When warships and warplanes go off to die – a comparison Author's note. I wrote this well over a year ago when the Tornado fighter jet flew for the last time after 40 years of service. This week's decommissioning of HMS Bristol and the dismembering of ex-HMS Berkeley, and associated outpourings of grief, reminded me … Continue reading Plane Sailing
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A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
But what if they're the wrong words? Recently, HMS Queen Elizabeth posted the latest in a long line of epic photos from her recent exploits. The one in question was of her and her task group all steaming along in perfect formation or ‘the photex’ as it’s known. HMS Queen Elizabeth's Task Group in close … Continue reading A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
Mind the gap
HMS Queen Elizabeth delayed sailing today due to strong easterly winds in what is a good example of risk-vs-operational imperative decision making. The following short read is a counter to the resulting ‘what if we had to go to war and it was windy’ commentary. Let me start this by saying I have only ever … Continue reading Mind the gap
A Rank Issue
It was recently announced by the Royal Navy that the internationally respected position of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) is to be discontinued. The new position is one rank lower (Commodore) and in an intelligent bit of branding, to be called Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training. So still FOST, basically. The response to this across … Continue reading A Rank Issue
Walking the Hunt
Many of a Hunt Class’s mine-hunter's hull-design characteristics are based on the requirement for it to accurately hold position at sea whilst prosecuting mines. Relatively large propellers & rudders, a bow-thruster, a rounded hull form & shallow draft all assist with this. These same characteristics also mean that it can ‘walk’ sideways during berthing and … Continue reading Walking the Hunt
Sabering Seahorses
Yesterday, it was announced that there is to be Principal Warfare Officer badge. Noting that the crowd that care about this is small but passionate, here are my thoughts. Background. A Principal Warfare Officer (PWO), in very brief, is the person who fights the ship. They sit in the operations room and aggregate multiple sources … Continue reading Sabering Seahorses
Good Mine Hunting
On April 4, the Wavell Room kindly published the first part of a blog on future mine hunting options for the RN. The link is here and the summary here: “The Royal Navy’s mine hunting fleet provides the UK with a world-leading war-fighting capability that is on essential live operations in the UK and elsewhere … Continue reading Good Mine Hunting
‘And e’en the Ranks of Treasury could scarce Forbear to Cheer’
This was written for the Naval Review in 1995 by Captain Richard Sharpe OBE when he was the editor of Jane's Fighting Ships. It speaks to the ongoing debate about the military's freedom to communicate, sparked yesterday (21 Apr 20) by the reissue of the MOD's guidance on "Contact with the Media and Communicating in … Continue reading ‘And e’en the Ranks of Treasury could scarce Forbear to Cheer’
Iranian response options after the death of Soleimani
The person. One of the most experienced and hardened military leaders in the world who rose to power during the Iran/Iraq war. Soleimani had a legendary status within Iran. His link to the Supreme Leader was well known as was his authority to act on his behalf. He was arguably the second most powerful man … Continue reading Iranian response options after the death of Soleimani
A Matter of Balance and Mass
Why the Royal Navy needs both Max Hastings rather depressingly suggests here that the new aircraft carriers are an expensive white elephant that are both vulnerable and reflective of muddled defence thinking. Below are some of my thoughts that may or may not add to this debate. To deliver a sustainable range of naval capabilities; … Continue reading A Matter of Balance and Mass
