Concerns exist about the MoD’s capacity to manage the risk created by the capability gap in maritime surveillance and about its ability to react to demand in the short and medium term, says the Defence Committee in its report, published yesterday, entitled “Future Maritime Surveillance”. The Committ
HMS Ambush – the second of the Navy’s planned flotilla of seven Astute-class submarines – yesterday made her debut in Scotland as she arrived at Faslane. The £1bn boat has spent the past four days undergoing trials on the 200-mile journey from the yard where she was built to her new home. The £1bn [
One of the inaugural steps in preparing Royal Navy sailors to man the first of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers due in 2016 has been taken with the opening of a brand new training facility. The 65,000 tonne carrier – which weighs three times as much as HMS Illustrious – is currently being assemble
ULSTEIN has over time been cooperating with the American shipbuilding group Vigor Industrial in the development of the conceptual design for a coastguard vessel (OPC – Offshore Patrol Cutter). Vigor is now announcing ULSTEIN’s SX151 design in the United States as part of a campaign aimed at the U.S.
Kelvin Hughes Surveillance has secured an agreement to supply integrated bridge systems (IBS) and helicopter control radars for four fleet tankers being built for the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The ships are the first phase of the UK MOD’s Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) program
HMS Ocean returns to its home-port of HM Naval Base, Devonport at Plymouth on Friday (21 September) after two months on the Thames supporting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy’s largest warship, has been moored on the river Thames off Greenwich playing a key rol
Two fishermen who fell into the sea after their fishing trawler capsized off Berry Head in Devon yesterday were given immediate first aid by a supply ship to the Royal Navy. Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, Wave Knight was called to the scene by the Portland Coastguard to assist in the search after anoth
On Saturday 8 September, Spanish warship ESPS Relámpago, currently operating as part of the EU Naval Force – Operation ATALANTA, fighting piracy off the Somali Coast, rescued 68 people after finding them adrift in a small boat in the middle of the Gulf of Aden. The stricken vessel was first sighted
Russian military and French shipbuilding company DCNS failed to come to terms over an important issue regarding Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, an informed insider of Russian defense industry told Izvestiya. Russian defense ministry rejected the offer of DCNS to equip Mistral ships with land
A host of Royal Navy assets is supporting the ever-popular Dartmouth Regatta this year, with pride of place going to Guard Ship HMS St Albans, which will be stationed at the mouth of the Dart for five days. Type 23 frigate St Albans – which is being officially hosted by Britannia Royal Naval College
On 26 August, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission Vice President, Catherine Ashton visited the French EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta (EU NAVFOR) warship La Fayette during her visit to Kenya and Somalia. She was welcomed on board by the Com
After her involvement in the London 2012 Olympics, the crew of HMS Bulwark is preparing to serve as the hub for the security effort surrounding the Paralympic sailing events. The assault ship will serve as the command and control centre for maritime security operations around Portland for the durati
Royal Marines aboard HMS Sutherland have been honing their pirate take-down skills by ‘rapid roping’ from the frigate’s helicopter in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Despite punishing temperatures– at least mid-30s Celsius by day – the Fighting Clan continues the struggle against international terro
The latest design of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship (T26 GCS), the next generation of warships, has been unveiled. The Ministry of Defence has released images showing the basic specification of the T26 GCS, which is a significant milestone in the development of this programme. The creat
