UK Defence Forum

Lord Jim, sorry misunderstood.

Mersey's back.

HMS Forth twitter is "looking forward to heading down South later this year! ".

Although no new information, it is confirmed that it is steadily proceeding.

UKDJ is writing a report on this topic (interview by Mr. Jones?). Waiting...

So the faults have all been rectified then? I was expecting a longer delay especially given the hysteria in the media at the time. Anyone seen any reports on the rectifications?

From Navy lookout. HMS Forth came out of dock.

From Navy lookout. 4th ship HMS Tamar, taking shape..
Surprisingly, already in good shape. Might be completed this year, and commission in 2020?

HMS Medway, looks like at her pace. Looks good.

I do like how the B2 Rivers look, but they would look even better with a 57mm mounted on the front.

Lord Jim wrote:I do like how the B2 Rivers look

Detect the similarity: https://www.forces.net/sites/default/fi ... k=CBBVLuR8 ?

They are even serving the same function, as fillers - being the least capable - for the two other types:
"By the early 1980s the RN was struggling to maintain the demands of both focusing on specialising in extremely expensive ASW frigates and carrying out wider lower intensity patrols [with T-21s].

It looked to try and introduce a highly austere design, lightly armed and intended to operate in task groups in the North Atlantic that would be known as the Type 23 Frigate"
- unattributed, on Forces Network

Beautiful shot, it is. OPV and CV, both are important, but with very different tasks. Showing the wide-range of RN tasks.

none of the OPVs are going to be part of the carrier group i take it?

I think so. River B2 has many tasks to do, but none of it will be to work as CVTF.

So a rare meeting... Great shot

The crew of HMS Forth. I can see 34 of them (excluding the one taking the photo). As River B2 needs 36 crew to steam (*1), I think that is her crew.

*1: sometimes quoted ~60 is the number including the "additional crew" for rotation, to secure ~300 days of sea going days.

Its proceeding, steadily. Hull-2 (HMS Medway) and 3 (Trent) , and 4 (TAMAR) and (5 (SPEY) in the tent).

HMS Forth. Photon Taken on January 24, 2019, by Nick Wakefield.


Antenna (ra-domes) are increasing.
- Three inmarsat domes (Cobham Sailor): one starboard of the funnel, and the other port of the mast, and a small one on top of the bridge. See https://www.cobham.com/communications-a ... broadband/
- No life rafts are carried yet.

BAES paying for their mistake. It will include re-activation of River B2.

But, what was the cause? Are there any comments from Union?

Makes the eyes water "BAES_Maritime has put a £47million loss provision aside for the Batch II OPVs"
- not saying whether I am crying, or just simply amused

This Typhoon/ Meteor stuff is in a totally different galaxy - by its order of magnitude

HMS Tyne, came back. Now she is ready to deploy?

Hopefully back on track.

Fishing News 8th March 2019

HMS FORTH: READY TO JOIN THE ROYAL NAVY FISHERY PROTECTION SQUADRON

... In three weeks’ time, HMS Forth will depart from Portsmouth to commence trials off the south coast, to expand the squadron’s operational envelope while doing some further equipment tests after the initial contract trials, to maximise the utility of Forth. On completion of these trials, HMS Forth is scheduled to go to Scotland for flag officer sea training for several weeks, resulting in the ‘final tick in the box’ to commence full operational duties within the squadron...

https://fishingnews.co.uk/features/hms- ... -squadron/

Some nice photos...
https://fishingnews.co.uk/wp-content/up ... 24x717.jpg
https://fishingnews.co.uk/wp-content/up ... 24x717.jpg
https://fishingnews.co.uk/wp-content/up ... 24x717.jpg

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... es-for-sea

Confirmation that the RB2's are going to be forward based or globally deployed and not primarily used for EEZ patrol and fisheries protection.

Would the one deployed to the Med, if that is the case, be based in Gibraltar or would it deploy from and return to the UK?