Superb bows out

Swiftsure class nuclear submarine HMS Superb will de-commisson this week at Plymouth after 30 years of service. Superb entered service in 1976 and became well known during the Falklands War when it was supposed to be in the area after being spotted sailing from Gibraltar (though in fact was not in the area but the press speculation was useful to the RN). Superb also was involved in an accident in the Red Sea earlier in the year which probably prompted the slightly earlier de-commissoning than intended (was due to be in 2009 i believe).

Ocean returns to ocean

Royal Navy amphibious warfare ship HMS Ocean has returned to the sea following her £35 million refit. Intensive sea trials will be carried out to test the equipment and the personnel. Ocean has had her accommodation improved for crew and soldiers being carried. Communications, weapon defence and aviation handling equipment has also been improved to support types like the Apache.

New equipment shown off

New equipment procured for the British efforts in Afghanistan have been shown off on Salisbury Plain including UAVs, vehicles and small arms. The equipment has been procured using the Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR) process, a £3 billion fund for needed equipment that comes from the Treasury separate to the defence budget (which is likely to be pounded later on to get the money back, probably from the Navy). Equipment includes the Desert Hawk 3 UAV, the Mastiff patrol vehicle and new sniper rifles.


"No i don't feel daft at all..."

More drug busts, this time closer to home

The Royal Navy has caught another boat carrying drugs, this time of the Cornish coast however and not in the Caribbean. In a joint operation between the Navy and the Serious Organised Crime Agency HMS Argyll and 2 Customs boats caught the yacht Ronin carrying 100KG of cocaine. Pity they can't sell it to afford another Type 45.

Daring into action

Although not in service yet the first Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring has been called into action to come to the rescue of a fishing boat that ran into trouble off the island of Arran. The destroyer picked up a distress call from the Irish trawler Paloma at the end of August and went to give assistance while waiting for the arrival of life boats from Arran and Troon.

British troops in Zimbabwe?

The new Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which is signing a power sharing deal with Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF today, apparently wishes the return of a British Army team to help train the Zimbabwean army. The MDC no doubt wishes to temper the actions of the army which has often been involved in violence against the MDC. It would be a tough call though considering the antagonism between Mugabe and Britain lately and his claims Britian wished to make Zimbabwe a colony again.


"I'm all for it as long as they give us some toys too, a squadron of Typhoons and a division of Challenger 2s should suffice."

BAE review Astute programme

The troubled Astute SSN programme will be reviewed by BAE Systems following the discovery of further problems that could delay the introduction of the submarine into service, the review will attempt to miminise the impact of the problems. Rising costs and technical problems have created a rift between the MOD and BAE but BAE are still confident Astute will make it's "timetable of 2009".