The Type 45 Destroyer sailed from Dover to monitor the Russian destroyer Severomorsk and cruiser Marshal Ustinov as they passed through the UK’s area of interest.

Commander Ben Keith, the Commanding Officer of HMS Diamond, said:

“HMS Diamond is proud to once again be playing her part in protecting the UK by monitoring these vessels on their transit. This is routine business for the Royal Navy and the second time my ship’s company have undertaken such an escort duty this summer.

While many families are enjoying their summer holidays, my ship’s company are working hard at sea to keep Britain safe and will continue to do so for as long as we are required. I would like to thank the families of my crew whose support is vital while we carry out our duty to the nation.”

Royal Navy monitors Russian warships in English Channel

The Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk and Slava-class cruiser Marshal Ustinov recently finished taking part in the Russian Navy Days event in the Baltic port of St Petersberg and are now deploying out of the area.

Overnight HMS Diamond maintained watch in UK waters, monitoring the Russian warships as they approach the UK coast. As the ships entered the busy shipping lanes between Norfolk and continental Europe, Diamond manoeuvred into formation alongside them and made them aware of her presence, say the Royal Navy.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Chris
Chris
5 years ago

I’m always amazed at the amount of firepower the Russians can bolt to their ships regardless of size. Do they routinely sail with a full complement of weaponry because that seems rather excessive to me in times of relative peace.

expat
expat
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Russian did have inflatable tanks during the cold war to throw of US satellites. So could be oil barrels welded together to look like launch tubes 🙂

Callum
Callum
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

The Russian approach, especially during the Cold War, was to go for quantity over quality approach. Build massive numbers of technologically inferior tanks, bolt seemingly insane amounts of firepower onto their ships, develop fast, heavily armed submarines that aren’t stealthy at all by modern standards, its the same story across most of their forces. Obviously, there are exceptions, but looking at most of their advanced programmes you see that they either fail or the numbers procured were tiny compared to what they announced. During the Cold War, that approach made them look good in a Top Trumps comparison, but looking… Read more »

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
5 years ago

Thank God the heatwave is over!

Keithdwat
Keithdwat
5 years ago

Is that… Harpoon on the front??

Paul T
Paul T
5 years ago
Reply to  Keithdwat

Keith – yes looks like the full monty,Sea Viper,Harpoon and Phalanx whats not to like !

Dr Sink Fast
Dr Sink Fast
5 years ago

Nobody out the kettle on if they decide to speed up.

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago

Despite the tongue in cheek comments it’s nice to see us sending something that could actually look imposing tonnage wise in comparison to what it’s “escorting”.

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

Agreed!

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

It looks impressive but ASM against modern ships at point blank range are deadly so it’s a bit like fighter jets in a dog fight or sub’s in a fight. The one who shoots first wins.

So we should just escort these ships with a small patrol ship and have ASM armed QRA jets at 10 seconds notice of launch. If they sink our patrol ship we sink their cruisers.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Need to replace Sea Eagle. 12 and 617 used to be maritime strike roled I think.

Callum
Callum
5 years ago

Perseus is going to be a replacement for both Harpoon and Storm Shadow, so when that comes into service it will also be a spiritual successor to Sea Eagle

Jussi
Jussi
5 years ago
Reply to  Callum

Callum, The Perseus looks like it’s going to be great Missile. I believe it can travel at Mach 5 plus it has two “effectors” Missile launched from the main Missile. The main Missile will have a 200kg warhead and the other two will have 50kg warheads.

Helions
Helions
5 years ago

OT – and yes – it’s The Mail… However, these are some very nice photos of the 2nd batch of F35s crossing the pond.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6035217/Second-batch-120m-F-35-stealth-fighter-jets-fly-Atlantic.html

Cheers!

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago
Reply to  Helions

Also OT: Cool! I think the UK are due 3 more soon? We’re in LRIP 10 right?

Lewis
Lewis
5 years ago

The comments on other sites are ridicoulous. Some whine about the Russians being perfectly entitled to move through the English channel and others saying a warship is unneeded. I shake my head at such ignorance and also the portion of our population who seem to have a ridcoulous love of Russia because of Strongman Putin and hatred of their own country.

Julian
Julian
5 years ago
Reply to  Lewis

If one cares about one’s blood pressure the comments on most newspaper web sites relating to any defence news are best avoided. The level of ignorance and often defeatism on display there is truly annoying (and depressing).

geoff
geoff
5 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Agree with your comments literally Julian. I can actually feel my BP rising when I read the comments section on the DT when it comes to defence matters to the extent that I don’t go there anymore. The extent of the ignorance therein is truly frightening.

dave12
dave12
5 years ago
Reply to  Lewis

To be honest most of them are Russian trolls who give them selves anglo saxon names and pretend to be pro putin and like to make out the novichok attack was a UK goverment plot, that sort of give them away a bit, because no one from the uk is that stupid.

Julian
Julian
5 years ago
Reply to  dave12

True. I suppose that at least makes it less depressing. Still annoying though.

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  dave12

I was born and raised in the North West, I’m a patriot and love this country dearly. But I don’t believe the official government position on the Salisbury poisoning. So am I stupid and Russian? What was it Peter Hutchins said “I sense an even deeper and more thoughtless frenzy over Russia, a country many seem to enjoy loathing because they know so little about it,” he wrote. “I have already been accused, on a public stage, of justifying Moscow’s crime in Salisbury. This false charge was the penalty I paid for trying to explain the historical and political background… Read more »

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

I’m slightly different in my opinion Sole.
I personally do believe Russia was behind the Salisbury incident. Much like Litvenenko Williams and others.

That’s fair enough.

And yet. I’m happy to stand up for Russia when hypocrisy rears its head.

And yes. I too am a patriot and love my cou try. And want it well armed incase of Russian aggression.

Sometimes defending Russia does not make me a Russian “Troll” either.

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

I subscribe to Scientific Method, which tells me I do not have enough information from which to draw a conclusion. When this happens I sometimes fall back onto Occam’s razor which, in this case tells me with the UK government putting out 1 explanation and the Russian government putting out 20+ that vary from the ridiculous to the outright outrageous, that the UK government explanation/theory is the MOST LIKELY to be true. (note the most likely, not definitely).

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

Steve and Daniele, fair enough comments, although Daniele you have said you believe the official account without giving a reason and Steve you said you subscribe to the scientific method? The UK government put out several different explanations even when all the supposed evidence was right in front of them with hundreds of trained professionals working on the case, how the Novichok was administered changed several times. Russian officials from different departments (none on chemistry or criminology) were asked to give their account of what happened, seen as they have had absolutely no access to the investigation (even though they… Read more »

Elliott
Elliott
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

Do I think Russia did it? Maybe, but the investigators aren’t being very transparent about the investigation. They haven’t cooperated with multiple law enforcement agencies or independent labs. If your evidence is good why hide it? The police to this day have not provided a consistent sequence of events as to how the poison got into their system. They failed to preserve evidence for example the bodies of the pets they said were exposed but destroyed anyway. Without allowing independent testing. Also this doesn’t match Russia’s normal practices. For one it was sloppy and hit more than the target. Second… Read more »

dave12
dave12
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

Not sheep sole, just we do not have Russian fantasys like yourself, or is it stockholm syndrome you have??

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  dave12

What Russian fantasies do i have?

Why would it be Stockholm syndrome? i don’t get it.

Gfor
Gfor
5 years ago
Reply to  dave12

And the police officer who came along tried the drugs? I don’t think so.
I am all for objectivity, and I don’t believe that the national media is unbiased or objective, for example they were totally blinkered in their coverage of the Crimea situation with regard to history and Russian sentimentality, but you are getting into tinfoil hat areas with the above.

Allen
Allen
5 years ago

In a shooting war, HMS Diamond, with virtually no anti submarine defence, would be on the bottom in short order. Yes, the Russians cram so much weaponary onto their platforms. Our sailors deserve better Mr. Williamson.

dave12
dave12
5 years ago

Figure it out soleski ,but you did put a lot of passion in that novel size conspiracy theory comment trying to defend the rusky state which is very suspicious lol!! It makes more sense that putin who has done this before in 2006 ,tried to take out another Rusky spy working for the uk then your crazy ramblings thats for sure.

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
5 years ago

Back onto article. The type 45s are big ships. Cruiser sized. We only have 6 of them. Therefore to make the most of a limited resource we should be funding the strike length mk41 vl system fit when these ships go into dry dock for their PIP programme. Project Napier will sort out power problems but these fine ships need more arnaments. They have to evolve from being the best air defence destroyer in the world to true multi role warships optimised for air defence but with capability via mk41 vl strike cells for surface strike, anti ship and ant… Read more »

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
5 years ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

I agree completely.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

and what missiles are we going to put in the mk41 slots and what role will they fulfil?

David Taylor
David Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

VLS versions of Tomahawk, ASROC ASW missiles, and LRASM (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile) which is in service with the USAF now and the USN next year. And SeaCeptor can be made to fir Mk41 too.

David Stephen
David Stephen
5 years ago
Reply to  David Taylor

LRASM will come in a deck mounted box launcher as well as VLS ready. Type 45 has no need for ASROC and lacks a decent sonar anyway. Type 26 and Astute can carry Tomahawk so Type 45 doesn’t need to. I would like to see the MK41 fitted (space exists for 2 x 8 cell modules) but this would mean 16 extra cells but no space for deck launched ASMs so probably 8 of the 16 new cells would be for LRASM or Tomahawk AS, which would leave 8 cells for either Aster 45 (add another £15 million for software… Read more »

David Taylor
David Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  David Stephen

The list is what is talked about possibly going into T26’s Mk41. The question being, I thought, was which missiles (are planned for) RN’s Mk41’s I am very much doubtful T45 will ever receive Mk41 It will only ever need to carry Aster 30 and SeaCeptor. I can’t see the RN ever investing in BDM capability, even though being one of the world’s nuclear powers you would think it be a natural. BMD ops place quite a strain on the USN’s Burke fleet. Tomahawk is going out of service with the USN and we are already a generation behind the… Read more »

Antidote
Antidote
5 years ago

As someone who has been living in Russia for 15 years, who fluently knows the language and who knows the culture and mentality inside out, I say the following:

It was Russia!!

David Stephen
David Stephen
5 years ago

Steve was clearly responding to Mr Bell so the question was about Type 45 with MK41 not Type 26. I would also think the MK41 on Type 26 has much more chance of seeing ASROC than Sea Ceptor since the ship already carries 48 of the latter but no torpedo tubes.

David Taylor
David Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  David Stephen

Well my bad. I think the effectiveness of STWS is questionable these days. The UK won’t buy ASROC

And you really think that ASROC will come before SeaCeptor? No. Sorry.

David Stephen
David Stephen
5 years ago
Reply to  David Taylor

In MK41 on Type 26, yes ASROC before CAAM because there will already be plenty of CAAM.