UK Defence Forum

Tempest414 wrote:Spanish coast guard harass HMS Talent as she left Gib on the 21st I have to say it is getting silly down there we really need bigger and better armed fast patrol boats based at Gib if the Spanish are going to be so childish

If your'e not willing to shoot, not even a destroyer will gonna help you...

It is not always about shooting it is about presence and the ability to deal with more and more harassment. but it is the bigger picture had the Spanish coast guard boat damaged the SSN that is a big ticket player out of action not just for the UK but for NATO and other Allies it is just mad that a NATO Ally should put a SSN at risk of damage

Tempest414 wrote: it is just mad that a NATO Ally should put a SSN at risk of damage

A NATO naval HQ in Gib used to be jointly manned (by the UK & Spain, @ total strength of 400)
... not any more

Tempest414 wrote:It is not always about shooting it is about presence and the ability to deal with more and more harassment. but it is the bigger picture had the Spanish coast guard boat damaged the SSN that is a big ticket player out of action not just for the UK but for NATO and other Allies it is just mad that a NATO Ally should put a SSN at risk of damage

In event of collision, I think that Spanish patrol boat would be on the bottom of sea, while Trafalgar class SSN would merrily go on it's way- maybe some paint job would be necesarry...

What we need to do is lease a North Sea Oil support vessel, paint it grey and have the RM on board. Those vessels are as tough as nails and have high pressure fire hoses or whatever they are called. They are also as big is not bigger then the Spanish Coast Guard vessels. Those fire hoses hit hard and will nock personnel and anything not bolted down over board on the targeted vessel without doing permanent harm.

Recorded with a couple of GoPro cameras strapped to the casing on HMS Torbay's last deployment in 2017.

HMS Torbay was decommissioned on 14th July 2017.

Lord Jim wrote:What we need to do is lease a North Sea Oil support vessel, paint it grey and have the RM on board. Those vessels are as tough as nails and have high pressure fire hoses or whatever they are called.

The navy used to anchor rig tenders as interim patrol boats for the South Atlantic. Fitted with two 40 mm in 1982 . Plenty of modern rig tenders with high pressure monitors about.

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... -trenchant

SUBMARINE HMS Trenchant has returned home to Devonport after 140 days away on deployment – during which the T-boat honed her war-fighting skills with NATO allies.

I understood that all the remaining “T Boats” were now based at Faslane. So either she is visiting her former home, or the report has been “cut and pasted” and is incorrect. Can anyone clarify?

Scimitar54 wrote:I understood that all the remaining “T Boats” were now based at Faslane. So either she is visiting her former home, or the report has been “cut and pasted” and is incorrect. Can anyone clarify?

When did they all move to Faslane? I'm guessing they returned to Devonport then the crew will first move to Faslane later the boat?

HMS TALENT spotted with a new wake detection system in Gibraltar:



Article here: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... -gibraltar

There used to be a debate on wake detection from satellites, whether it was realistic
- silence on the topic could indicate "not" as the answer
OR it could have turned out to be the differentiator between the two sides, and hence kept out of sight

Looks identical to the Russian SOKS. If so, does more than just wave detection.

Another great article from Naval News, this time about trials of the new Spearfish Mod 1 Torpedo by the Royal Navy using HMS Talent.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... h-torpedo/

Submarine: Life Under the Waves (Channel 5 documentary series)
Part 1:

(UKTvTube)

Life on board nuclear submarine HMS Trenchant on its four-month tour of duty to the mid-Atlantic, uncovering the reality of life at sea. Her crew prepare the submarine to leave port for the first time in six months, with enough food coming on board to last for up to 120 days underwater. Their mission is to travel to the mid-Atlantic to protect a British submarine that's carrying Trident nuclear missiles.

Part 2:

Captain Stephen Brian takes command of HMS Trenchant and his arrival coincides with a growing threat from Russia, as their warships and submarines make forays into British waters. As everyone preparess for the tough realities of life back at sea on board a submarine, orders are received for Trenchant to stop the next Russian vessel making its way towards British waters.

With plans to adopt Submarine derived Nuclear Reactors to provide power for the Grid, I have often wondered why retiring Subs couldn't be hooked up to the National Grid, until it was not practical to operate them. While 3MW is not going to save the planet, it would be a useful way to get every last drop of power out of them. They could even power ship yards. Barrow being powered by a retired Sub, would be highly appropriate.

The reactors are knackered though aren't they. I couldn't understand why they where spending £20bn on two huge reactors built by China and France when they could have used newly built submarine reactors by RR at a 10th of the price. Oh wait corruption.

I wouldn't say they were knackered, passed their prime, but clearly still functional, as most Trafalgar's are decommissioned after a final deployment. I'm just suggesting they get hooked up to the mains for as long as safely possible, after that last cruise? Certainly the refuelled Vanguard's could be more viable? Anyway I'm off Topic.

https://www.navylookout.com/hms-talent- ... ubmarines/

I find this very sad that these last remaining Trafalgar class SSN's can be retired and decommissioned before their Astute class replacement is ready. To have just FIVE SSN's available in service feels scandalous drop in capability at such a dangerous time.

HMS Talent was retired in April 2022, ahead of the end of 2022 previously announced. That leaves just the final Trafalgar class, HMS Triumph, due to finish her refit shortly, to be in service until the end of 2024, with final 3 Astute Class due to be in service by end of 2026.

The real tragedy is that the “Astutes” did not replace the “Improved Swiftsures” as they ought to have done and ended up replacing the following “Trafalgar” class. Thus the SSN force was effectively cut by c. 50%, a defence “scandal” if ever there was one. I wonder when ……. the 100% increase in SSN numbers that is sorely needed will have been achieved. It is to be hoped that the SSN(R) programme improves the available numbers, but + 100%? Build facilities and skilled build personnel are among the issues that need to be addressed very urgently. Then of course, there are also the Crewing and Maintenance issues which must not be ignored.

I’m beginning to wonder how much smaller RN can get before this reaches crisis point. It is rapidly becoming a national embarrassment.

https://www.navylookout.com/hms-talent- ... ubmarines/

Why not refit Talent and then transfer on to the RAN when all seven Astutes are commissioned around 2026?

HMS Montrose due to return to the UK this year for decommissioning, that will be another Type 23 gone without replacement I dont think they care.

The thing you've got to understand is that the MPs/ gov/departments really have zero understanding about defence and are totally inept to have meaningful rational appropriate response to our defence needs ,a civil service that's more about being pc and woke and trying to be against the government unless it's a pro EU subject ,a And MPs looking for votes and sucking up to the latest fads to appear in the headlines so having military suitable equipped for purpose is for the birds I'm afraid ,sorry