Navy Lookout – Unofficial naval sources say that the frigate HMS Westminster has been found to be in such a poor state that it would be difficult to justify the expense of repairs and her refit has been stopped, pending a decision on her future.

Navy Lookout – HMS Scott will now serve in the Royal Navy for a decade longer than originally planned.

Navy Lookout – The RN currently has no stock of sea mines or dedicated minelaying platforms. Here we look at whether regenerating this capability would be worthwhile and the options available.

Navy Lookout – Speaking today at the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference, Admiral Sir Ben Key, confirmed the Type 31 Inspiration Class frigates will be equipped with the Mk41 VLS.

Navy Lookout – RFA Fort Victoria, the UK’s only vessel capable of providing solid stores logistic support to the Carrier Strike Group has been non-operational since late 2021 with mechanical and crewing issues putting a question mark over her future.

Navy Lookout – Exercise Tamber Shield saw four RN Wildcat helicopters deployed in Norway to develop tactics for the use of Martlet and Sea Venom missiles against fast attack craft.

Navy Lookout – HMS Prince of Wales’s unfortunate breakdown in August 2022 requiring extended repair work has not enhanced the RN’s image and provided perfect fodder for mainstream media always keen to exaggerate problems with aircraft carriers. Here we provide a brief summary of the situation and the ship’s future programme.

Navy Lookout – As the RN begins the transition from crewed minehunters to autonomous systems, the first boat has been deployed to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. This is a small but significant step and much rests upon the success of this vessel in the operational environment.

Breaking Defense – UASHLC has been designed to explore future uncrewed maritime concepts, including assessment of ship-to-ship (intra-theater) and ship-to-shore (inter-theater) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) resupply operations, potentially covering uncrewed delivery of humanitarian aid items, ammunition and spare parts.

Navy Lookout – In the last 12 months, a significant number of Royal Navy vessels have been retired. Funding shortfalls play a part but the situation is more complex than just cuts to save money. Here we look at the reasoning, the risks involved and the plans to replace the capabilities of these ships.

Council on Geostrategy – While the fight to repel Russia’s territorial ambitions takes place in Ukraine, this war has also proved that a critical component of the centre of gravity of European economic security rests on the vulnerability of an invisible network of undersea connectors. More broadly, undersea spaces matter to Euro-Atlantic security, and not least to the United Kingdom (UK) as an insular nation. 

Navy Lookout – In this article we summarise the current activity of RN surface combatants and look at the health of the force.

Majorca Daily Bulletin – One of Britain´s latest nuclear submarines has docked in Gibraltar after a long Mediterranean patrol which has seen her tracking the Russian navy. HMS Audacious is returning home after many months of operations across the Mediterranean. 

(Thanks to Alain)

Navy Lookout – There has been plenty of coverage of the Fleet Solid Support ship procurement process but here we take the first detailed look at the winning ship design.

Navy Lookout – In the second of a series of articles focussing on the Astute class SSNs, we look at the overall design of the boat, its propulsion and accommodation arrangements.

Navy Lookout – Under the Future Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FUTAS) programme, the RN has selected the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter which will operate in the intelligence-gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance role, initially from warships based in the Persian Gulf.

Navy Lookout – As part of a series covering UK naval infrastructure, here we look at the little-known facilities used to evaluate the acoustic and magnetic signatures of the navy’s ships and submarines.

The Guardian – The Royal Navy has ordered an urgent investigation amid claims that workers on a Trident nuclear armed submarine fixed broken bolts in the vessel’s reactor chamber using glue.

Navy Lookout – Offshore Support Vessel, MV Island Crown arrived in Devonport yesterday on her delivery voyage from Ulsteinvik, Norway. She will join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and operate Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USV) in support of mine countermeasures tasks around the UK and in European waters.

Naval News – The Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset announced the commencement of Naval Strike Missile (NSM) upgrade work.

Navy Lookout – There are strong indications the five Type 32 frigates that would follow on from the Type 31 programme will be axed due to lack of funding. Here we look at the implications of this decision and its impacts on industry and the future RN fleet.

Navy Lookout – The offshore support vessel, MV Topaz Tangaroa has been purchased by the UK Ministry of Defence for conversion to a Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) ship. She will arrive at Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside this week for conversion and will serve in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary renamed RFA Proteus.

Navy Lookout – To some extent, the capability of the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the background to its development. Public perception has perhaps been over-focused on cost and initial armament, obscuring what has been achieved. In this article, we look at the procurement process and design philosophy that underpins the project.

Navy Lookout – In the first of a series of articles focussing on the Astute class SSNs, we look at the programme’s history and how decisions made decades ago continue to impact today’s fleet.

Navy Lookout – The UK has completed the first phase of its forward-deployed frigate programme, with the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose handing over to sister ship HMS Lancaster in the Gulf. The programme has demonstrated improved availability at sea and improved operational effect.