UK Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

thunderchief

Senior Member
Bang goes the no claims! Royal Navy nuclear submarine suffers £500,000 damage after 'hitting floating ice' while tracking Russian vessels
5,300-ton HMS Talent has a huge dent and will be out of action for weeks
Defence officials have refused to disclose exact details of the crash
It will cost an estimated £500,000 to repair, navy sources have claimed

A British nuclear submarine suffered £500,000 damage in a collision while tracking Russian vessels, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The 5,300-ton HMS Talent limped back to port with a huge dent and will be out of action for several months. Royal Navy top brass are investigating the incident.

Last night, defence officials refused to disclose exact details of the crash – including where or when it happened – but they were adamant that HMS Talent struck ‘floating ice’ rather than a Russian sub.

But the collision, which ripped a 6ft hole at the top of the conning tower, comes at a time of heightened tension between Britain and Russia in the airspace over the North Sea and beneath the waves.

Britain is understood to be mounting frequent patrols of the North Sea and areas as far north as the Arctic Circle, while the Russians have increased their submarine activity by half in the past 18 months.

Navy sources say the damage to the nuclear-powered submarine, which will cost as estimated £500,000 to repair, is consistent with striking an object while trying to surface.....

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Jeff Head

General
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UK-Keeps-a-Close-Eye-on-Russian-Warship.jpg

Naval Today said:
The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it is monitoring Russian warships as they sail through the English Channel.

Russian Udaloy class destroyer Severomorsk, along with two of its support vessels, is on a return journey from the Mediterranean. The vessels entered the Channel this morning and are expected to leave it later.

Even though Russia reported the vessels would conduct anti-aircraft and anti-submarine drills, the Ministry said on its social media website that there was no evidence of such operations.

Plymouth-based HMS Argyll, assisted by its Lynx helicopter, is tracking the vessels.
 

Jeff Head

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HMS-Prince-of-Wales-Bridge-Ready-for-First-Sea-Voyage2.jpg
Naval Today said:
The most iconic section of the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier has been loaded out of its dock hall in Glasgow ahead of its first sea voyage to Rosyth.

Upper Block 07 is where HMS Prince of Wales will be commanded atop the flight deck and is known as the Forward Island. As the main hub of the ship it contains the bridge and approximately 100 vital mission systems compartments.

The Forward Island has been under wraps in Govan since construction on the section began in December 2013, but it is now visible from the west end of Glasgow.

Mick Ord, Managing Director at BAE Systems Naval Ships, said:

This is a fantastic milestone for HMS Prince of Wales as its Forward Island is delivered ahead of schedule and to an exceptional standard of engineering.

A single remote control and 144 wheels were used to drive the 680 tonne Forward Island from inside the ship build hall to the dock side at a careful half a mile per hour.

The Forward Island took another short journey on April 18 onto a waiting barge where it remains on the Clyde until its departure from Glasgow on Friday, 24 April.

After the transportation team ensures the Forward Island is secured for its sea voyage, it will sail down the Clyde and around the north coast of Scotland on a five day voyage to Rosyth where final assembly is taking place.

The Forward Island has deck-to-deck windows, which are up to two metres tall to ensure a level of visibility far beyond previous aircraft carriers and are designed to withstand a significant impact, such as a helicopter’s spinning rotor blade.

Seems like just yesterday we were reporting on the HMS Queen Elizabeth island being moved. How time flies!
 

Jeff Head

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HMS-Somerset-Incercepts-Possible-Drug-Transport.jpg

Naval Today said:
Nine people detained for questioning on suspicion of transporting drugs.

The Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset, in joint operation with Border Force cutter Valiant, intercepted a tug boat Hamal in the North Sea yesterday, Thursday. The vessel was sailing some 100 miles east of Aberdeen’s coast when it was approached and boarded by the Navy team. The tug was later escorted to port for a full search.

Specialist Border Force officers, supported by Police Scotland, are currently conducting the search.

It is believed that the Tanzanian-registered tug boat was bound for Germany, as reported by STV.
I am glad that the Somerset was able to intercept this vessel.

Having said that, the fact that a first rate, main naval surface combatant was used is telling. Heck, the US Navy is doing the same with Burke destroyers!

They would be far better suited to let these vessels use their extraordinary capabilities in pursuit of their nation's military national interests and build more Offshore Patrol Vessels and the like to handle these situations.

The Type 23 Frigates are amongst the best ASW platforms in the world and, IMHO, they should be their time honing those skills.
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
They would be far better suited to let these vessels use their extraordinary capabilities in pursuit of their nation's military national interests and build more Offshore Patrol Vessels and the like to handle these situations.
Ofc !

And frequently a Type 23 is deployed in Caribbean sea, Dutch use her big Holland OPV also have only 6 DDG/FFG !
 
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