British-Spanish team bid to build the Fleet Solid Support ship
This week ‘Team Resolute’ went public. This is a new partnership between Spanish shipbuilder, Navantia, Belfast shipyard, Harland & Wolff and naval architects, BMT to bid for the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship contract. Here we consider this partnership and summarise the story of FSS so far.
Why a submarine-based nuclear deterrent is the best choice for the UK
This piece was inspired by a recent click-bait gem that proposes the UK consider joining the US Long-Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) programme with a view to replacing the submarine-launched nuclear deterrent with an air-launched alternative. This kind of proposal rears its ugly head very so often and was even briefly enshrined in UKIP defence policy. Here […]
Remembrance 2015. We will remember them
As we pay tribute those who gave their lives in service of their country, here we focus on just a few examples of sacrifices made by men of the Royal Navy.
Unmanned Platforms & the Royal Navy – Part 2 Surface & Underwater Systems
For most navies including the RN, the trend is towards building bigger, more powerful and expensive ‘small combatants’. Unmanned technology offers new possibilities to partially escape this size, cost and complexity spiral. It also can save exposing the crew to danger as well as the cost and size penalty of their accommodation space.
Unmanned Platforms & the Royal Navy – Part 1 Aerial Systems
Since its inception the RN has been a service of technology; often under-funded, often outnumbered but rarely out-thought. The Navy board is determined the RN will regain its reputation as a leader in technology
Why warship numbers matter
In 1963 the Royal Navy commissioned 9 Tribal & Leander class frigates – 9 frigates in a single year. Around 50 years later the RN has just 13 frigates in total, has not commissioned a new frigate since 2002 and will not receive another frigate before at least 2024.
UK and NATO navies take further small steps in developing ballistic missile defence
NATO warships will gather for Exercise Joint Warrior (JW15-2) in Scottish waters from 5th-16th October 2015. This large biannual event has been running for many years and covers the full spectrum naval operations. This month JW15-2 will introduce a unique component with an at sea demonstration (ASD15) of a ballistic missile interception. Networked sensors aboard several NATO warships will be used […]
A critical moment for the Type 26 Frigate programme
Speaking at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) Exhibition last week, the First Sea Lord Admiral Zambellas said: “the Type 26 [Frigate] will form the backbone of the Royal Navy, with a design that has the potential to meet the operational needs of a number of major navies around the world.”
The Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter fleet – bearing a heavy load
Glossy MoD publicity may give the impression the Fleet Air Arm is in rude health with several new types of aircraft coming into service to replace ageing veterans. A new generation of aircraft are indeed being delivered but the actual number of helicopters in RN service will have declined dramatically by 57% (From 194 to 83) […]
