All posts tagged: Royal Navy

Brave pensioners’ defiant response to Putin warship scare | UK | News

Brave pensioners’ defiant response to Putin warship scare | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Royal Navy sources suggested the Russian vessel may have encountered technical difficulties (Image: FB) A British couple caught up in a confrontation with a Russian warship in the English Channel have spoken of their ordeal after reaching France safely, and issued a defiant message. Alan Kelvey, 71, and his wife Jane, 69, were sailing aboard their yacht Bright Future when shots were reportedly fired from the nearby Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich. The couple had left Lymington in Hampshire during the early hours and were around 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight when the incident unfolded on Thursday. After arriving in Cherbourg later that day, the pair were described by fellow sailors as visibly shaken by what had happened. One witness said Jane responded with characteristic humour when told she should have fired back, reportedly replying: “I would have if we’d had something.” The yacht owners later gave their own account of the incident, insisting they had not been steering towards the Russian vessel. Jane reportedly said: “We could see the ship in the …

Government undermining UK defence as Keir Starmer’s dithering blasted by MPs | UK | News

Government undermining UK defence as Keir Starmer’s dithering blasted by MPs | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Prime Minister is set to finally release the Defence Investment Plan (Image: Getty) The government’s delay in publishing the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has undermined the UK government’s ability to provide a stronger deterrent to its adversaries, MPs have claimed. The Public Accounts Committee warned that the long delay to the DIP risks squandering the opportunities provided by advances in technology, hindering the government’s attempts to modernise the Armed Forces. The plan, which had been due for release last autumn, has suffered a series of delays due to wranglings between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Treasury, the Daily Express understands. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, believes that excuses given for the delay “do not cut it”, as a report by the group found that delays are seriously undermining the Department’s efforts to modernise the Armed Forces and achieve value for money for the taxpayer The Defence Investment Plan will set out how modernisation will be funded (Image: Getty) Sir Geoffrey said: “Those responsible may argue there are …

Technical issue detected on UK’s largest warship HMS Prince of Wales

Technical issue detected on UK’s largest warship HMS Prince of Wales

Published by Sam Flores

A technical issue has been detected on the UK’s largest warship as it was docked at a port in Norway, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. Earlier this month, HMS Prince of Wales set sail from Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, for Nordic waters to provide security in the Atlantic and High North regions. “A minor technical issue” was identified on the Royal Navy’s most powerful vessel during its latest stop in Stavanger, a port city in south-western Norway, the MoD said. The aircraft carrier is expected to sail in the coming days, the ministry added. Credit: MoD / Crown” loading=”lazy” width=”960″ height=”540″ decoding=”async” data-nimg=”1″ class=”rounded-lg” style=”color:transparent” fifu-data-src=”https://i3.wp.com/s.yimg.com/lo/mysterio/api/c91e8c2c980c59ec6cd37075961e292dfb79e093d4cf2a68ebea06b72e7171ce/lightyear_networkapi/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fitv_news_193%2F495930cd0459ad62edb014c621acde27?ssl=1″/> A Merlin MK2 helicopter lands on the HMS Prince of Wales as the ship sails from Glenmallen, Scotland. Credit: MoD / Crown An MoD spokesperson said: “HMS Prince of Wales is currently conducting a port visit to Stavanger as part of the Carrier Strike Group’s deployment across the North Atlantic and Arctic, we expect her to set sail in the coming days.” The ship, which is …

HMS Prince of Wales breaks down as UK’s biggest warship left stranded | UK | News

HMS Prince of Wales breaks down as UK’s biggest warship left stranded | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s colossal £3.5billion aircraft carrier and Britain’s largest warship, has reportedly suffered another breakdown. The HMS Prince of Wales departed from the Glen Mallan jetty in Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, bound for Nordic waters to provide security across the Atlantic and High North regions last month. However, according to reports, the vessel has been compelled to dock in Norway for repairs, postponing her departure for commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. A senior naval source reportedly told the Daily Mail the carrier’s latest difficulties were ‘devastating for morale’. The vessel is typically based in Portsmouth. She weighs an enormous 65,000 tonnes and costs £3billion. The ship encountered difficulties back in 2022, when she experienced an “emerging mechanical issue” off the south coast, merely one day into her voyage to the US. The most recent setback is described as a ‘minor technical issue’ which necessitated the 65,000-tonne carrier docking in Stavanger, Norway. The latest problem emerges as Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton emphasised …

Keir Starmer has finally stood up to Rachel Reeves and the Left but it is too late | Politics | News

Keir Starmer has finally stood up to Rachel Reeves and the Left but it is too late | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Reports over the weekend suggest that Sir Keir Starmer is finally set to agree to the funding required for the Ministry of Defence to afford all 62 of the recommendations in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). In a complex, high-threat world, the news is more than welcome, but way overdue. Yet desp[ite being welcome, it poses the bigger question: why now? Why has the Prime Minister waited until his back was against a wall, with threats all around, to agree to the measure that was laid bare nearly a year ago when the SDR was released? The timing poses a second question, does the Prime Minister recognise the threats facing the country or is he simply consumed with self-preservation? An increase to defence spending was obvious long before Rishi Sunak stood umbrella-less in the rain to call a general election. Russia’s war in Ukraine was raging, Iran and Israel were trading missiles and drones and China was expanding its influence across every corner of the globe. Yet Labour have dragged their heels at every opportunity. …

Babcock takes £140m hit from reworks to new Royal Navy warships

Babcock takes £140m hit from reworks to new Royal Navy warships

Published by Sam Flores

Defence giant Babcock has revealed it took a £140 million hit for late-stage reworks to its newest Royal Navy warships. The London-listed company, which is a major contractor for the Ministry of Defence, told investors that its annual financial results had been impacted by the charge on its Type 31 contract. Under the contract, Babcock is set to deliver five frigates that are being built at its manufacturing site in Rosyth in Fife. The first and second ships took to the water for the first time during the past year after four years of construction. But Babcock said on Wednesday it had experienced “higher than expected levels of rework as a result of changes to the design” and that the work “is being performed in the later stages of completion, and therefore is more complex and more costly”. The third and fourth ships are still in early construction stages so will not be as affected by reworks as the first two, it said. Babcock said the £140 million charge reflects the revised costs needed to …

Royal Navy issues urgent Strait of Hormuz update for HMS Dragon | World | News

Royal Navy issues urgent Strait of Hormuz update for HMS Dragon | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Royal Navy has issued a major update regarding its HMS Dragon. The warship is heading to the Middle East as part of a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz and safeguard freedom of navigation. It comes as the UK and France are set to host a meeting of defence ministers from the Strait of Hormuz coalition. According to the Royal Navy, the warship will use her Sea Viper missile system to safeguard the UK’s assets and interests. The Type 45 destroyer will be supported by Wildcats from 815 Naval Air Squadron, equipped with Marlet missiles to counter drone threats. HMS Dragon’s Commanding Officer, Commander Iain Giffin, said: “I am proud that Dragon is playing such a prominent role in the UK’s presence in the region as part of a multi-national task force seeking to assure the freedom of navigation and restoring vital trade routes.” The ship left its Portsmouth base in March and has been helping safeguard Cyprus. Commander Iain Giffin added: “Following our time defending Cyprus, Dragon has proven that she is …

The scrapped warship that makes a mockery of the British navy

The scrapped warship that makes a mockery of the British navy

Published by Sam Flores

In 35 years at sea, HMS Iron Duke only ever fired her guns in anger a handful of times. She did so to hit a gun battery during the war against Colonel Gaddafi in Libya in 2011, and before that while seizing drugs in the Caribbean in 2009. For a Type 23 frigate, designed in the 1980s to take on the might of the Soviet navy, it was small-scale stuff. But at a time when the Cold War seemed long over, it was a reminder that a well-resourced navy still had its uses. Yet for many years during those more peaceful times, that reminder was ignored. Rather than building replacements for the 15-strong Type 23 fleet, each of which had an intended 18-year lifespan, the order books were kept empty. That meant frigates such as the Iron Duke, which launched in 1991, were kept at sea long past their use-by date. Last week, it was revealed that the ship had quietly been withdrawn from service in October – despite having had an almost five-year, £103m …

Royal Navy to send HMS Dragon to Strait of Hormuz | World | News

Royal Navy to send HMS Dragon to Strait of Hormuz | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon is being sent to the Middle East in preparation for a potential international mission to safeguard shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. The Type 45 destroyer will “pre-position” in the region, ready to join the UK and French-led initiative once hostilities cease between Iran and US-Israeli forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. A fragile ceasefire remains in place, despite American forces hitting two Iranian tankers allegedly attempting to breach a US blockade of the strait. Donald Trump is attempting to put pressure on Iran by preventing ships travelling to or from its ports along the narrow waterway, restricting Tehran’s ability to export oil. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world’s oil supply usually passes through — has effectively been closed since early March. Iran began stopping shipping traffic from passing through the chokepoint in response to US-Israeli strikes, causing disruption to supply chains and oil prices to surge. Earlier this week, a French container ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring several …