The Royal Navy has successfully concluded a six-day operation to monitor a Russian submarine as it passed by the UK.

HMS Iron Duke and HMS Tyne were tasked with shadowing the Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and its tug, Evgeny Churov, as they sailed through the English Channel and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Royal Navy says the operation began when the Canadian warship HMCS Shawinigan handed over monitoring duties to HMS Iron Duke as the Russian vessels approached the Dover Strait from the Baltic Sea.

HMS Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate based in Portsmouth, closely tracked the Russian submarine and tug, with support from its Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron. The submarine remained on the surface throughout the operation, and once the vessels exited UK waters, French warship FS Auvergne took over the shadowing duties.

In a subsequent operation, HMS Iron Duke was called back to monitor another Russian vessel, the Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoiky, along with its accompanying tanker MT Yaz. The frigate monitored the Russian vessels as they passed the Dover Strait before handing over duties to HMS Tyne, which continued shadowing the vessels off the northwest coast of France.

The Royal Navy’s surveillance efforts ensured the Russian vessels adhered to international maritime law, maintaining a close watch to guarantee they posed no threat while passing through UK waters. According to Commander David Armstrong, Commanding Officer of HMS Iron Duke, “Maritime security operations of this nature are a fundamental capability of the Royal Navy, with the protection of our sovereign waters and critical national infrastructure a key focus.”

This marks the fourth and fifth such monitoring operations for HMS Iron Duke since returning to active service after a period of training

George Allison
George Allison
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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23 COMMENTS

  1. Continuing the task of FCS 1 as it was known , shadowing in the Channel has been a task that ruined many a LWE (long weekend leave ) .The main area now with keeping an eye on is the western approaches ,we’re there’s a lot of undersea data carrying cables. I take it that the Sub was watched with Air assets over the Western approaches ,as the ROI has little Naval and Air assets,too continue shadowing .

    • If you’re proposing the Lake Class, then it would make more sense to build additional Rivers. As has been stated by numerous contributors to this site, these ships are worth their weight in gold. Someone will no doubt propose fitting all manner of weaponry on them 🙂 If we are feeling a little more adventurous, then looking at the new Norwegian ‘Jan Mayen’ vessels built for their coastguard which feature hangers for either helis or unmanned assets. On a side note, the headline in this morning’s Daily Express – “Panic as English Channel…..” :). I can just imagine the crew having a cuppa as they monitor the Russian vessels sailing through. Journos really need to get a grip although they probably get a gold star for sensationalism and creativity!

      • As you say, more Rivers also an option, perhaps even the favourite. Just reacting to recent incidents but also to change in circumstances – offshore wind turbines, undersea cables, UK ( and IE) EEZ. We just seem light on patrol vessels.

        • Would RN profit from a Corvette class for patrol.in vicinity of the UK? Tradeoffs certainly, but at least some legitimate offensive capability for less expense than a frigate flotilla. 🤔

          • Morning, First we need to understand what is a Corvette. They seem to range from about 1000 tons to 4500 tons, which is in the Type 23 range. I do agree that the RN would profit from a well armed patrol vessel for UK waters and possibly to aid Norway as well as patrol some of our overseas protectorates.

            There are two vessels that I think would suite the RN very well in terms of cost effective, hitting power and response times. Both from the Finnish navy the first is the Hamina class missile boat. These could replace the P-2000 Archer class, to be used in the English Channel, Western Isles, Norwegian Fjords; possibly Persian Gulf, Cyprus or choke points. Manning could be a mix of RN/RNR plus some other groups.

            The second type is the Pohjanmaa class corvette. These could become that standing escort vessels of the RN. Well armed and able to patrol and escort all around the UK, able to escort trans atlantic convoys operating in upto 70cm of 1st year ice. The ships are cost effective, 8 ships would cost about £2 billion and have small crews about 75 persons. They could release the T26 and T31s to carry out their tasks of carrier group escort and overseas policing duties.

            If the RN had Hamina type boats based in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea area etc they would team up with the T31 based there to form response groups.

            If the British Government would build these vessels it would give them the possibility to do one more thing. They could take the Batch 1 Rivers, Archers, Border Cutters, Fishery Protection and form them into a single body UK Coast Guard that would operate along the same lines as the USCG.
            This would release the RN to carry out it three main tasks, protect the UK from invasion, keep the sea lanes open and deliver the Army to where ever it needs to go. Everything else like fighting sea battles, sinking enemy ships etc is only a part of the three main tasks.

          • Don’t know. I was just banging the drum for more ‘Home Fleet’ ships. We are an island after all with increasing dependence on and responsibilities for resources close to home. One or two more patrol ships perhaps with the ability to launch and recover sub sea drones / mcm would be useful I think. The Rivers with their cranes might not be a million miles away from what we need.

          • I don’t think you can dispense with a frigate for this duty as it does make a big statement but it would be nice to have more Rivers as well to cover in the coming years if China decides to send a flotilla.

          • With a very small escort fleet, a corvette class could take over a lot of the lower-end duties and free up the frigates for ASW in Eastlant and the High North, overseas guardships and the CSG.

            The River 2 was halfway towards being an underarmed corvette. I have always liked its bigger brother, the Khareef class produced for Oman by BAE Portsmouth.

            2,660 tonnes displacement v R2’s 2000. Longer at 99m. Speedy at 28 kts/32mph, good range of 4,500 nmi, claimed good in high seas, though possibly not by RN standards. Good radar, ESM and soft kill defence system.

            And unlike R2, fitted with hangar and maintenance facilities for a medium heli.

            Weapons fit-out was maybe a bit OTT for what we need – 76mm gun, 2 x 30mm cannons, 12 VL MICA SAM, 8 Exocer 111 S2S. The main thing missing for UK service is some ASW kit apart from the heli.

            And they pnly cost £133m apiece back in 2007, including training and logistics support. No doubt twice that today.

            Something like that could usefully do the Caribbean station, the Gib/West Africa patrol, Falklands EEZ, maybe even a Cyprus station.

            In a mad expansive moment, I’d see a batch of them doing UK EEZ work, patrolling offshore energy installations and undersea cable watch, shadowing passing Russian warships, basically establishing an armed presence around the UK.

            Their key advantage in any war mobilisation – which is really the litmus test of a ship’s value – would be their suitability to take on the convoy escort role ‘and additionally.provide an inner ASW capability around UK shores.

            The three R1s are going to be due for replacement in a couple of years, would like to see us planning a River 3/Khareef-type corvette to replace them, plus quite a few additional to take on the above roles.

  5. the royal navy type 23 towed arrays have a great reputation for finding Russian submarines. it’s sad that what has been the backbone of the fleet for so long is ravaged by old age. and I’d destined to join past stalwarts such as the Leander I the history book.

  9. Putin now wants to broaden his war to include Britain and the United States with promises to commence a conflict if cruise is signed off to hit the Russian hinterland! However, his recent warning only signalled out the UK and US but NATO doesn’t differentiate between nations as it’s all for one and one for all. So, why the warnings and sending subs and other vessels to UK waters? What is he trying to achieve other than some obvious weaknesses. The longer the Ukraine war continues the more bazaar is Putin’s behaviour.

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