Astute Class Attack Submarine (SSN) (RN)

[R686]

'There seems to be something wrong with all our bloody ships today'

Seriously though, what is it with the RN and its submarines these past few years, especially the Astute Class?

I'm actually surprised it doesn't happen more often, they don't call it the silent service for nothing, and I sure they still would be training using other vessel to get in close or going somewhere they should not. Got to have balls of steel if you ask me.


http://upperiscope.com.au/miscellaneous ... boats.html

http://www.historynet.com/book-review-b ... rew-mh.htm

[Ron5]

Meh. That will buff right out.

[bobp]

Any claims for whiplash I wonder.

[90inFIRST]

http://gcaptain.com/royal-navy-nuclear- ... al-vessel/

Apparently not!

[GibMariner]

HMS Ambush reportedly hosting Perisher course during collision near Gibraltar: http://chronicle.gi/2016/07/collision-s ... er-course/

Changing tack isn't the Z berth at Gibraltar pretty vulnerable to a USS Cole style motor boat terrorist attack?

While not completely impossible, highly improbable.

1. Gib isn't Yemen & surrounded by allied countries with competent militaries.
2. Whenever military vessels are at the naval base, a boom is in place from the tip of the South Mole to the edge of MoD land on the Gun Wharf, with a Gibraltar Defence Police patrol boat patrolling the southern entrance to the harbour, and one of the RN Gib Sqn's Scimitar patrol boats is usually on patrol within Gib waters.

However, security can be called into question when a Guardia Civil patrol boat can casually sail along the outside of the South Mole while a damaged nuclear submarine is on the other side, as happened last week.

[Bring Deeps]

Thanks for the local knowledge. Google maps has its limitations.

It is a fair point about Yemen but Libya isn't looking too healthy.

Terrorists often have the element of surprise on their side and would the armed guard open fire quickly enough in a confused situation? As you say the Spanish boat shouldn't have been allowed that close.

The risk is also increased if the sub has to stay for a few weeks whilst temporary repairs are carried out.

[GibMariner]

Thanks for the local knowledge. Google maps has its limitations.

It is a fair point about Yemen but Libya isn't looking too healthy.

Terrorists often have the element of surprise on their side and would the armed guard open fire quickly enough in a confused situation? As you say the Spanish boat shouldn't have been allowed that close.

The risk is also increased if the sub has to stay for a few weeks whilst temporary repairs are carried out.

If you check the Google Earth map over Gib for 25/05/2016 there's a boom in place while RFA Mounts Bay was berthed next to the Tower.

Libya isn't exactly close to Gib, and there are several countries between them.

I wouldn't think the rules of engagement in such a scenario are publicly available, but one would hope the RN/MoD would take the protection of some of their highest value units seriously, especially with ~20,000+ people living within a 2 mile radius.

When USS Florida (SSGN-728) called at Gib earlier this year, the Guardia Civil harassed the submarine on arrival, crossing in front of its bows, the RN reportedly fired warning shots/flares at the Spanish vessel - allegedly after the US submarine's captain told the RN to do something or else he would ram the boat.

[GibMariner]

Gibraltar Port Authority local notice to mariners, re HMS Ambush: http://www.gibraltarport.com/sites/defa ... 202016.pdf

[GibMariner]

No decision yet on Ambush repairs: http://chronicle.gi/2016/07/no-decision ... h-repairs/

Unloading weapons from HMS Ambush: http://chronicle.gi/2016/07/7650/ (surprised the MoD hasn't had this taken down yet).

[arfah]

....................

[GibMariner]

This Spanish newspaper is claiming that the navigation system aboard Ambush was damaged in the incident, and that the submarine will be towed to a dry dock at the Crinavis shipyard, just across the border in Campamento, for repairs. http://www.abc.es/espana/abci-royal-nav ... ticia.html

In this article, they also complain that the Spanish government has asked the British embassy to provide information from the UK government on the matter, which hasn't been very forthcoming. Good. http://www.abc.es/espana/abci-espana-vu ... ticia.html

(Both articles in Spanish, suggest Google Translate is used).

While Gibdock has 3 dry docks more than large enough to accommodate a submarine, I do not think they have the facilities to be able to dry dock them. I highly doubt Crinavis would be able to, and it could certainly be a national security issue. The nearest nuclear facilities in the Med would be at Toulon if I'm not mistaken.

Even if it might be possible to transport whatever is required for Gibdock to dry dock Ambush, surely it would be cheaper to transport the submarine to Devonport? That's assuming the story is correct and Ambush does require dry docking before being able to leave for further repairs.

Really surprised to see so many images floating around on the internet and in foreign newspapers about weapons transfers aboard a submarine in Gibraltar. Gib-based ship spotters/enthusiasts/photographers tend not to publish photos of weapon transfers such as these.

[Old RN]

I cannot be precise on an Astute class but in 1979 (about) we docked Superb in Gib after our rudder linkage broke. The dock was much larger than we needed, I cannot imagine you could not dock an A class. But the damage is in the fin, so the worst would be a surface passage back to UK.

[GibMariner]

I cannot be precise on an Astute class but in 1979 (about) we docked Superb in Gib after our rudder linkage broke. The dock was much larger than we needed, I cannot imagine you could not dock an A class. But the damage is in the fin, so the worst would be a surface passage back to UK.

In 1979 Gib was one of Her Majesty's Dockyards. I also believe one of the Trafalgar-class boats was docked in the 90s. If there is a problem with dry docking a submarine in Gib, it isn't due to the size of the docks - the smallest of which (Dock No. 3) is 154 x 29 m and the largest (Dock No. 1) is 272 x 38 m - but lack of facilities to support a nuclear submarine in a dry dock.

The same Spanish newspaper is claiming today that the Spanish foreign ministry issued a note late yesterday afternoon which stated that the UK government had informed the Spanish government that Ambush would be leaving Gib today to return to the UK for repairs.
http://www.abc.es/espana/abci-submarino ... ticia.html

If true, poor form of the UK government, which claims to have a policy of not discussing submarine movements. Last week the MoD seemed to take a tougher stance on the matter. It seems that whenever they do inform the Spanish government of submarine movements through Gib, it always ends up in the Spanish press.

[GibMariner]

HMS Ambush departed Gibraltar this afternoon.

[SKB]

[GibMariner]

Ambush back at Faslane:

[arfah]

..................

[Spinflight]

Out of interest what are the masts shown in this photo?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... 155418.jpg

I'm guessing the larger is radar, what about the one with smoke / steam coming out of it?

[Gabriele]

I see only one mast out of the conning tower. The "spike" over the bow, which is on all british submarines, is actually the Type 2019 passive sonar array. The smoking mast has to be the Diesel's snort.

[GibMariner]

The "spike" over the bow, which is on all british submarines, is actually the Type 2019

It hadn't been reported (everyone was more focused on the large dent on the conning tower) and I forgot to mention it, but the 2019 sonar on Ambush was also damaged in the collision near Gib as can be seen in some of the photos, in case anyone missed it.

[Spinflight]

I see only one mast out of the conning tower.

Looks like 2 to me, one behind the other.

The smoking mast has to be the Diesel's snort.

In which case what is the smoke / steam venting from the port?

[Gabriele]

Found a higher res picture and yes, there are two masts. You have good eyes. Anyway, the one that is smoking is the diesel exhaust mast, while the other one is the snort induction mast that takes in air.

The other steam vent, i don't know.

[Spinflight]

Another view.

[GibMariner]

Collision sub docks in Scotland for repairs

The Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine HMS Ambush has arrived in Scotland for repairs following a collision off Gibraltar last month.
The submarine arrived at the Faslane naval base last week as an expert from the Royal United Services Institute warned the collision on July 20 would put “huge strain” on Britain’s remaining submarine fleet.
HMS Ambush sustained significant damage to its conning tower in what the Ministry of Defence described as “a glancing collision” while submerged 3.3 nautical miles off the Rock.
“The Gibraltar Government has been informed that the HMS Ambush collision was a result of human error during a training exercise…” the Gibraltar Government said in a statement yesterday.
At the time of the collision HMS Ambush is believed to have been hosting the final month of the Submarine Command Course, a challenging course used to test the skills of aspiring captains.
The submarine had been operating submerged off Gibraltar for at least a fortnight and had been filmed by local sports fishermen off the east side of the Rock.
Peter Roberts, a Senior Research Fellow for Sea Power and Maritime Studies at RUSI, said the actions of the crew on HMS Ambush would be carefully scrutinised before they deployed again.
“They surfaced ahead of a merchant ship in what were benign conditions, in what was a very procedural way, it wasn’t a wartime scenario when this might be expected,” he told Forces TV.
“Therefore there is going to be considerable analysis and examination of that ship’s company as they come back.”

http://chronicle.gi/2016/08/collision-s ... r-repairs/

[shark bait]

A very small boat service that is going to be subject to even more operational pressure.