HMS Ambush has arrived in Gibraltar after Spain calls for ‘Joint Control’ of Gibraltar following Brexit.

UK overseas territory Gibraltar is a major staging post for military operations globally.

HMS Ambush is an Astute class nuclear fleet submarine of the Royal Navy, the second boat of her class. Ambush’s nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat’s 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine will only be able to carry three months’ supply of food for 98 officers and ratings.

The Spanish government had called for joint sovereignty over Gibraltar after the UK decided to leave the European Union.

95.9% of ‘The Rock’s’ 30,000 population voted overwhelmingly for staying in the EU.

Speaking on national radio, Spain’s Foreign Minister said:

“It’s a complete change of outlook that opens up new possibilities on Gibraltar not seen for a very long time. I hope the formula of co-sovereignty – to be clear, the Spanish flag on the Rock – is much closer than before.”

Relations aren’t calm however, in May, a Spanish patrol boat reportedly tried to “hassle” an American nuclear submarine attempting to dock at Gibraltar.

According to multiple sources, flares were fired across the bow of the Spanish Guardia Civil vessel Rio Cedena in mid-April as it twice attempted to sail across the front of the American ballistic missile submarine USS Florida.

The USS Florida, a 20,000 ton Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, was commissioned in 1983 with the hull designation of SSBN-728; with her conversion to a cruise missile submarine, she was re-designated SSGN-728. She carriers 154 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

A spokesman for the Governor’s office confirmed the incursion “…in the vicinity of an incoming submarine.”

“The professionalism of the Royal Navy and Gibraltar Defence Police ensured there was no risk to safety.”

This is yet another Spanish incursion into Gibraltarian waters. This is the latest in a long line of political infringements and military incursions into the sovereign territory of Gibraltar. Last year the Spanish Ambassador was formally called into Downing Street and a Formal Complaint was made by the FCO after the Diplomatic Bag was opened on the border with Spain.

Recently there have been many complaints regarding the Spanish behavior, the border guards have purposely caused delays for workers who travel across daily on orders from the Spanish government, there have been other incursions by Spanish vessels into water and Spanish divers were seen carrying out investigations on the artificial reef off the Gibraltar runway (which runs out into the sea).

Avatar photo
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
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

39 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Paul Jones
7 years ago

It’s started.. but it would be very foolish of the Spanish to threaten us. We are far stronger than them military wise and we are also supporting their only industry – tourism.. If British people stopped holidays in Spain it would fall on its arse!

Kyle Williamson
7 years ago

Good to see it in our port ! Shame it will leave soon and leave us with no defense again

Paul Jones
7 years ago

They would never chance it! They like a game of cat and mouse but they know in a real game we would hand them a spanking

Kyle Williamson
7 years ago
UK Defence Journal
7 years ago

Spain isn’t going to invade Gibraltar.

Kyle Williamson
7 years ago

That shouldn’t happen ,

Ben Davis
7 years ago

Nothing will come of it until Gibraltar want it because Spain has part of Morocco that it won’t give back.

Mark Llewellyn
7 years ago

Perhaps they would like to have a chat with a Tomahawk cruise missile?

Jake Holliday
7 years ago

Elliott Haigh Pete Lorimer Connor Dunn Hughes Callum Fox

Ian Offen
7 years ago

What would happen if we had a war,as we both use euro fighter typhoons?

Michael Thomas
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

Nothing. We’re NATO members. Can’t happen other than in bad fiction.

Liam Elton
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

We both have men and women fighting. Both have guns what your point ?

Matt Tebbutt
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

NATO would destroy both countries.

UK Defence Journal
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

That’s not quite how NATO works Matt.

Matt Tebbutt
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

It was sarcastic!

امیرعلی راشرس
Reply to  Ian Offen

Remember the typhoon has been mainly made in UK beside the left wings and some control panel but mostly done in UK. I have to tell you that the RAF typhoon is much more advance and capable then typhoon in German airforce or Spanish or Italian so we have better quality and much more advanced specially at electronics

Kent Reynolds
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

Sarcasm is lost in text.

Richard Cooper
Richard Cooper
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

Much more dangerous would be the use of an armourd column to seize the town and helicopter troops to seize the top of the Rock, then present the world with a fait accompli.

Richard Graham
7 years ago
Reply to  Ian Offen

امیرعلی راشرس also, our football team is better.

David Barnard
7 years ago

you talk your way… and I’ll talk my way (O;

Magpayo Ricardo
7 years ago

powerful

John Norwell
7 years ago

Salt in the wound for the Spanish???I love it, your move Spaniards??????

Neil Wood
7 years ago

Look we are a Nuclear power and it’s time Europe understand this they need to talk to us about trade deals the quicker the better we now need strong men in government to make sure we get what we want.

Martin Boland
7 years ago
Reply to  Neil Wood

So Britain expends it ~120 warheads on most major EU cities – the France retaliates by turning the whole of the UK too glass. Please tell me this wasn’t a serious comment about threatening nuclear warfare as an economic negotiating tactic!

Neil Wood
7 years ago
Reply to  Neil Wood

No it was not I was pointing out that Britten is a strong economic and powerful country that has always stood by Europe and now we want to keep our trade deals they need us to keep them safe.

Rogelio Raphael Rodriguez
Reply to  Neil Wood

Uh excuse me. Who keeps Europe safe ? As the worlds only superpower America does not always get what we want. The British and American people have many things in common. An egotistical sense of our importance to the world is one.

Neil Wood
7 years ago
Reply to  Neil Wood

In 1957 my father was posted to Germany and we the family went with him to live there and then in 1962 we went back again to Germany and all the time my father was there the training was to stop the Russian from invadeing Europe and in the 1980s I went to Germany as a soldier in the British Army to defend Germany from the Russian so don’t tell me we have not done our bit to keep Europe safe.

Ryan Treadwell
7 years ago

Spain asks for talks *UK send Nuclear Powered Submarine*

Fritz Kartoeffel
7 years ago

wow, the words “demand” and “war” were uttered rather quick….

Paul Willard
7 years ago

It’s a coincidence.

Marc Holt
7 years ago

Gunboat diplomacy…. good old british diplomacy ?

Kent Reynolds
7 years ago
Reply to  Marc Holt

That’s exactly what it is. The whole thing reminded me of HMS Hood when it sailed the world showing the flag.

Richard Graham
7 years ago

What are we going to do? Nuke them because they ask for Gibralter back?

Kent Reynolds
7 years ago
Reply to  Richard Graham

The whole point of a deterrent is never to use it.

Richard Graham
7 years ago
Reply to  Richard Graham

So we threaten to nuke them because they ask for talks, but we won’t actually carry it out?

Paul Irving
7 years ago

Gold star to UK Defence Journal’s patient replies on here 🙂

Kent Reynolds
7 years ago

At first I was wondering why they were flying the red ensign, then I realised it was guys in suits.

trackback

[…] HMS Ambush has arrived in Gibraltar after Spain calls for ‘Joint Control’ of Gibraltar following Brexit.  UK overseas territory Gibraltar is a major staging post for military operations globally.  HMS Ambush is an Astute class nuclear fleet submarine of the Royal Navy, the second boat of her class. Ambush’s nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat’s 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine will only be able to carry three months’ supply of food for… Read more »

Bill Baker
Bill Baker
7 years ago

Boarder guards, surely you mean border guards? Or were they asleep on the job?