The Royal Navy and U.S. Navy have tested “traditional and future minehunting techniques and equipment” in the first of new regular training exercises in the Gulf, say the Royal Navy here.
According to a news release:
“Crewed and uncrewed minehunters from the two allies worked side by side as the Royal Navy’s entire presence in the Gulf – five warships and one support vessel, involving upwards of 500 men and women – took part in Exercise Interop.
All four minehunters – HMS Brocklesby, Chiddingfold, Penzance and Shoreham – and their mother ship, RFA Lyme Bay, which has recently arrived in the region as the floating headquarters/warehouse/supermarket/petrol station for British and partner mine warfare vessels, took part, plus the USS Sentry.
The exercise demonstrated the continued ability of the two allies to work together seamlessly, with the added frisson of autonomous minehunting systems operating alongside conventional vessels, all directed by the UK Mine Countermeasures Force (UKMCMFOR) battlestaff from Lyme Bay.”
The Royal Navy also add that HMS Montrose’s participation allowed the frigate to co-ordinate a swarm attack in on the minehunters which were expected to fend off US Navy fast patrol boats as well as Montrose’s RIBs, “testing the gunnery skills of the hunters’ crews and their vessels’ manoeuvrability”.
There was the Venari 85 concept for a OPV/MCMV. Would’ve been a good one due to a good gun, hangar and plenty of space for minehunting equipment/drones.
UK’s Stellar systems have a number of interesting mother ship concepts based on it’s Spartan frigate and TX LCS
http://www.stellersystems.co.uk/naval-architecture/concept-design/.
For the Type 32 frigate, I don’t know if it is possible to modify the winning T31 Arrowhead design by changing the stern ( rear) to that of the Spartan frigate so that it is easier to launch mine counter measure vessels and equipment.
I had an interesting month working on Lyme Bay. She was in for an FTSP after her arrival in theater . A lot of good work undertaken on her to ensure she is in the best possible material state whilst out here for the next few years.
OT
Merlin for Polish Navy flies first time.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/07/future-polish-navy-aw101-helicopter-flies-for-the-first-time/
Can we have another 12 please for the RN. Order when these are finished, train pilots etc. Cost estimates £1 billion+ probably
I do worry about our future MCM capabilities, they’ve quietly done a fantastic job and have really flown the flag. I hope we retain this capability rather than loose it under some wooly future concept of crewless MCM ships
So do I, I spent several years on the River class mostly HMS Helmsdale,we were still sweeping WW2 contact mines in the late 1980s. Good boats but talk about being seasick, three days over the side and as green as someting from outerspace. That was on a calm day, never mind good memories. She was not even ten years old before she got sold off.
John, I wouldn’t worry, I’ve had the chance to be up close and personal with the new autonomous systems and they are genuinely hot snot they really are
I agree. I do want to see how the new Saab mine disposal system performs as that’s is an unknown for me. I have worked the old Paps ( Yellow submarines in both versions) and Seafox before but not that.
The remainder of the sensor systems are pretty much rehashes and updates of existing systems already in use on the MCMVs anyway.
I was the base maintainer for the Combined Influence Sweep system on Hunts so it will be good for the RN to get back to sweeping again.
Cheers Gents.
It’s just goes to show how short of ship s we are and need the U,S to help us out because we have a government that only does half a job in our armed forces and the Destroyer situation just goes to show that 6 destroyers are at their limit and worn out before their time to many cut backs over the years is the real reason still they will gloss this over
Errr this is about the 4 MCMVs, a Bay class and the single MCMV that the USS had managed to get to sea . If you think we have issues you want to try working on some USN vessel maintenance!