HMS Richmond, a Type 23 Frigate, has sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on enroute to Vietnam to demonstrate freedom of navigation, in a move likely to anger Beijing.
There are currently amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to force the democratically ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty.
While U.S. warships pass through the strait on an almost monthly basis, despite Chinese opposition, the Royal Navy has not done so since 2019.
After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit #Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy. #CSG21 International by design pic.twitter.com/0bys9eYY42
— HMS Richmond (@HMS_Richmond) September 26, 2021
Earlier this month First Sea Lord Tony Radakin told Nikkei Asia that it was “very clear that the Taiwan Strait is international waters. It is a waterway that can be used by different nations.”
Back in 2018, assault ship HMS Albion was challenged by a Chinese frigate and two helicopters during freedom of navigation exercise in the nearby but equally disputed South China Sea. Local media reported that both sides remained calm during the encounter and the Royal Navy assault ship continued on course despite protests from China.
China has previously warned the West “not to play with fire” on Taiwan issues and demanding “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
Earlier in the month, HMS Richmond captured evidence of ships apparently breaching United Nations sanctions targeting North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programmes.
Why is HMS Richmond there?
The frigate is part of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Carrier Strike Group. Over the last month HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Carrier Strike Group has been conducting a series of exercises with the Japanese, United States and the Republic of Korea, separate to sanctions enforcement, you can read more about that at the Royal Navy website here.
The Royal Navy say that HMS Richmond is now currently alongside in Japan undertaking a planned routine maintenance programme before resuming operations and defence engagement with the Carrier Strike Group.
Wonder if a few of the mushroom caps were removed 🤔.
Assume they would transit in daylight!
I thought the caps were frangible and stayed on permanently until fired?
There is some Prep involved – scroll down the pics here you can see the difference Sea Ceptor CAMM CAMM-ER SAM Missile System MBDA (seaforces.org)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2txH6FjnzI0
nope. see video link and freeze frame at start. inner cap is…outer cap has to be removed. i think as someone once said on this forum …
by Jack with a spanner !!
The Outer mushroom cap is frangible and it can be shot through
On Sea Wolf there was a solid steel cover on top of the launch tube that had to be removed. That was there because the VL SW tube frangiable cover was glass and it shattered like the old car windsreens used to, into a million little cubes of shattered glass.
cheers GB. So for exercises / trials etc they remove, fire and subsequently re-fit (weather protect the void I assume) but if argy-bargie kicks off at very short notice they fire through. Gotcha. now…old fragmented windscreens..those were the days…nothing like spending a dark evening driving back through snow and slush after a truck had kicked up a rock and taken the windscreen out…and then spending a couple of hours the next morning cleaning out most of the fragments from the car, happy days !
And just like in a car you ended up finding bits of that glass in vents for years afterwards.
Gunbuster, little dit here when The old Dlgs with Seaslug whilst the slugs had been winged and finned and readied the travEflux deflector plate had too be removed prior to firing We did fire one with deflector plate attached let’s just say the slug wasn’t exactly streamlined , The wrn W.As at Whale Island had a fit at the telemetry papers we sent them I do believe firing with plate attached was never used again not even during Cotprate
Interesting photo from July when Type 23s entered the SCS…..caps off!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7NLPVRWQAI7RkD?format=jpg&name=medium
You don’t actually think they need to remove them before firing, do you?
Shirley you can’t be serious…😉
😁
i never found Shirley to be a serious girl.
Very Airplane 1 and 2 very unpolitically correct Movies but boy were they funny
Surely you can’t be serious…..
I am serious and don’t call mr Shirley.
CLASSIC I doubt if a remake would be as funny
couldn’t possibly be, the late great Leslie Nielsen with his deadpan delivery was the secret sauce.
Strange how he went from Forebidden planet to Straight faced Comedy exactly deadpan humour Can’t see the likes of Danny dyer pulling off with such panache maybe Colin Firth ?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2txH6FjnzI0
Watch the video at the very start and freeze it . I don’t know if they have to .. but I haven’t yet seen a video where they haven’t.
Someone on this forum did once say they need a spanner to remove them…I couldn’t believe it then started looking at videos closely.
Anyone better informed can comment!
First part of article says Richmond is going to Vietnam via Taiwan straight and last paragraph RN says she is “now currently alongside in Japan” That is the wrong direction and by my reading she has come from there.
So has she been to Vietnam already and returned?
It’s a new tactic to confuse the Chinese!
From the horse’s mouth: https://twitter.com/HMS_Richmond/status/1442189189320151047
Edit: just realised this was liked in the article aha – I blame a sleepless night!
Morning mate. 😉
Morning.😂
I think Del Boy was right. Half the time our own country do not know where their ships and submarines are .
I think the point of any submarine is stealth so not knowing where any particular submarine may be operating is par for the course. Surface ships of course cannot hide on the surface however the danger of not knowing where your surface navy might be can be shown with the USS Indianapolis disaster.
In that twitter photo she is not carrying any Harpoons. Surely the navy can spare a few for an actual deployment??
Isnt it only Kent that has harpoons out of all our ships?
I believe only Montrose and Kent have them fitted currently. One of those two, HMS Kent has them fitted for this deployment. The other escorts have to rely on their Wildcat for the provision of anti-ship missiles.
It would seem ,that Richmond has been an Agent provocator .First checking how Kim Jong gets his Slimming pills through UN sanctions, And now sticking two fingers up tòo China’s false claim of ownership of International waters, I just wonder whether Richmond was in 3 Yankee or Zulu, ,Alpha, tropical rig or full Anti Flash hoods up ?
Whatever rig they are wearing, do they have adult pampers issued?
We used too tuck over into socks not just for flash burns if you get my jist
More cahones than I ever had.
Oh dear now Sky News have Jumped in stating that China is saying ” Evil intentions by British Navy after ship sails through the Taiwan Straits ” NAAFI to stock Pampers super size LOL
Ballsy move, I love it!
Where’s HMS Diamond at the mo – ?
En route https://mobile.twitter.com/hmsdiamond/status/1442507630216458242
It’s china’s home waters, how would you feel or the yanks if a Chinese battle group sailed up the channel, or St lawrence sea way,
Morning, Iain, we’ve not chatted previously, I believe. Now, I know I’m getting on a bit, but have I forgotten the comment that you’ve responded to?
In international waters? U mean like when Russia sends warships though the channel? China has previously as well!
Indian Ocean probably.
Last spotted at Diego Garcia.
Cheers
Good
Rumours say that the French will get the Greek Frigate contract with a defence pact.
Alex , Europe closing ranks, for European defence force it will end in tragedy pun sorry if the Helenic Navy wishes tòo be supplied with Frigates from France then it will just show that the EU well France is trying for an EU Navy an outcome that was edged on by what France sees as an Anglo pact Aukus
Or it shows the French are continuing to back the Greeks in the rivalry with Turkey…and while they are at it win a few export orders.
Yes. Mention of some Greece-France mutual defence pact involved – tho details not public.
Greece and Turkey although Nato Allies have been in friction for over a century Anyone would think that France is trying too show discourse between Nato countries with this proposed Pact , Then stating how Nato is now obsolete ?
The fact that these alliances are being made implies naturally the downgrade of NATO.
.my thoughts exactly Alex, Instigated by France who only jumped on the Nato bandwagon after the fall of the Warsaw pact they can’t stand playing second Fiddle too us Anglo’s
The Aukus pact is too a downgrade of NATO.
It is confirmed that Greece signed a letter of intention to buy 3 FDI frigates.
Wouldn’t Nato Countries incorporate Australia into the Fold they did take part in Afghanistan and bush’s Iraq folly when I mean Nato countries I meant those dedicated to the principles of the Nato Allience, , France having signed the deal with Greece ,Could see Turkey turn North towards Russia for equipping their military The Greeks and Turks have had an wary unease of each other since 1923 and again in 74 with Cyprus This has nothing really tòo do with Shipbuilding it smells of Macron and sour grapes
France is part of NATO since the beginning (1949) as a founder…
Time to read something more accurate than your actual “source”.
Happy to see some people use their brain, Pete.
Indeed. The French Greek issue is just, IMHO, a ploy to politically counter balance Turkeys growing ambition in Mediterranean and N Africa and commercially make some sales.
What France does with Germany and Poland (with an increasingly robust land capability) is more likely to be a barometer of a euro defense pact. I dont see Poland going anywhere other than staying in NATO anytime soon.
Wonder what the ROE are, if she was attacked? Very highly unlikely, but you never know, with the Chinese.
I would imagine self defence is allowed if she was attacked. But such an attack would be insanity unless China really wanted to start WW3. Especially with half the navy currently down there. Not to mention a load of other navies..
Amethyst retuurned fire when attacked. As then I expect CCP would claim we fired first. But who knows what our ROE is.
SHE only passed through the Taiwanese straits it’s not as She was up the Yangzee taking on Mao JSPs for ROEs I don’t think that China would play by the rules against Colonial imperial Warmongers such as US as their Press would report if they did , what’s that saying “Fools rush in”
Wonder if she accidentally spooled out the towed sonar array behind her and accidentally identified lots of new under water contacts. Maybe the real reason Chinese kicking up a stink.
Maybe. No current Taiwan escorts have towed array sonars, just hull mounted apart from the 2 600t Tuo Chiang-class corvettes which have VDS, but USN Arleigh Burkes do & could just as easily & more likely mapped out anything in the straights.
Only some ABs carry the tail fit.
They will not be as good as a T23 in seeing whats down there.
Apparently, you don’t need Sonar too locate Chinese Subs , if you stand on the upper deck and Listen you can locate and pinpoint them with ease (the sound of Chopsticks is a dead giveaway) .I do apologise if I have offended any TAS apes
China has no rights over international waters.
Great to show solidarity & support with Taiwan & to nullify all the bullying & posturing by the PRC. It’s the PRC playing with fire by trying to extend hegemony over its neighbors & threats to invade Taiwan. They have to be opposed with force as they don’t give a fig wether Taiwan wants to remain independant or not.
The playground Bullie, doesn’t like it when others turn up for the bullied
Exactly.
Yes !!! and this is the only way to stand up for the bullied Together. International law will only be recognised by bullies if we stand Together for values.
Thank you Dennis ,Bullies usual cry “Foul” when confronted and then sulk they don’t like the taste of their own Medicine
👍
Hooray for the HMS Richmond, her captain & crew!
Greedy (even cheeky) CCP complaints, when the Strait of Taiwan is more than 80 miles (130 km) wide, even at its narrowest point.
China doesn’t understand anything like that DMJj
They even added, Tiawan’s Olympic medals too their Tally so as it took Them top of the medal table now that’s being bloody Cheeky
Oh yes, I’d forgotten that. An example of the CCP in top form, rivalling the dire predictions of George Orwell’s 1984.
They already have the Chinese version of the thought Police with limited access too the world wide Web , (Internet) the next big fib will be that they invented Professional Football , to boot LOL
Having had the courage of going through the Taiwan Strait we can now look the Americans in the eye.
This could develop into what we as children would do too the Grumpy neighour “Knock down Ginger” oh I wonder who would be Mr Grumpy
It’s also like Scrumping without Apples
Surely Mr Grumpy is Mr China? Dear old pug face dinner plate, Xi Jinping, won’t be too pleased. Nor will Mr Wang Wang Wang.
P. BILLY Do you think that this party’s just getting started could put a song too those lyrics, So long as it doesn’t end like a Greek wedding ie Plate smashing ooops
The U.K. is punching above its weight world wide.
Wish we would do more (Canada), But we have the Prime Apologizer and things aren’t looking up.
If I were the President of the US i’d send a full CVN battle group straight through there and blast “America F#$k Yeah” lol
That’s what the World needs right now not a Film Actors Guild (FAG) But TEAM America no strings attached Marc
When you said the South China Sea, did you mean the West Philippine Sea??
Flying over or sailing alongside any vessel is not a breech of international law, or a ‘challenge’;. Challenges are issued when a vessel is stopped. As those NK vessels obserced to be breeching UN sanctions weren’t.
lying over or sailing alongside any vessel is not a breech of international law, or a ‘challenge’.
Challenges are issued when a vessel is stopped. As those NK vessels observed to be breaking UN sanctions weren’t.
Where’s “Let’s go Brandon?”
Good. Way to go, Brits!