– BBC – RFA Argus has arrived in Sierra Leone to help deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak in the West African country.

USNI News – HMS Astute (S-94) — the first in class of the U.K. Royal Navy’s nuclear attack boats (SSNs) — has returned to Scotland after its first operational deployment.

– War is Boring – The British Royal Navy is deploying the auxiliary ship RFA Argus to Sierra Leone in West Africa in order to help health officials contain the deadly Ebola virus.

– USNI News – The heart of the United Kingdom’s nuclear submarine enterprise could be cut out if Scotland leaves the U.K. in Thursday’s referendum on Scottish independence, British leaders have warned repeatedly over the last several months.

– Aviation Week – Bill Sweetman writes that after too many years of hearing senior U.S. officers gripe about sequestration and congressional mandates, and fire off interservice potshots, it’s refreshing to hear a flag officer sounding optimistic.

– Aviation Week – Despite delays, U.K. begins countdown toward the return of carrier strike capability.

– The Guardian – Cross-party commission comes out in favour of keeping nuclear missile deterrent to prevent future security threats for Britain.

– BBC – The UK’s largest warship marks “a new phase in our naval history”, the Queen has said, as the vessel was officially named in her honour at a ceremony at Fife’s Rosyth Dockyard.

– Royal Navy – Royal Navy investigates mystery Russian warship in Baltic – HMS Montrose tracked the Russian corvette Soobrazitelny and then was circled by a Russian patrol plane.

– Was is Boring – The Royal Navy’s high-tech warship HMS Dragon has sortied twice in recent weeks to find and escort eight Russian naval vessels steaming through British waters.

– BBC – UK science is to get one of the biggest, most capable polar research vessels in the world.

– Daily Telegraph – The Royal Navy’s HMS Tireless has been stood down from the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

– BBC – The crew of a Royal Navy ship are “working 24/7” to hunt for flight recorders from the missing Malaysian plane, their commander has said.

– BBC – British submarine HMS Tireless has joined the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The Ministry of Defence said the Trafalgar class submarine had arrived in the southern Indian Ocean and would help search for the plane’s black box recorder.

– War is Boring – Deceptive games are downright customary on British and U.S. subs.

– Daily Mail – The Ministry of Defence was forced to buy scrapyard parts to keep its only carrier in service. In a frantic effort to refit HMS Illustrious after a fire, MoD officials salvaged parts from her sister ship HMS Ark Royal – the aircraft carrier sold two years ago. To public outcry, the historic vessel was sent to a Turkish scrapyard to be recycled into tin cans.

– War is Boring – …and a navy…and the UK will need a place to put it’s Trident submarines..

– Defense News – The Royal Navy’s sixth and final Type 45 destroyer has entered service four months ahead of schedule.

– BBC – The crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Protector has celebrated Christmas early on the ice of Antarctica. The ship is currently in the area to carry out survey and patrol operations and will be at sea on 25 December.

– Daily Telegraph – Defence bosses have revealed the first glimpse at the future of Britain’s nuclear deterrent today, publishing the first artist’s impression of the submarines due to replace the Vanguard-class boats which carry Trident missiles.

– Medium – Build destroyers and submarines that work, for one, before the Royal Navy fades away.

– Daily Telegraph – Britain must have two working aircraft carriers if it wants to be a global military player, a Foreign Office parliamentary aide has said.

– Daily Telegraph – Royal Navy vessels are being readied to take part in a possible series of cruise missile strikes, alongside the United States, as military commanders finalise a list of potential targets.

– BBC – Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster has docked in Gibraltar, a day after Spanish fishermen protested off the British territory about a concrete reef put there by its government.

– Medium – Just pretty much stop funding it, is how…