UK to Transfer Two Minehunters to Ukraine
Britain said on Monday it would transfer two Royal Navy minehunter ships to the Ukrainian Navy, as it sets up a new maritime defence coalition alongside Norway to help strengthen Ukraine's sea operations.Britain said the two Sandown Class mine countermeasures vessels will enable Ukraine to better counter the threat from Russian sea mines, aiming to restore Ukraine's export routes via the Black Sea.The transfer of the vessels was announced alongside the launch of the Maritime Capability Coalition set up by Britain and Norway to improve Ukraine's navy to make it more compatible with western
UK, Finland, Estonia Practice Subsea Infrastructure Protection in Baltic Sea
Command said.All three participants are members of the NATO military alliance but the exercise is taking place under their Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence cooperation, which encompasses the Nordic and Baltic states, the Netherlands and Britain.Britain said on Thursday it would send seven Royal Navy ships and a maritime patrol aircraft to take part in JEF patrols in the region in December.In October, Britain had said it planned to step up its military presence in Northern Europe, including deploying 20,000 troops to the region next year, to help protect critical infrastructure at a time of
Babcock Signs $916M Submarine Infrastructure Deal with UK Defense Ministry
the infrastructure required to support and sustain the UK’s submarines for decades to come.As part of the major infrastructure program underway at the Devonport site, Babcock said it would deliver substantial upgrades to existing infrastructure that will support the future capability of the Royal Navy and the UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise.The contract for the delivery of infrastructure to support submarine maintenance includes a dock, logistics, and modern support facilities.The contract forms part of the site-wide infrastructure upgrade programme at Devonport to enable the ongoing delivery
Converted OSV Enters Service in the UK as an Underwater Surveillance Ship
A converted offshore support vessel has taken on a new life as a dedicated underwater surveillance ship for the U.K.'s Royal Navy.Christened during a ceremony in London on October 10, RFA Proteus will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a launchpad for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a home to a suite of specialist capabilities similar to those found in the offshore oil and gas industry.The ship, built in 2017 as a subsea construction vessel named Topaz Tangaroa, was acquired by the U.K. Ministry of Defense in January and converted at Cammell Laird for its new role as a
BAE Systems Secures $4,81B Funding for Next-Gen Nuclear Submarine Program
awarded £3.95 billion (currently ~$4,81 billion) of funding to BAE Systems for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine program, known as SSN-AUKUS.According to BAE Systems, SSN-AUKUS will be the largest, most powerful, and most advanced attack submarine the Royal Navy has ever operated and will eventually replace the Astute class, which BAE Systems builds at its site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.The funding follows the AUKUS announcement in March by the leaders of Australia, the UK and the United States. This will eventually see Australia and the UK operate
Taiwan Expects to Deploy Two New Submarines by 2027
the message to their governments or arrange meetings," he said. "I told them our needs and that's how we achieved our purpose of securing export permits."Huang also expressed thanks for the "great help" from a team led by an unnamed retired rear admiral of Britain's Royal Navy, who secured export permits from Britain through a Gibraltar-based company.Britain sharply increased the amount of submarine parts and technology exports approved last year for Taiwan, a Reuters analysis of the data showed.Huang described the program as "even harder than reaching the sky,"
EIVA Containerized ROTV to the Royal Navy
a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) with a total value of approximately $4 million to deliver a containerised remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV) solution displaying data in NaviSuite software. When delivered, the ROTV, an EIVA ScanFish L, will be integrated into the Royal Navy’s seabed warfare system of systems. Capable of operating from different host platforms, this system will enable the simultaneous operation of multiple acoustic survey sensors and instruments. Able to operate beyond the continental shelf the containerised ROTV solution provided by
Malaysia Detains Chinese Ship Linked to Suspected Illegal Salvage of British WW2 Wrecks
World War Two wrecks off the coast of Malaysia - the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse - which were sunk by Japanese torpedoes in 1941, just three days after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Following reports of the illegal salvage activity, Britain's National Museum of the Royal Navy last week said it was "distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit" of the two wrecks. The defense ministry condemned "desecration" of maritime military graves, the BBC said on Saturday.A ship registered in Fuzhou, China and carrying
Spanish Navy Ship Sent to Draw Up Maps Loses Its Way
;After an initial inspection... no structural damage can be seen," it said. No injuries were reported.The Malaspina, built in 1975 and refurbished in 2007, has sailed more than 180,000 miles (289,680 km) collecting undersea topography data along the Spanish coast.It is named after 18th-century Royal Navy Brigadier Alejandro Malaspina, famous for leading the largest scientific expedition around the globe at the time.The name can also be translated into English as 'having a bad feeling'.(Reuters - Reporting by Emma Pinedo; editing by Andrei Khalip and Jonathan Oatis
February 2024
