The first of Britain’s new nuclear deterrent submarines, HMS Dreadnought has now been under construction for over 4 years. Although still relatively early days and available information is inevitably limited, some further details of the boat’s design and progress on this vast project have emerged since our first article on the subject in 2017.
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HMS Echo and HMS Enterprise are the Royal Navy’s hydrographic oceanographic survey vessels (SVHO). Designed to survey both coastal and ocean waters, they have also proved flexible and adaptable to a variety of other roles. Here we look at the history, design and service life of these two ships.
The ubiquitous Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS) provides warships a last line of defence against missiles, aircraft and small boats. Upgraded over time, it has been in service for 38 years with the Royal Navy. Here we look at the history, design and capabilities of this system.
In May 2020 the first successful firings of the Martlet (Lightweight Multi-role Missile) were made from a Wildcat helicopter. Are we look at the development of this weapon and the new airborne anti-surface capability this will give the Royal Navy.
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HMS Scott is the Royal Navy’s Ocean Survey vessel. Although the 5th largest ship in the RN fleet, she maintains a relatively low profile, spending long periods at sea on her primary duty, mapping the bottom of the world’s oceans. Here we look at the history, design and role of the ship.
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Naval radar is a highly technical and sensitive subject but here we provide a basic overview of the world-renowned SAMPSON Multi-Function Radar (MFR) that is integral to the air defence capabilities of the RN’s Type 45 destroyers.
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Plans to convert another dry dock in Devonport to refit the Dreadnought class submarines were recently revealed in an outline planning application. Here we examine the context and reasons for the upgrade.
In two previous articles (written in 2017) we covered the background, procurement, design and equipping of the Poseidon MRA1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft being purchased by the RAF. With two of the nine aircraft having arrived in the UK in so far, here we provide an update on the progress of this project that is critical to UK naval operations.More
Electro-optical director (EOD) mounts provide important situational awareness, visual tracking and gunnery fire control. Here we take brief look at the history and capabilities of these systems in RN service.