Mothership to support autonomous mine hunting systems arrives in the UK
Offshore Support Vessel, MV Island Crown arrived in Devonport yesterday on her delivery voyage from Ulsteinvik, Norway. She will join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and operate Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USV) in support of mine countermeasures tasks around the UK and in European waters.
The Type 32 frigate programme – over before it began?
There are strong indications the five Type 32 frigates that would follow on from the Type 31 programme will be axed due to lack of funding. Here we look at the implications of this decision and its impacts on industry and the future RN fleet.
Team Resolute formally awarded contract to build Fleet Solid Support Ships
Following the announcement in November 2022 that the Team Resolute consortium was the preferred bidder, today the MoD signed the contract to build the 3 ships.
UK purchases commercial vessel for conversion to ocean surveillance ship
The offshore support vessel, MV Topaz Tangaroa has been purchased by the UK Ministry of Defence for conversion to a Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) ship. She will arrive at Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside this week for conversion and will serve in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary renamed RFA Proteus.
Developing the Type 31 frigate
To some extent, the capability of the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the background to its development. Public perception has perhaps been over-focused on cost and initial armament, obscuring what has been achieved. In this article, we look at the procurement process and design philosophy that underpins the project.
BBC to broadcast documentary covering the 2021 Carrier Strike Group deployment
The first of a long-awaited 6-part documentary series “The Warship: Tour of Duty” covering the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (May-December 2021) will be broadcast on BBC Two and iPlayer on Sunday 22nd January 2023 at 9pm.
The Royal Navy’s Astute class submarines: Part 1 – development and delivery
In the first of a series of articles focussing on the Astute class SSNs, we look at the programme’s history and how decisions made decades ago continue to impact today’s fleet.
A year in review β the Royal Navy in 2022
In this article we look back at the previous year, summarising the key events and achievements of the Royal Navy in 2022.
Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control due to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2023
The Merlin helicopters equipped with the Crowsnest ASaC role kit are a critical aspect of the carrier strike programme. In this article, we look at how the troubled Crowsnest development project and efforts to bring the system into frontline service have progressed in the last year or so.
