USNI News – The U.K. Royal Navy’s first carrier strike group in 38 years has reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) ahead of its first operational deployment later this year, the U.K. government announced today.

The Guardian – Four Royal Navy patrol ships will be ready from 1 January to help the UK protect its fishing waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit, in a deployment evoking memories of the “cod wars” in the 1970s.

War Zone – HMS Prince Of Wales was in dock when the incident occurred and necessary repairs could cost millions of pounds.

South China Morning Post – The British navy will dispatch an aircraft carrier strike group to waters near Japan as soon as early next year, Japanese government sources said Saturday, in a rare development that comes amid the growing maritime assertiveness of China in the region.

War Zone – Version 6 offers notable advantages over the initial blocks of AH-64Es and its emphasis on over-water combat is something that the British Army will likely have paid particular attention to. Among official plans for the future air wings of the Royal Navy’s two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers is a so-called Littoral Manoeuvre setup that combines Apaches with a variety of assault transport and support helicopters. Since it’s also planned for the air wings to be tailored for combinations of Carrier Strike and Littoral Manoeuvre capabilities if required, it’s also possible that the new Apaches will eventually go to sea alongside the F-35B Lightning jet fighter, to provide a two-pronged offensive-oriented air complement. 

USNI News – Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday committed the British government to an expansion of defense spending that confirms London’s ambitions about improving the Royal Navy through the middle of the century.

Naval News – Two Russian Navy intelligence gathering ships have taken up position off the British coast.

National Interest – James Holmes writes that commanders and their civilian masters on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean should think ahead about how to disentangle their forces in a hurry in case a diplomatic crisis looms. They should mix a trifle of skepticism into their enthusiasm for interchangeability and ask: what if?

Defense News – The U.S. Navy and British Royal Navy are preparing to more closely align their futures in a whole host of warfare areas, the U.S. chief of naval operationsannounced Tuesday.

Sun – A Royal Navy officer in charge of 16 nuclear missiles turned up drunk and clutching a bag of grilled chicken. Lt Commander Len Louw was hauled off HMS Vigilant from its temporary base in the US and flown home in disgrace.

(Thanks to Alain)

USNI News – The U.K. Royal Navy has assembled its largest carrier strike group in almost 40 years.

Plymouth Herald – The Royal Navy has tested the world’s most advanced torpedo against one of its own warships – and it is now on the cusp of being added to Silent Service’s hunter-killer and nuclear-deterrent submarines’ arsenal.

(Thanks to Alain)

War Zone – As the United Kingdom prepares its next defense review — the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy — experts close to the program are increasingly talking about a significant cut in the country’s orders for F-35B Lightning jet fighters.

War Zone – An Anglo-American F-35B force will be the centerpiece of the United Kingdom’s biggest carrier air group for 40 years.

Barents Observer – More than 1,200 military personnel, four warships and numerous aircraft took part in the four-nation Barents Sea mission led by the British Navy.

– BBC – Defence chiefs are considering a request from the Home Office for help to deal with migrants attempting to cross the English Channel.

– USNI News – The U.K. Royal Navy plans to send one of its survey vessels to assist Lebanon following a deadly explosion in its capital city’s port.

– Naval News – The River-class Batch 2 offshore patrol vessel (OPV) HMS Trent has been commissioned with the Royal Navy today during a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base.

– Irish Mirror – A ferry carrying hundreds of passengers narrowly avoided smashing into a British nuclear-powered submarine killing many and sparking a maritime disaster. A ferry officer spotted the nuke sub’s periscope at the last minute and took action to avoid the collision in the Irish Sea two years ago, an investigation has discovered.

(Thanks to Alain)

– Defense News – Britain’s Royal Navy took delivery of two new aircraft carriers, but a government report on the ships achieving operational capability has laid bare some obstacles toward making a fully effective carrier strike group.

– BBC – Ambitious plans for the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers – each of which cost more than £3bn – will not be met without proper funding, the government spending watchdog has said. The National Audit Office highlighted concerns over missing key elements such as aircraft and support ships.

– War on the Rocks – In early April, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson nearly died. Suffering from COVID-19, Johnson spent three nights in the intensive care unit before eventually recovering and being discharged. Without the expert and round-the-clock attention of his medical team, the prime minister later admitted, he may not have survived. Johnson’s stint in an intensive care unit raised a sensitive question related to British national security — with the prime minister incapacitated, who was authorized, if required, to launch the country’s nuclear weapons?

– Guardian – Nine Royal Navy ships were involved in a major operation shadowing seven Russian vessels who had lingered in the Channel for several days this month as the coronavirus crisis was beginning to worsen in the UK.

– Guardian – Britain has committed itself to buying a new generation of nuclear warheads to replace Trident, which will be based on US technology.