The Royal Navy say that HMS Tamar, a River class Offshore Patrol Vessel, has become “the first British warship to visit the fourth smallest country on the planet in nearly 100 years” on an international goodwill mission.
According to this news release, not since May 1925 have the people of the Republic of Palau seen the White Ensign, when minesweeper HMS Bluebell called in on the archipelago, which sits some 500 miles east of the Philippines.
“Nearly a century later Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tamar arrived in Malakal Harbour off the capital Koror as part of a US-led peace/goodwill mission, accompanied by the 1,000-bed hospital ship USNS Mercy. The latter is flagship of Pacific Partnership 22, a two-month deployment to remote communities around the Indo-Pacific, supported by the US allies, delivering medical aid and assistance, supporting community projects, assisting with infrastructure and taking part in sporting and community activities.
A Royal Navy officer (Captain Charles Maynard) is the deputy commander of the mission from the USNS Mercy, as well as RN medical officer Lieutenant Lesley Hailey, part of the international team on the hospital ship. Now Tamar β on a five-year mission with her sister HMS Spey as part of the UKβs βtiltβ back to the Indo-Pacific β has joined Pacific Partnership 22 for the deploymentβs closing weeks.
During the six-day visit to Palau, Tamar hosted its President, Surangel Whipps Jr and numerous senior government officials to show what the ship and her men and women are capable of, before throwing open the gangway to some of the countryβs 18,000 inhabitants. There were discussions on how the nations involved in Pacific Partnership – Australia, Japan, the UK and the USA β could provide assistance, specifically related to humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and medical exchanges.”
You can read the full thing here.
Momentousο»Ώπο»Ώ but I would not have thought Palau would be on the RN’s shopping list anyway but still, nice to see. The batch 2’s are wonderful little ships that do the same work that the larger escorts had to handle thus freeing them up for more important stuff. Now I would also like to see Tamar visit Pitcairn, Britain’s last lonely outpost in the Pacific with a population of only 42 and dwindling! If they can do Palau then must do Pitcairn!!
My only problem with the B2’s is that they cannot be used in a hot environment as they don’t have adequate self protection and no real offensive capability. Before anyone starts off I think the 30mm or 40mm would be better is more than adequate for dealing with pirates. Whilst it is a waste of hull and man hours on a decent warship there is a definite something about having a ship that can be retasked and unarmed. Personally I think the stated plan to use T31 for the more distant B2 River taskings therefore makes sense as they can… Read more Β»
SB,
I read this article the other day regards the French Navys new class of OPV for the Pacific region, slighly smaller than the B2 and just as armed;
For customs interdiction work a B2 is fine.
Problem is you canβt up arm it very much as it simply didnβt have the radar or the space to house say Ceptor and anything of offensive value.
So yes, great peacetime asset but in wartime you would want a bigger hull.
I did buy into the B2 logic for a bit, but Iβm going cold on the idea now.
Looks like the Australian opv’s
To me it looks more like the Gardian Class (Australian PPB), except twice the size.
I see they have aerial drones. Would it kill the MOD to get some small Sky Mantis drones for the B2s, the same as Protector is trialling?
Hi SB-cant be used in a hot environment… absolutely but most of these visits are at the lower end so they have filled a gap. Your comments regarding the T31 are spot on
It carries a flag Bloke. For now, that is why it went.
The article says he was ion USNS Mercy
Agreed, as currently outfitted. However, many might be surprised by the potential for both upgrades and accelerated schedule of completion, if war truly looms, and the RN’s peacetime budget becomes irrelevant. In the interim, a low cost method of showing the flag, rendering aid and comfort, and possibly enhancing recruitment of target demograohic w/ demonstrable social media documentation of exotic ports of call. In any event, believe OPVs would be recalled to (relatively) safer waters, if time and mission requirements permit. Actually believe MoD and Admiralty did yeomans’ work (π) on this program, either by design or accident, as an… Read more Β»
Yes, up-arming B2 was looked at.
And the plan is to slide B2 to B1 work.
My argument is that actually with the heightened tensions more real hulls are needed. CBE.
Absolutely! There is the slight impediment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Parliament holding the purse strings, ala Ebenezer Scrooge. We have the same issue on this side of the Pond w/ Congress. First group w/ plan to resolve this in an at least plausibly deniable legal manner, please text. π
I though Donald Trumpskiov – cheerleader of the Mad Vlad fan club had a large navy plan?
Iβll be honest, I think Trump is a Tangerine Tinted Buffoon (with apologies to Bridget Jones), but I do think he realised that the USA and NATO had to be stronger due to real emerging threats. We can all now witness the reality.
The US populace has often contemplated recent general elections w/ a sense of resignation, tinged w/ fatalism, despair and cynicism, as in “w/ a population of at least 325M (give or take a few M illegals), these are our feeakin’ choices?” You wouldn’t believe how difficult it has been to recruit reasonably intelligent, competent, technocratically adept leaders My own hope is the development of benevolent rule under the auspices of a future cloud based, AI powered supercomputer server farm. π Believe Microsoft and/or Amazon may have initiated backroom projects to address this…π€£ππ
I think the B2 Rivers do indeed give the RN what they needed- more hulls to deliver presence. If they could be slightly uparmed that would make the crew probably feel a bit safer. They are 2000 ton 98m hulled vessels- so not small. They should have the weight capacity for at least a 40mm bofors or 56mm BAE gun and interim anti ship missiles as cannister launched as well as ability via PODS to have armed UAVs added. the hull form does have space for at least 2x 20m ISO containers- so perfect for PODS deployments.
“If they could be slightly uparmed that would make the crew probably feel a bit safer.”
I can’t speak for everyone who has gone to sea on a grey (or black) war canoe but honestly mate, its not something that is given much thought. Runs ashore and even your dhoby are given way more thought than how many bang sticks your particular canoe has.
I think it depends on where you go?
If it was a long Mediterranean cruise with a spot of interdiction then the runs ashore had primacy.
If however, the cruise round the med turned into a dash to Beruit (when it was a hot zone) then the things that go bang become significantly more important?
Uh huh, I get that logic but over the course of a career how often does that happen. Honestly, most matelots aren’t nearly as obsessed with this stuff as the most of the posters on here. For better or for worse.
yep 40mm with 3p ammo would give so much more capability
There are River B2βs with 76mm guns & Harpoon missiles. Unfortunately not owned by the RN. Add in an ExLS (which they donβt have), which is capable of being bolted on, even as an external unit & a NS50 radar & you have a Corvette or light patrol Frigate. Really needs a hangar, which is not such an easy add on. For its size, it could have been so much better. A lot of money wasted IMO.
Hi DJ yep loads of 2k ton size ships out there with pretty hefty weapons fit but they as has been said are not at sea for more than few days. The B2βs doing what they are doing have long endurance and donβt need big AAw/ASW weapon fits, putting a 40mm with 3p would give them a step up in capability even more if had containerised S-100 or equivalent to provide longer range surveillance. For what we really need for forward deployed ships is something like the Absolm (which t-31 is related) with the Stanflex weapons so for 90% of… Read more Β»
I’m not against a 40 mil bofors being used instead of the 30 mil but we have to remember, when these where getting built we didn’t have anything between a 30 mil and a 4.5″. It will be interesting to see how it goes but the Rivers were designed as OPV’s and not Corvettes or whatever you want to call them. They have capacity for extra people so there is scope to ‘up crew’ but that comes with compromises in their ability to support humanitarian aid etc if they’re full of people to work and fix the guns and missiles.… Read more Β»
not saying they should have MSM, caam, dragonfire and Abm, just saying swapping 30mm for 40mm with p3 would be good increase in capability while not trying to turn into high end war fighter, also if t-31βs do go forward deployed having the same ammo would reduce logistics
Again, when these were designed and built, the 40 mil Bofors wasn’t on our horizon so they went with what we had. We’ll have to wait and see if we put a bigger bang stick on them, it’s not like the RN can just pop down to ‘Guns R Us’ and do a quick swap. I doubt its a priority as these aren’t really ‘gun boats’ so not their forte.
B2’s are great for what they are tasked to do, I get they are not going to be used in high end situations but don’t forget these free up more important frigates in the navy.
Sure but they become a reason for not having g larger ships that can fight.
How do you mobilise a CSG without enough ships?
STUFT need to be escorted by something effective as does RFA. That was a Falklands lesson: Atlantic Conveyor etc? Hence why I would suggest more T31 as B1 cone out of service and B2 slide to those roles vacated.
T31 is a proper warship with a few add ons a very potent warship.
Agree 100% with the escort role thats why we need these important vessels to free up the fleet.
B2 can continue keeping up these distant visits and the other important taskings like drug enforcement, were going to be tight on T23 hours so these help in preserving every ounce of them until T31, T26 are available.
This is exactly the right vessel for high-low mix and to be frank could do with a few more, combine with navy pods and it stops being a laughing matter.
Well said.
The real thing about PODS is the ability to draw a tight line about costs.
It is *harder* for costs to spiral if the project is containerised.
It also pull the project out of the sticky mits of the warship integrators. So the smaller companies can do PODS.
The issue is the number of PODS you can put on and also some systems would be better and more compact permanently fitted. So it is a balance.
Apart from keeping Forth in the Falklands and putting a T31 in Hormuz, the replacement solution would send the Type 31s away from escort duty, away from littoral strike support, away from Atlantic patrol, to do the presence and constabulary work the B2s are already doing β so there will be no increase in day-to-day capacity. [Actually it’s worse, as the navy can’t afford to double crew all the T31s, where they can afford the three watch rotations on the B2s, so constabulary and presence coverage would be lowered.] The plan would send four B2s back to Blighty to do… Read more Β»
Recruitment has been very good and the training is totally full.
Whilst it is seductive to look at defence as purely a budget driven exercise it is also vital to look at it in terms of the necessary platforms and effectors.
The former was the prevalent way of thinking the latter is getting more and more air time. Letβs see T32 funded.
You still need a number of ships to form a task force. You cannot firm a task force with B2 Rivers?
If we had to choose between operating Type 32s or Rivers, I’d understand your point, but I don’t think that’s what’s on offer.
Until we know at what speed the second batch of Type 26s is to be built, it’s hard to know what we’ll have to fill in with Type 31s and Type 32s. With a delayed build, we won’t have enough ASW in the mid 2030s, and the subsequently delayed T83s may require us to create a second tier AAW as well.
I think top-tier ship building will govern what we have to do with the lower tiers.
Very much this.
A triple watch River B2 is 150 crew, a double watch T31 will be 140. But that’s an entire crew less, or rather the third crew of a B2 can be deployed to another B2 as well.
There’s also maintenance time in dock to consider. The River B2s require quite a bit less than the T31s will. That makes them more available, which if you’re primary tasks are constabulary and presence, is very desirable.
That the French are planning to use and similar ships says it all really.
Not sure where your numbers come from, Tams. A full crew is two watches on a B2, and that’s about 58 to 65 last time I checked (Forth was reported as 58, Tamar 61). The third watch puts it up to maybe 90.
I also doubt you’ll get away with 140 double crewing a T31. I’ll bet a single crew for the T31 will be a little over 90. They love to underestimate while the ship is still in construction, like they advertised the carriers could be crewed by 600, which in practice turned out to be nearly 800.
I’d give the River batch 2s the 40mm bofors gun (a bit better at air defence and surface strike than the 30mm ds30) add some NSM/ interim anti ship missiles and a few UAV’s (armed) and they would offer a useful light warship role and at least be able to defend themselves against missile armed fast attack craft
The issue is the radar – if you put Ceptor in board something has to find the targets!
I totally agree about the 40mm.
NSM might work but it is an offensive weapon. The most a B2 is going to be is defensive. With maybe a few token missiles as a threat balance?
40 mm Bofors and Martlet/Brimstone?
What do Martket or Brimstone add that a radar laid 40mm with 3P cannot do? Youβd be better off with a bigger magazine of shells and a changeable feeder from 3P to dumb.
Iβd rather have Ceptor than Martlet or Brimstone – that way air defence is decent. But that comes with a better radar suiteβ¦β¦
Sorry, my mistake, I actually meant a maritime version of starstreak if there is such a thing (seastreak?). Something with a relatively small footprint and wouldn’t place huge demands on crewing or systems and would be more anti air in nature which is where most threats to RN ships have in the past originated. I get that the bofors with 3P ammo would be very effective in its role, but perhaps in a multi faceted swarm attack it might be prudent to have a bit extra on board.
The way Star Streak works doesnβt lend itself to being navalised, Iβm afraid. You run into the issue that the laser targeting was designed to be operated on nice stable dry land whereas naval requirement include resisting ships motion in higher sea states. So we get back to my usual comment of – great on a millpond but progressively less useful as sea states increase.
Star steak is great against attack helicopters on a battlefield.
OK, thanks π
SeaStreak is a real system, as I am sure you knew, but Iβd be amazed if RN wanted the bother of yet another system in terms of training and munitions.
Iβd also question why you would want to go backwards to director type technology ok laser as opposed to RF but it is directed none the less.
Iβd still stand by my comment that if you were going to put a system on B2 you would use Sea Ceptor from training and budgetary perspectives. It has a small(ish) footprint and top weight.
Yeah, I was vaguely aware of its existence, but wasn’t sure if it was operational in any navy. Point taken regarding the other issues. π
I donβt think it is operational either.
But one of the things that Ukraine does remind us of us that there are lots of variants of βinteresting kitβ about for a variety of reasons!
So I would totally exclude the possibility that someone somewhere had some for a particular reason!!
SC doesn’t need a dedicated radar per se to go for a target. On a River B2 the Scanter is more than adequate for finding targets as is the secondary nav radar. Other command system inputs can also be used to provide inputs to SC. That said the B2s do a job they are designed and equipped for . They get into small ports and can do glad handing and show the flag visits very well, the visit in the article being a prime example.. OOW manoeuvres, Passex, Boarding drills, EEZ Policing work alongside smaller countries assets is something you… Read more Β»
No, but if you wish to impress the locals, something more than they can fit to their patrol boats may be an idea. Perceptions matter. B2 looks good from a distance, up close, not so much. There is also nothing they can do to quickly to change that. Compare a River B2 to a NZ OPV. A River B2 actually outguns the NZ OPV (30mm to 25mm). But the NZ OPV has a hangar & can take a AShM (120kg warhead) & torpedo armed maritime helicopter. The same helicopter used on their GP frigates. Even a T31 would struggle against… Read more Β»
But again we are talking about up arming a corvette into a frigate. Glue king things to a ship, Russian style, does not make it into something it isnβt. That isnβt a good idea as it will be sent to places too hot for a small and relatively in survivable hull compared to a 7kt frigate. In time of war B2βs would be useful to backfill things the main fleet had been pulled away from in low risk areas. But realistically allies would backfill for us who were not directly involved. As others have pointed out the only real purpose… Read more Β»
But when was a NZ OPV last visiting Gib, Jersey , Guernsey or the UK. Would it need all that kit to do that?
No.
A B2 isn’t designed for that kind of work.
You assign your assets to do jobs that match their Operational Capability.
The NZ OPV is not designed for that work either. A B2 is normally better armed than a NZ OPV most of the time. Because of the hangar, NZ has options. As far as I am aware, it does not routinely carry the heavily armed helicopter. It can though & has done so. Hangars are handy things & can be used for more than helicopters. Adding or removing a naval helicopter is a quick way to change a ships operational capability. With a C17 you can achieve this at range if situations change suddenly.
But to get the best out of SC you need a long range air warning radar so the system has time to cue and assess relative threats. Whist the computers will be very fast it still takes finite time to do that and then effect a launch cycle.
The radar on B2 isnβt very high so will have a very limited horizon for skimmers.
I will say again SC doesn’t need a radar to cue it. It can take target data from other sources …
I’m in work tomorrow…despite it being virtual Saturday…I will do some radar height comparisons if I can on ships that are on the piers…
Well something has got to detect the bogeys to kick off the CMS -> fire -> interdict chain?
I appreciate that once Ceptor is in the air and given a rough direction to go to it can then finish the job itself.
I would presume it may also carry NLAWS ? or similar to be used by the RM personnel.
We have all seen how useful they are !
RM are often deployed on board ship for a variety of reasons. What wide range of effective toys they may bring with them is something I think we draw a discrete veil over. There are many portable weapons about that are better versions or types than the ones in Ukraine. That said the ones sent to Ukraine are perfectly good enough looking at the all important results. It is no secret that the UK bought 10k+ NLAWSβ¦.. NLAWS is short range and not particularly navalised although it would be well able to target most ships. The naval 30mm cannon would… Read more Β»
If you can get within range though, most anti-armour weapons will cause considerable damage to a ship (a lot more than the 30mm). Getting within range being the tricky part. A certain Argentine corvette learnt this the hard way.
It depends what you are trying to. If you want to hold all compartments on one side just below the waterline 30/40mm would be my choice. Just as shooting up the bridge and any critical command compartments. A fully automated mount can be set up to do that based on the ships type profile. Whilst an ATW can do a lot of damage when fired shore to ship (as I recall it was in the case you mention on South Georgia(?)) it will be very hard to fire accurately from ship -> ship and NLAW will head for the largest… Read more Β»
I know this is the plan but don’t agree at all. We need more frigates. Getting these T31s on tasks in NATO area and Gulf would be more useful and leave the B2s on these low threat taskings where they’re doing a great job, then replace B1s with some low cost OPVs to handle those tasks, much more bang for our buck.
HMS Spey recently visited Pitcairn Islands.
Thanks Eufster-didn’t know that. I am sure the Bounty descendants were happy to see the RN unlike the visits of yesteryear!
Cheers
G
Part of me always hoped CSG21 would return by heading east across the Pacific and around Cape Horn specifically so they could visit Pitcairn and the Falklands on the way back.
Would have been an epic trek!!
Indeed it would have. I can’t help but wonder what the Pitcairners would have made of a visit to QE, especially those Pitcairn born and bred who haven’t ever left the island.
The mind boggles!ο»Ώπο»Ώ
I would’ve enjoyed reading Argentinean media if that had happened!
That would have been magnificent- Argies would have done their nuts in to see a full carrier strike group with 5th generation stealth jets and type 45 destroyers (and of course an astute class in tow too) Nothing would have informed the Argies of our political will to fight and defend our territory than that. Falklands are British- have been for nearly 200 years.
HMS Spey visited Pitcairn in February.
B2 already visited Pitcairn nearer the start of their deployment, can’t remember if it was Tamar, Spey or both but it was before they made it to Singapore
Thanks Craig
PS..and go and say”Howsit” to Klonkie in NZ while they are in the neighbourhoodο»Ώπο»Ώ
Maybe they could knock of the Kiwi’s/Aotearoan’s/whatever they are calling themselves’ door and wake them up.
I don’t reckon they’d go for some Australian built T26s (one can dream), but T31s really should not be beyond them. Or perhaps even offer to let them build some River B2s domestically.
T31 is more what they need given distances and threats. They need some ASW and some offensive bang.
T31 with a hull sonar + 8 cell VLS + Ceptor would be perfect for them.
NZ donβt have a big enough navy to support two varietals.
Chinas new base in the Solomon Island is practically on their doorstep in Pacific terms. They need to wake up pretty quick.
I donβt think the putrid smell of Mad Vladβs brand of coffee has permeated to NZ.
China donβt mean well and the sooner we all realised they want to demolish the world order the better.
Mad Vladβs catastrophic mess will in equal measure have drawn pause and given valuable information to China.
I suspect it was meant to be curtain raiser to the main spectacular.
That said, no top tier NATO weapons have been used so China can only wonder at the effect those would have had.
SB, as a Kiwi (I still identify as a New Zealander),I think your assessment is spot on. The Type 31 is a fine candidate for consideration to replace the tired ANZAC frigates (all 2 of them)
T31 – definitely no. A140 ? Distinct possibility. Except 24 CAMM, 24 CAMM-ER, NS200 radar, 127mm main gun, rafted engines, hull mounted radar – just to start. No point in going backwards.
you have my vote re the A140 DJ
Jacinda Queen of the Hermit Islands would forbid it. Well after she had consulted her Chicom masters.
Hi John, her reign is nearing an end. I can’t see Labour winning next year’s general election . On a lighter note, my summary of the Labour government’s defence policy towards China
step 1. appeasement
step 2. surrender (just in case)
step 3. collaboration
Hope she does go down Klonkie. Along with her Canadian lick spittle WEF clone. They have done more damage to those two great countries than anyone in history. All the best.
Wise words John, thank you.
Mate, how are you Geoff? Cracking sunny day in Auckland, and the Boks beat the the All Blacks last weekend. Personally, I’d be thrilled to have any RN ship visit Auckland with an obligatory open day onboard.
All well Klonkie. All Blacks at a low ebb at present. Didn’t see the game-was doing a trail run in Mtunzini! I’ll see if I can arrange a Type 45 for Christmas in Aucklandο»Ώπο»Ώ
Cheers from Durbs
type 45 visit= best xmas ever! Cheers Mate.
I imagine the southern Irish see things differently.
Sending hospital ships to remote island nations is a genius and really commendable idea. Lot of respect for that mission
B2 forward basing has been a great success, however the ships are very limited. Would be great to see such missions expanded with T31 frigate and something along the lines of the Black Swan Sloop of War proposal that could carry drones for ASW/MCM as well as disaster relief or naval security and interdiction roles. Such vessels could be scattered across Commonwealth realms in the pacific carribean and Mediterranean primarily to bring disaster relief and security assistance while maintaining the ability to be rapidly upgraded through the inclusion of drones and modules. Such a ubiquitous presence would be of great… Read more Β»
Not too far from there, I wonder if they got a chance to visit Nauru, a case study in how NOT to run an island country. Rich phosphorus deposits were strip-mined for over a century. The island was awash in cash from it, everybody on the island got a royalty/subsidy that kept them from having to work. Then in the 1990s the phosphorus was all gone (leaving an environmental disaster) and the government turned to all manner of revenue generation to keep the citizens happy: Nauru passports for $100 and no, we won’t allow you to be extradited; money laundering;… Read more Β»
Nice for the crews and nice for recruitment but pointless otherwise. Although there is clearly a significant value in letting the crews see the world as it increases retention and sexyness of being in the RN.
Lol the Chinese would certainly agree with you, “Steve”. No point in the hospital ship going to the most remote civilizations on earth. No value in Royal Marine/Navy marine engineering teams or their US counterparts even though they help put back together Caribbean island nations on a regular basis. No point in the critical supplies they can bring or the face to face diplomacy between the West and countless small nations. Better to leave it all for China to gobble up. Right mate. Got it.
And how is a single ship coming once a hundred years going to impact any of that?
This isn’t disaster relief, it’s purely flag flying.
Well now the ships are forward deployed in the region we may see more frequent visits. I think itβs great. It will make a lot of people happy every time somewhere is visited.
Honestly some folks are never happy. (Not directed at you Steve) the rivers are better than nothing and thatβs exactly what was there before.
Agreed.
The patrols are very useful. I just wish they had a bit more oomph than a B2.
Bays were better at this as they had real heavy duty facilities and 2 x 30mm as wellβ¦..
Just wondering why 2 HMS Offshore Patrol Vessels, are swanning around the big bad deep dangerous Pacific ocean, armed only with a pop gun, and a couple of gpmg’s.
All discussed on here when they first deployed.
What would you want to see going around the pacific? The rivers B2 had to be ordered due to delays with ordering the type 26. I donβt think the navy wanted the B2 at the time. Iβm glad they have found a use for them away from the uk. These batch 2 river boats are as big as a frigate of the 60/70s. Before the type 22 frigates were often only armed with a few weapons. My view is not every ship needs to be bristling with weapons. Every systems requires crew to operate and maintain it. This in turn… Read more Β»
Boris Johnsons ego. Meanwhile, in the English Channel nearer home…ο»Ώπο»Ώ
Not the Royal Navy’s job.
Border Force do need to get a grip on the RNLI though.
Might need a super tanker to fit the ego in.
Ukrainians like him maybe they can donate Boris a summer house
https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-you-need-gunboat-to-do-gunboat.html
This explains why far better then I can.
Probably because it’s all we can spare given the tiny size of our navy. Showing the flag is ideal for these OPVs.
What would you prefer? They’re constabulary vessels, not T45s.
For what they do, they’re fine. A UAV embarked would be an addition, plus a SIGINT suite, not 16 inch guns.
Boring isnβt it. Every time there is an article involving the B2s itβs the same. A giant inflatable middle finger would be more use than the weapons posters on here want to see them carry.
I’m sounding a bit like a broken record but from the overall dimensions (3.11m length, 1.24m width & 1.12m height) I would have thought (and I’m not an expert so am open to polite correction) that a Schiebel S-100 could perfectly easily fit into a standard 20 foot (6 metre) ISO container with sufficient working space around it for maintenance. BAE’s own spec sheet for the B2 lists the ability to carry 6 x 6 metre ISO containers which from renders I have seen previously is achieved by space and stability provision for 4 containers on the flight deck plus… Read more Β»
Afternoon Julian. That possibility has been aired many times. Like you I’m no expert on the ins and outs of actually fitting such but if it is possible given the costs of a S100 why do they not get on with it? It cannot be money surely for the cost of such a purchase is minimal defence budget wise. Would not such an asset provide better situational awareness regards pirates, smugglers and other lower end tasks these vessels may have to underatke? I wonder what the “problem” with UAS is regards the military? As was mentioned on other threads, including… Read more Β»
Crucial work- update admiralty charts, sonography etc- if things go south with China there will be a need for onsite up to date intel. I’d send a few more river batch 2’s out to the far east and get as many goodwill port visits done as possible.
Spec out defensive locations, airfields, sites for fortifications, artillery, air defence batteries, docking yards, berths for small and large warships etc.
95% of the comments are totally missing the point about what these vessels are for, and the very important work they conduct. Diplomatic relations, flag waving, whatever you want to call it, are a demonstration of the UKs commitment to security in this part of the world. The B2 is a very capable warship, and not everything in the Navy is judged by how many VLS you have, or how big the gun up front us, it certainly won’t worry the crew. Bigger warships won’t fit in the many small ports in the area for example. The RN wants to… Read more Β»
π
Bravo.
However, I fear the fantasy fleets my guns bigger than yours brigade are not interested.
I respectfully exclude SB in that given his knowledge, despite his change of heart regarding these assets.
Yeah, he has some good comments. It goes without saying we would all like more escorts, and T26 ,T45 especially need to be well armed. T31 has a lot of potential for the budget and business model. But OPV’S don’t need to be bristling with weapons. Just a big stash of Gin π
And pork products for cocktail parties in countries where its not permitted. The Brit guests I have seen stuffing their faces with Ham sarnies and sausages on sticks at cocktail parties is a sight to behold…Dont even start me off on the dits resulting from excessive free Gin !
Oh yeah. ππππ….
ππ
They already dispense whisky and clotted cream, but some people are never satisfied. For them we have to fit the gin option too. π
B2 is not a very capable warship. It could have been but it isnβt.
It’s capable for what its designed to do, and for the role the RN are using them for.
Far too much money was spent to achieve what they presently achieve. A bit more thought could have given options. Ukraine shows how fast situations can change. Your options tend to be limited when you purposely design it that way. The role that the RN is using them for is fine in peacetime. The problem comes if the role needs to change.
Two minesweepers sail into a pub, one says to the other, mines a beer.