The USS John Warner, a Virginia class nuclear submarine, has left the Clyde after a routine port call.
American nuclear submarine USS John Warner leaving the Clyde this morning. https://t.co/zYN4MuL1Qs
— George Allison (@geoallison) September 20, 2020
The Virginia class is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile carrying fast-attack submarines.
The submarine was berthed at HMNB Clyde. The base is sited at Faslane in the west of Scotland not far from Glasgow, one of Britain’s largest cities.
It’s one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy, the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth. It is best known as the home of Britain’s nuclear weapons, in the form of nuclear submarines armed with Trident missiles. This position provides for rapid and stealthy access through the North Channel to the submarine patrolling areas in the North Atlantic.
Faslane is the second largest single-site employer in Scotland, after the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
This class was built as a cheaper alternative to the Seawolf class. At $3bn a time you can see why they stopped at 3.
In the increasingly unlikely event that the People’s Banana Republic of Scotland ever happens
(support has peaked and slipping away, as will it’s islands if they succeed) then it would be made a Sovereign base area.
I hope you’re right but I haven’t seen anything suggesting that so far.
Definitely part of the reason. The Seawolf class was a fair bit bigger as well.
In other news Japan & India have signed a defence agreement – don’t know the details but expect a reaction from China.
That is interesting, thanks for the heads up HF. I have been wondering if the UK will start to cosy up to India given Brexit, shared concerns about China’s growing military and economic aggression would make it a good move – not withstanding the Hindu nationalist policies of the current Indian government.
Australia is also cosying up to India, as you probably know.
ASEAN will probably grow into a copy of NATO, cementing defence ties along with economic ones.
Unfortunately China’s increasingly threatening stance requires a unified response and counties that might not nessasally be natural bed fellows, will have to work together to face a common threat.
The UK will be involved, that’s without a doubt….
Is SEATO in existence in any form, I wonder…
I would think ASEAN will naturally metamorphosis into and economic and military alliance, as sort of less rabid EU with guns… Its required, China’s sabre rattling has got increasingly severe, an ASEAN ‘Nato type’ article 5 is very much needed. There really is no way to sugar coat it, China is bullying its neighbours, flexing its new Superpower muscles to grab natural resources in the South China Sea, a Naval misunderstanding between Vietnam and China could easily escalate into a full blown shooting war. It will expand its authority and dominance into the Pacific and Indian oceans if its not… Read more »
Can’t say I disagree with much of that – except the description of the EU as rabid.
UK has been trying to cosy up to India for years but without success. Post colonial resentment, visa arguments and IP lawsuits over new hot curry recipes developed in Bradford and Rusholme have caused a diplomatic spat.
Off to join a certain CBG in the neighborhood? Or to attack it?