General Naval Topics

[Pelican]

The new Minister for Defence Tweeted

[jbryce1437]

The new Minister for Defence Tweeted

Looks like he is trying to improve his incompetence

Jim

[Pelican]

THALES DEMONSTRATES MINE NEUTRALISATION CAPABILITY OF REMOTELY OPERATED UNDERWATER VEHICLE ON MARITIME MINE COUNTERMEASURES (MMCM) PROGRAMME

In the latest milestone on the Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme, Thales has successfully completed an at-sea demonstration of the ability of the world's first fully integrated drone-based mine countermeasures system to locate, identify and neutralise sea mines.
This system of systems uses the fully proven M-Cube mission management system (MMS) to integrate and control multiple uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles equipped with high-performance sonars and other systems, and will provide the UK Royal Navy and the French Navy with the world's first complete drone-based mine countermeasures capability.
Thales is a world leader in uncrewed mine countermeasures. The latest demonstration confirms the company's role as a reliable innovation partner empowering naval forces to develop their strategic capabilities today and into the future.
Continues at - https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwid ... y-remotely

[Pelican]

UK vulnerable to potential missile or drone attack, says military chief

Britain’s most senior military officer has said the war in Ukraine had revealed a potential vulnerability of the UK to missile and drone attack, arguing it is time for greater discussion about improving homeland security.

Adm Sir Tony Radakin told a defence industry conference in London that there was “an aggressive world out there in terms of state threats”, noting specifically that it was becoming easy to “get close to a country and fly drones in”.

The chief of the defence staff said Britain’s armed forces were “having a bigger conversation about homeland defences” and asked whether within that “we need to have a conversation about integrated missile defence”.

Continues at - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... tary-chief

[Pelican]

UK vulnerable to potential missile or drone attack, says military chief

Britain’s most senior military officer has said the war in Ukraine had revealed a potential vulnerability of the UK to missile and drone attack, arguing it is time for greater discussion about improving homeland security.

Adm Sir Tony Radakin told a defence industry conference in London that there was “an aggressive world out there in terms of state threats”, noting specifically that it was becoming easy to “get close to a country and fly drones in”.

The chief of the defence staff said Britain’s armed forces were “having a bigger conversation about homeland defences” and asked whether within that “we need to have a conversation about integrated missile defence”.

Continues at - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... tary-chief

https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com ... ainst.html

[Pelican]

Royal Navy Plans “Clearance” Sale Starting with Four Decommissioned Ships

The UK Royal Navy, through the UK Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), is going to attempt a large clear out to get rid of excess tonnage that it has been holding on to for years. The agency holds in effect “boot sales” within its unique government role, specializing in the sale of surplus equipment. Over the next five years, according to a newly released video (see below) the agency will be selling off, Batch 1 Offshore Patrol Vessels, Hunt Class Vessels, and Survey Vessels, but for now it is started with a rag-tag lot of four old ships.

See - https://maritime-executive.com/article/ ... oned-ships - LFT

[Pelican]

A low-cost but very effective capability is making a comeback among navies worldwide.

The Cube™ Mine laying module
The modular solution is tailor-made for semi-automatic and fully automatic handling and laying of sea mines from the manufacturers RWM Italy and DA-Group (at this moment). The solution is to be used at the stern on a naval platform of opportunity.
The system consists of a minelaying module and one or more storage modules capable of handling all known brands of sea mines.

See - https://shdefence.com/project/mine-laying/
And - https://shdefence.com/project/launch-an ... be-module/

[Pelican]

EIVA Bags £3.2m UK deal for subsea vehicles – DSEI23

Danish subsea engineering firm, EIVA a/s, has secured a contract worth approximately £3.2 million from the Ministry of Defence.
The deal encompasses the provision of a containerised remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV) that uses the NaviSuite software for data display.
See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/eiva-ba ... ls9zm9g81Y

[Pelican]

Global Britain – Where are we in 2023?

In June 2018, the UK Government released a policy document entitled ‘Global Britain: Delivering on our International Ambition’.

This paper was partially aimed at a post-Brexit Britain and the intended role of the nation in the world moving forward. It was followed up by further documents including: “Global Britain in a Divided World” (2022) and “Global Britain in a Competitive Age: The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy” (2021).

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, massive increase in inflation and ongoing concerns over the future of the Armed Forces’ finances, how far has the nation gotten in achieving the aims set out in the original policy, and how much has the policy’s aims changed in the last 5 years?

See - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/global- ... ECpXsP7v6Q

[Pelican]

Adm Tony Radakin Chief of the Defence Staff visiting the OVERWATCH stand at #DSEI2023 for a brief on the Pholos™ system.

This is the kind of product that @RNNavyX could consider trialling on board @XVPTBK
Pholos™ developed by OVERWATCH is a lightweight coaxial loitering munition with potential for use in the naval environment.
Originally conceived from direct combat experience where personnel lacked sensors & strike systems to quickly find/neutralise enemy personnel/vehicles.
Pholos™ has been developed and manufactured entirely in the UK and has been provided to the forces of Ukraine.
The system is fully modular and can be fitted with a variety of payloads and warheads.
Pholos™ can be used for reconnaissance, precision strike and force protection using novel sensors.
It can loiter for around 40mins and can be recovered if not used.
In the naval environment it could be employed to counter attacks by small craft, to deliver decoys or general ISR.

See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgBr1j9cB4w