature, giving the Astute class a better stealth quality than any other submarine previously operated by the Royal Navy. Speculation released by the media stated that by using advanced stealth technology Astute "makes less noise than a baby dolphin, making her as good as undetectable by enemy ships."
Weapons and systems
The Astute class has stowage for 38 weapons and would typically carry both Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, the latter costing £870,000 each. The Tomahawk missiles are capable of hitting a target to within a few metres within a range of 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometres). The Astute class will also be able to fire the new "tactical Tomahawk" currently under development. The Astute Combat Management System is an evolved version of the Submarine Command System used on other classes of British submarine. The system receives data from the boat's sensors and displays real time imagery on all command consoles. The submarines also have Atlas Hydrographic DESO 25 high-precision echosounders, two CM010 non-hull-penetrating optronic masts—in place of conventional periscopes—which carry thermal imaging and low-light TV and colour CCD TV sensors. The class also mounts a Raytheon Successor IFF system.
For detecting enemy ships and submarines the Astute class are equipped with the sophisticated Thales Underwater Systems Sonar 2076, an integrated passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, flank and towed arrays. BAE claims that the 2076 represents a "step change" over previous sonars and is the world's most advanced and effective sonar system.
In 2012, during simulated battles with the United States Navy's latest Virginia-class submarine (the USS New Mexico), it was reported that the Americans were "taken aback" by Astute's capabilities. Royal Navy Commander Ian Breckenridge was quoted saying: “Our sonar is fantastic and I have never before experienced holding a submarine at the range we were holding USS New Mexico. The Americans were utterly taken aback, blown away with what they were seeing.”
Army Reservists of the The Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY), the South West's Army Reserve Cavalry Regiment taking part in a Challenger 2 main battle tank training exercise.
The UK ordered 200 of the Foxhound Light protected patrol vehicles. Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology, providing unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. Featuring blast survivability close to that of a Mastiff - and just a little bigger than the Snatch Land Rover it replaces – the Foxhound is ideally suited for manoeuvring around the narrow backstreets of Helmand’s towns and villages. Weighing in at six tones, it has a top speed of 70mph and can do 0-50mph in just 19 seconds. Four-wheel steering makes it extra agile, with a 40ft turning circle.
Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles are pictured during an exercise conducted by 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh (2 RWELSH).The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in the assault.
A Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle thunders across the prairies of Canada during a training exercise.Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan. The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment.
A Mastiff 2 Armoured vehicle leads the way at the Leconfield testing track in North Yorkshire.Mastiff is a heavily armoured, 6 x six-wheel-drive patrol vehicle which carries eight people, plus two crew. It is currently on its third incarnation.It is suitable for road patrols and convoys and is the newest in a range of protected patrol vehicles being used for operations.
Soldiers from 13 Close Support Logistic Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, mount a combat logistic patrol (CLP) to a Forward Operating Base.Combat logistic patrols are always amongst the most complex ground manoeuvres conducted, and this was no exception. The six-day operation involved 76 British vehicles and 22 Afghan vehicles, with 222 soldiers in total. The patrol covered a distance of 2.2 miles, reaching speeds of no more than 5mph due to the terrain of the desert.
A member of the BRF fires a .50cal Heavy Machine Gun during a night range package from a Jackel vehicle. The long exposure used by the photographer traces each round leaving the weapon.Soldiers from 4 Mechanised Brigade’s Brigade Reconnaissance Force (4 Bde BRF) took part in Exercise Jordan Express. The exercise in the south of Jordan was based in the desert and was intended to prepare the BRF in readiness for a future deployment to Afghanistan.Over 120 troops took part in the exercise which lasted approximately 4 weeks and involved various Mission Specific Training (MST) in readiness for their deployment in 2010. The arduous and demanding exercise involved several range packages, mines awareness training, physical training, reconnaissance training and signals training, as well as more conventional infantry training.4 Bde are based in Catterick, North Yorkshire, and are due to replace 11 Bde in March/April 2010 for Herrick 12. This will be 4 Bde’s first tour of Afghanistan, they will be lead by Brigade Commander Brigadier Richard Felton.
Moments before a contact from the enemy, a column of Viking armoured vehicles led by a Ridgback Armoured Fighting Vehicle rolls up to checkpoint Yellow 7 on the Shamalan Canal in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. During Operation Panchai Palang 2 (Panthers Claw), the men of 2 Company 1 Battalion Welsh Guards (2 Coy 1WG), occupied a compound overlooking Checkpoint Yellow 7, a volatile bridge crossing which had been denied to the insurgents by the introduction of obstacles and men.
Soldiers Night Firing .50 Cal Weapon in Jordan
A member of the BRF fires a .50cal Heavy Machine Gun during a night range package from a Jackal vehicle. The long exposure used by the photographer traces each round leaving the weapon.Soldiers from 4 Mechanised Brigade’s Brigade Reconnaissance Force (4 Bde BRF) took part in Exercise Jordan Express. The exercise in the south of Jordan was based in the desert and was intended to prepare the BRF in readiness for a future deployment to Afghanistan.
A soldier fires a .50 calibre machine gun mounted on a Jackal 2 all terrain vehicle, during a desert exercise in Jordan.
Soldiers from 4 Mechanized Brigade’s Brigade Reconnaissance Force (4 Bde BRF) took part in Exercise Jordan Express. The exercise in the south of Jordan was based in the desert and was intended to prepare the BRF in readiness for a future deployment to Afghanistan.
A reservist soldier with the Territorial Army (TA) is pictured on patrol in Afghanistan.There are around 30,660 Volunteer Reservists in the UK. Coming from all backgrounds, regions and jobs, these are ordinary men and women who give up their time to train and serve alongside the Regular Forces.Volunteer Reservists are called out to supplement the Regular Forces whenever Operational demands require it. If they’re mobilised they’ll carry out the same roles to the same high standards as their Regular counterparts. They also receive the same world-class training and develop the same skills.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessel RFA Fort George is pictured at sea, following a refuelling operation with a Royal Navy warship.
Pictured is Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring shortly after breaking away from a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel RFA Wave Knight, which can be seen in the background.
Soldiers file away after disembarking a Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter during Operation Banbarac 3 in Afghanistan. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (The Royal Welch Fusiliers 23rd Foot) took part in Operation Bambarac 3 in the "Pear", in North east Nad-e-Ali Region of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The Operation was conducted using a combination of foot and helicopter insertion.
Royal Air Force Merlin helicopters soar over Jordan during Exercise Desert Vortex.250 Royal Air Force personnel from RAF Odiham and RAF Benson undertook a training exercise in the Middle Eastern country. It was the first time that 6 Chinook and 3 Merlin helicopters had trained together in a desert environment, as their crews prepared for deployment to Afghanistan.
A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter provides cover for Royal Marines from Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines(FPGRM) as they board a suspicious dhow.HMS CUMBERLAND deployed from Devonport to the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa region as part of the United Kingdom's contribution to maritime security in the region.These operations included counter-smuggling (arms and drugs), counter-terrorism and counter-piracy. CUMBERLAND's newly installed Pacific 24 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) were key to these roles and allowed the Ship's embarked Royal Marines and Royal Navy Boarding Teams, in conjunction with the Lynx aircraft, to intercept and board any vessels suspected of being involved in these activities.
Seen here in the foreground at RAF Brize Norton, is the Atlas A400M. In the background are a C-17, and the C130-J in the middle.
Personnel of 51 Squadron RAF Regiment on a security patrol around the perimter of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.51 Squadron are the Resident Field Squadron at Camp Bastion who as part of 5 Force Protection Wing protect the troops and aircraft at Camp Bastion
RAF Regiment Soldiers Line Up Jackal Vehicles on a Heavy Weapons Range in Afghanistan
A 12 Squadron RAF Tornado GR4 takes off from Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan. 12 Sqn took over the close air support role in the Summer of 2009 from 1(F) Squadron Joint Force Harriers.
RAF Regiment Soldiers Deploy on US Osprey Rotary Wing Aircraft on Operation Backfoot in Afghanistan
Members of II Squadron RAF Regiment and the US Marine Corps board US Osprey Aircraft at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.The Coalition troops deployed on Operation Backfoot, a combined operation to disrupt insurgent activity in Helmand province.A Joint UK/US/Afghan operation south of Bastion Airfield involving 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment, has found and destroyed a large cache of Taliban IED-making equipment which was ready to be used in attacks against Afghan and ISAF forces.
A Gunner of 58 Squadron RAF Regiment conducting a routine patrol near to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.The Squadron's role in theatre is to provide force protection to coalition forces operating in the area and patrols such as these help them to engage with the local community.
The Joint Helicopter Force (AFGHANISTAN) or JHF (A) is a deployed tri-Service unit from the Joint Helicopter Command. Its primary purpose is to facilitate tactical mobility, reconnaissance and Aviation Fires support to the UK task force in Helmand Province and to the multi-national force of Regional Command (South).
Royal Air Force C17 Globemaster transport aircraft are pictured in the early morning mist at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.The C-17 Globemaster III is capable of rapid, strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases anywhere in the world, or directly to more temporary forward operating bases owing to its short field capability. The design of the aircraft allows it to carry out high-angle, steep approaches at relatively slow speeds, thus allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields onto runways as short as 3,500 feet long and only 90 feet wide.
Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS ST Albans (right) takes up station for replenishment whilst USS Philippine Sea (left) has already commenced replenishing from USNS Tippecanoe (centre).
RNAS Culdrose based Sea Kings from the Royal Navy’s Airborne Surveillance Force are gaining their Sea Legs again after operating for the past two years over the deserts of Afghanistan. 857 Naval Air Squadron, who fly Sea King Mk 7 Airborne Surveillance and Control helicopters, are affectionately known as “Baggers” because of the radar being held in a large Kevlar bag on the side of the aircraft. During their time on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan they completed in excess of 3,000 flying hours spread over 800 missions from Camp Bastion, the main operating Base for British Forces in the country. Swapping their Multi-Terrain Combats, they are getting familiar once again with traditional Naval Blue, and a return to Maritime operations.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS this morning sailed into Lisbon, Portugal. for a brief operational stand down. Having just spent the last few weeks at sea on Exercise Deep Blue this foreign run ashore is most welcome to the ships company. These images were taken from a seaking helicopter from 771 Naval Air squadron. The ships company were formed up on the upper deck in Procedure Alpha, with Merlin helicopters from the MCAG ranged on deck.
The exercise is an annual event held in the Baltic Sea and was first conducted in 1971. It brings together the navies of 14 NATO and non NATO countries for a 10 ten day workout that covers more than 100 serials. Hosted by the US Navy, 30 ships are participating as well as more than 50 aircraft. Pictured is FGS Hamburg passing alongside HMS Montrose for a ceremonial salute during Ex BALTOPS 2014.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS at sea undergoing aviation workup and training.
HMS BULWARK conducts a Photographic exercise (PHOTEX) whilst on transit to Normandy.
Live firing trial of the sea skua missile system held at MOD Aberporth, West Wales. Picture: LA(Phot) IGGY Roberts.702 and 815 Naval Air Squadron took part in "Aftershock." A live firing trial of the sea skua missile system.The trials were held at MOD Aberporth, West Wales. There were single firing serials and dual firing conducted through the barnacle formation.
HMS Iron Duke Seawolf firing with 997 Radar. Ops Room team have closed up prior to the firing of a Radar contact.
HMS MONTROSE initially sailed into the Mediterranean in August with a number of other warships as part of the Response Force Task Group for Cougar 2013, designed to exercise to enhance the Royal Navy’s skill at operating at long range from land the UK and other support. They then went into the Persian Gulf conducting maritime security and reassurance patrols alongside partner nations in the region; safeguarding the sea lanes of the Middle East.
After a successful port visit to Jakarta, Indonesia the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring sailed to exercise at sea with the Indonesian Navy, an opportunity to practice international naval operating procedures in a busy region of maritime trade. Daring took part in a Photex with KRI Yos Sudarso, a Ahmad Yani (Van Speijk) Indonesian Class Frigate before conducting a series of officer of the watch drills and manoeuvre's. As the inaugural visit of a Type 45 Destroyer to Indonesia the opportunity to build on the bilateral defence and trade relationship between Indonesia and Britain will be the focus of the time spent in Jakarta. Indonesia's highly capable and sizeable Navy is an exciting partner for the Royal Navy and shares the common goals of protecting trade routes and supporting maritime security in this area.
HMS TORBAY coming home after a successful 9 months deployment in the Mediterranean Sea.
HMS Westminster has met up with Italian Destroyer Francesco Mimbelli to conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare exercises (ASWEX). During this time, a Crosspol was conducted with the Italian Destroyer, along with Operations Rooms teams closed up for the duration of the exercise.
After completing the Op Cougar phase in the Mediterranean Sea, HMS Westminster has now travelled through the world famous Suez Canal in order to continue her exercise with other Units in the Gulf. The Ship is due to return to the UK.
HMS TIRELESS takes part in operation ICEX conducting classified testing on submarine operability and war fighting capabilities in the Arctic waters of the North Polar Ice Cap region. HMS TIRELESSsurfaces for approximately 3 hours, to drop off members of the Tigress video production company who were onboard filming the crew of HMS TIRELESS for a forth coming documentary about submariners, and a documentary to be shown on the National geographic channel on the impact of global warming on the Polar Ice Cap.
HMS Edinburgh sails past iconic features such as the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Freedom Tower, the new world Trade Centre post the 911 terrorist attacks. HMS Edinburgh has completed a high profile visit to New York City. After leaving her berth in Brooklyn, she will now head back to her home town of Portsmouth Naval Base after a 7 month long deployment in the South Atlantic.
David Cameron visits the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) where he delivered a speech.
