UK Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Neutral Zone said:

For me 8 is the bare minimum, 10 would be good, the original requirement of 12 would be superb. As well as numbers I hope they turn out more than just pure area air defence ships, and that means TLAM, Harpoon and in a perfect world, RAM.

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The captain in charge of the 15 marines detained in Iran has said they were gathering intelligence on the Iranians.

Sky News went on patrol with Captain Chris Air and his team in Iraqi waters close to the area where they were arrested - just five days before the crisis began.

We withheld the interview until now so it would not jeopardise their safety.

And today, former Iranian diplomat Dr Mehrdad Khonsari said if the Iranians had known about it, they would have used it to "justify taking the marines captive and put them on trial".

Captain Air and his team were on an 'Interaction Patrol' where their patrol boats came alongside fishing dhows.

The operation was mainly to investigate arms smuggling and terrorism but Captain Air said it was also to gain intelligence on Iranian activity.

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Royal Navy personnel seized by Iran were blindfolded, bound and held in isolation during their 13 days in captivity, the crew have said. They were lined up while weapons were cocked, making them "fear the worst", one of the 15 freed sailors revealed.

The crew were told that if they did not admit they were in Iranian waters when captured that they faced seven years in prison, a press conference heard. Opposing their captors was "not an option," they said. And after the 15 marines and sailors were seized they were subjected to random interrogation and rough handling, and faced constant psychological pressure, they said.

The navy has already begun a review of the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Royal Marine Captain Chris Air, 25, from Altrincham, Cheshire, said they had seconds to make a decision when confronted by the Iranians while carrying out a routine operation.

"We are aware that many people have questioned why we allowed ourselves to be taken in the first place and why we allowed ourselves to be shown by the Iranian authorities on television. Let me be absolutely clear, from the outset it was very apparent that fighting back was simply not an option. Had we chosen to do so then many of us would not be standing here today. Of that I have no doubts".

Had they resisted there would have been a fight they could not have won, he said. "Fighting back would have caused a major international incident and an escalation of tension within the region," he said.

Two of the crew read out a prepared statement to the press conference at the Royal Marines Barracks at Chivenor, in north Devon.

Lieutenant Felix Carman, 26, of Swansea, south Wales, said the sailors and marines were on an operation on 23 March, 1.7 nautical miles from Iranian waters, when they were captured. Cpt Chris Air said the crew had made it clear they were on a "routine operation allowed under a UN mandate" but the Iranians had a "planned intent."

"Some of the Iranian sailors were becoming deliberately aggressive and unstable."

Their boat was surrounded by six boats and rammed and they were trained with heavy machine guns and weapons.

The officer in charge Lt Carman said they were taken to a prison in Tehran where they were stripped and dressed in pyjamas. They were kept in stone cells, sleeping on blankets and held in isolation until the last few nights and frequently interrogated.

Lt Carman said they were given two choices. "If we admitted we had strayed, we would be on a plane back to the UK soon. If we didn't we faced up to seven years in prison".

The only woman in the group, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, believed for at least four days that she was the only one still being held. "Like all of us she has been exploited," Cpt Air said.

Royal Marine Joe Tindell told how they feared for their lives in prison. "We had a blindfold and plastic cuffs, hands behind our backs, heads against the wall. Basically there were weapons cocking. Someone, I'm not sure who, someone said, I quote 'lads, lads I think we're going to get executed'. After that comment someone was sick and as far as I was concerned he had just had his throat cut."

Lt Carman said they were only allowed to gather for a few hours together, in the full glare of Iranian media. He said they only learned they were going to be released when they watched the Iranian president on TV.

"There was a huge moment of elation," he said.

Iranian TV has said it expected some of the British sailors would come under pressure from the UK government when they returned home to change their story.

The navy's review will look at the the circumstances surrounding the incident and the wider rules of engagement for UK forces operating in the area.

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The MoD has placed a £200 million contract with British industry for the construction of a new nuclear powered attack submarine, to be named HMS Audacious.

The 7,800 tonne boat, which will be equipped with the latest cruise missiles, is the fourth of the Astute class, the largest and most powerful attack submarines ever built in Britain for the Royal Navy. Assembly of the submarine is expected to start later this year.

Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support said:

“Audacious will join the three other submarines of the Astute class already under construction at the BAE Systems shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to the attack submarine programme, as set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy. It also demonstrates our commitment to the Royal Navy, which needs these submarines to fulfil its duties around the globe. It demonstrates the best of British technology and our determination to develop and transform the UK Submarine industry over the coming years.”

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said:

“We need a versatile maritime force across the operational spectrum. Astute forms a key part of this future programme and is designed as a multi role platform. The first of these immensely powerful submarines, HMS Astute, is launched next month and I look forward to her entry into service with her sisters, Ambush and Artful – and now the fourth of the class, Audacious. These boats will help protect Britain’s interests overseas for decades to come.”

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Military chiefs have drawn up plans to speed up the withdrawal of the vast majority of British troops from Iraq within 12 months.

The new proposed timetable, which would see almost all the 5,500 British troops return home by next May, will be presented to Gordon Brown when he takes over as Prime Minister later this month.

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Troop numbers have already been reduced from 7,000 to 5,500 in the past few weeks. Most British bases in and around Basra have closed, except for the camps at Basra Palace and the airport on the western edge of the city.

The first signs that Britain was considering an early withdrawal from Iraq emerged last October when General Sir Richard Dannatt, the chief of the defence staff, said that Britain should withdraw troops "sometime soon" because "our presence exacerbates the security problems".

The Ministry of Defence yesterday said that its policy on withdrawal from Iraq was unchanged and that it was still considering a number of options.

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The Royal Navy’s newest super-submarine, Astute, was launched today, 8 June 2007, by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria.

Astute is the first nuclear submarine to be launched in the UK for almost a decade. She has been built in the UK using the latest and most advanced naval engineering techniques. Construction has been described as more complex than that of the space shuttle.

Far bigger and more potent than the current class of attack submarines, this super stealthy vessel is almost 100m long, and weighs 7,400 tonnes. She will never need to be refuelled and her advanced on-board life support systems mean she can circumnavigate the globe without needing to surface.

Astute's first Commanding Officer, Commander Mike Walliker, believes the size of Astute will not present too many difficulties:
"She is about 2000 tonnes in displacement greater than a normal submarine but she is about half the size of the Vanguard Class submarines so we’re very used to operating submarines of this size. Submariners are all trained to the same high level, whatever boat we’re operating and the operation of a boat is broadly the same."

Astute is using a new optronics system which means she is not fitted with the traditional periscope. Commander Walliker does see this as a challenge:
"Not having a periscope will be the biggest challenge for me. We’re taking a submarine to sea for the first time with the optronics system and this is a new and unproven capability, but when I say unproven, I mean unproven to the Royal Navy at sea, but it is proven to other navies and so I’m not envisioning problems, but it is a challenge."

Although she is bigger than previous submarines, her crew is actually marginally smaller, with around 98 people required to operate her, 17 less than the Trafalgar Class submarines:
"She is a bigger boat, but with a smaller crew because of the advances with engineering meaning less people are required to maintain her, less people needed in weapons stowage and a general drive to drive down the manpower needed for submarines.

"Nuclear submarines clearly operate at the highest end of the war fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces. At the beginning stages of a conflict Astute could be used for intelligence gathering. She can carry Tomahawk missiles, which can travel 1,000 miles, that can be used at any stage of a conflict for coercion and deterrence.

"And then she can used in support of maritime task groups and act independently as part of the key cornerstone of defence policy, expeditionary warfare."

HMS Astute launch Although Commander Walliker took command a month ago, he found out he was taking command of Astute nine months ago. He has been taking a keen interest in her progress for over four years:
"I’ve been living and breathing it for nine months," he explained. "It’s a massive privilege to command her. Of my generation it’s everyone’s dream to command a 1st in Class submarine. I commanded HMS Tireless a few years ago and thought that would be the greatest honour I’ve ever had, but looking back now it’s an incredible thought that we’re taking this boat to sea."

Astute will be equipped with advanced cruise missiles and torpedoes which will provide her with more firepower than any previous British attack submarine. Astute will enter service with the Royal Navy in 2009, and will be based in Scotland. She will be a key part of the UK’s naval defence forces for the next 25 years. Although she is being launched today, Astute will not actually go to sea for another eight or nine months:
"Between today’s launch and the sea trials there is still a significant amount of testing to be done," Commander Walliker continued. "Testing the systems in the water, and we also need to undergo a sustained amount of sea training and practising while the boat is alongside.

"In mid-March next year we are due to begin sea trials, but the key date for me is due to be the end of August 2008 when the boat raises the white ensign for the first time and joins the Royal Navy. After that another 12 months of sea trials are expected."

Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said of today's launch:
"I am delighted to be here to see the launch of Astute. She is the first of a class of hugely impressive vessels which will give the Royal Navy the world class capability it needs to protect the UK and her interests across the globe in the 21st century.

"Astute is a truly remarkable vessel, and her importance cannot be underestimated. I am pleased that through the Maritime Industrial Strategy we are working closely with British industry to ensure that we have affordable, viable, and vibrant submarine design and manufacture skills, both now and in the future."

Astute is the first vessel of four in the Astute class. The other three are Ambush, Artful and Audacious. In keeping with naval tradition, Astute will become HMS Astute once commissioned and in-service. The ceremony this week launches her as Astute

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Obi Wan Russell said:

Is it just me or does the Astute class look like 'Son of Vanguard'? Not that I'm complaining, any addition to the fleet is welcome. Let's hope we get another seven at least, though I won't hold my breath. On other forums I keep hearing suggestions that we should supplement them with a new class of SSKs, which I agree with as it will increase the numbers of operational boats, but most tend to come up with the idea that we should buy an existing class design from abroad, like the RAN's Collins class. This would be a bad move IMHO, as it would introduce different and probably incompatible systems to the RNs sub fleet. The Upholder class were effectively Trafalgar class boats with the centre section containing the Nuclear reactor removed (all SSNs have diesel electric backup propulsion) so I would suggest following this route, ie an Astute class design minus the Nuclear propulsion, which would otherwise be identical to the Nuke boats, so having a common framework for training and logistical support. Non-nuke Astutes would be a lot cheaper to build so more could be afforded for a given price and they may prove to be attractive export prospects too.

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Pointblank said:

The Astute class submarines use the same reactor as the Vanguard's. Also, the Trafalgars are significantly much larger than the old Upholder/Victoria class submarines by a factor of 2. They share a similar hull design though. And let it be known: the Canadian Forces will never buy another piece of equipment from the Brits again...

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The most advanced warship in the world to date, HMS Daring, will depart on her maiden voyage exactly one month from today, bang on schedule for delivery by the end of 2008.

The Daring Class Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer is designed, built and assembled by BAE Systems on the Clyde with bow sections being towed up from VT Group’s facilities at Portsmouth to be joined to the rest of the hull.

HMS Daring, launched by HRH the Countess of Wessex in February 2006, is the first of class of the most capable warship of her type ever built. She is due to leave BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard for the first time to begin sea trails on 18 July.

She will complete her trials off the west coast of Scotland and will be put through her paces by BAE Systems engineers and Royal Navy personnel, who will form her permanent crew.

Speaking ahead of the sea trials, BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions managing director Vic Emery said; “This is a very exciting period for BAE Systems, the MoD and the Royal Navy. As a first of class and, more importantly, the most advanced warship of her type, all eyes will be on HMS Daring as she heads out to sea for the first time.

“The next month will be when we do a lot of fine tuning to what is already a magnificent vessel before finally getting the opportunity to see exactly what she is made of.

“I’m delighted that the programme to date has been completed on time, on budget and to the customer’s specification, cementing our commitment to the Type 45 programme and the UK Defence Industrial Strategy.”

Following her sea-trials, HMS Daring will return to the Clyde for on-going integration and testing, prior to hand-over to the customer by the end of 2008 and entering full service with the Royal Navy in 2009.

The Type 45 programme will provide the Royal Navy with a versatile destroyer capable of contributing to worldwide maritime and joint operations for much of the first half of this century. As well as providing a specialist air warfare capability, they will also afford the fleet a general-purpose multi-role platform capable of performing tasks from peace support and defence diplomacy through to high-intensity warfare.

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