The SAAF Forum

FRUKUS (FRance-RUssia-UK-US)
is a four nation naval exercise which takes place annually with a different participant hosting the exercise each year. For 2013 it was France and it was held off the Brittany (Bretagne) coast with Brest as the hosting port. It entails various maritime procedures and disciplines and provides a unique opportunity for the four navies "using the bond of mariners to strengthen the relationships between nations and navies".
Take a look at the pictures in the IMAGE GALLERY at the bottom of the article.

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Ev ... n-exercise

HMS ECHO surveys Libya capital's harbour
NAVY NEWS Digital Edition has an interesting article on the survey done by HMS ECHO of Tripoli harbour, revealing all sorts of hitherto unknown objects, using the ships modern technology to show digitally enhanced pictures of the sea bed.

https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/8235

Both websites contain a host of information on naval matters, it is well written, up to date and most informative.

Royal Navy Submarine Base in Scotland

An independent Scotland will want it and the boats to move - full story below.


Vanguard class Trident missile submarine on the Clyde, near Faslane, Scotland
Picture from the Web

As many of you may know, Scotland is holding a referendum next year on their continued membership of the four nation entity known as the United Kingdom. In the case of a majority vote (as unlikely as it may be) to leave the UK, it is the stated policy of the Scottish National Party (SNP) to rid Scotland of all and any nuclear weapons and bases.
This of course has a direct implication for Britain as regards its Trident submarine based nuclear missile system. The main base for the Royal Navy's Vanguard class submarines (Trident missile boats) is at Faslane on the River Clyde in western Scotland.

However, "the British government is examining plans to designate the Scottish military base that houses the Trident nuclear deterrent as sovereign United Kingdom territory if the people of Scotland vote for independence in next year's referendum".

The full article:- http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk-news/2013/ ... dependence

Wonderful I think this "sovereignty", it will therefor have similar status to the RAF Akrotiri base on Cyprus.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

The Trident, submarine based, nuclear deterrent

It could appear to some as a storm in a tea cup, but for those interested in the politics of an independent Scotland, this British nuclear deterrent and its base on the Clyde does have ramifications. Let me say at the outset that I too doubt whether the Scottish National Party (SNP) can muster the votes to take Scotland out of the UK.
However, what adds spice to the pot is that the government of David Cameron (British PM) is a coalition government between the Conservative Party and the Liberal-Democrats, and the Lib-Dems favour a UK without nuclear weapons. The Conservatives and the other big political party, the Labour Party, are broadly in agreement that the UK must retain its nuclear deterrent.
Then there is the huge cost of Trident and the renewal of the system, in the region of £25 billion Pound Sterling (R350 billion SA Rand). This discussion in British politics is only just warming up, this mix of Scottish independence, the basing, the costs and whether the UK should even keep it.

Lastly, there are also those who say that the nuclear deterrent should be moved and based in Portsmouth, England at Naval HQ regardless. The relocation will take many years to complete, but it will ensure that the British government in London has full and total control of the nuclear deterrent.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

Update on Britain's retention of the submarine based Trident nuclear missile system

British Prime Minister David Cameron and the Conservative Party have this week re-iterated their decision to go ahead with plans to replace the submarines and upgrade Britain's submarine based nuclear weapon system, Trident. What came as a further stimulus to this decision was the support of the opposition Labour Party.

The entire system, including four 16,000 ton Vanguard class ballistic missile submarines, need to be replaced in the next 10-15 years at a cost of around £25 Billion Pounds (R350 Billion SA Rands) over its lifespan of 25+ years.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 10216.html

"The first duty of any British Government is to defend this country. For 45 years, Britain has kept a ballistic missile submarine [one of four] at sea, silent and invisible, providing the ultimate guarantee of security against nuclear attack or nuclear blackmail, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. In a world which is getting more, not less, dangerous, it is clear to the Prime Minister and to me that there are no alternatives to the current Trident system that offer the level of protection and security that this country needs". Secretary of Defense Philip Hammond.

A short history on Britain's A-Bomb with pictures - see link below:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23323238


Vanguard class Trident missile submarine

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

An aerial view of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH nearing completion at Rosyth dockyard in Fife, Scotland.


Credit BBC News / Aircraft Carrier Alliance

New aerial pictures of the HMS Queen Elizabeth have been released by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance.

The images show work well advanced with both "islands"' now in place.

And all that remains to be fitted to the ship are two sponsons - flight deck extensions - and the ramp or "ski-jump"' which give aircraft an extra boost on take-off.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-23327101

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

Imagine if Scotland separates from the UK and they claim the ship.
Just a thought.

If Scotland were to leave the UK I wonder how they will devide up the British Armed forces. Will the Scots get a share of the kit or will the have to build a military from scratch? More importantly what will happen to the national debt? I think that the Brits will insist that they take their fair share.

@jeffreynic
Scots claim the ship Hmm ....

The best for them would be to turn it into a whisky palace because they do not have the finances to 'float' it, neither the crew nor the planes.

@koos kakebeen
Nee wat, the Scots will have to fund all their own stuff and they know it. The national debt:-

- the worst Bank debt was from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chaired by Fred Goodwin, who has been stripped of his 'Sir' title. Oh yes, they will carry ALL their own bad debt.

On a more serious note - the chances of Scotland voting for independence is about the same as that of Britain giving Gibraltar back to Spain. Zero, zilch and nothing.

AND - the UK economy is on THE UP again and the Scots can't afford to miss out on that - and they know that as well.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

@ Koos, the Scots get to wear the kilts, the rest get to wear the pants.

@ Tally-ho, the Scots will claim her, then sell her in a fire auction to pay off the big national separation party they had thrown.

Flying The Flag

Gibraltar visit for Royal Navy warship is routine, says MoD

A Royal Navy warship is to pay a "routine" visit to Gibraltar, the UK government says amid a continuing row with Spain over border checks. HMS Westminster, a Type 23 Frigate, accompanied by two auxiliary ships, makes up part of a task force which is destined for the Middle East.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23624715

Of course it's only routine, nobody would think of it in any other way ....


Image from the Internet

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

At one time - and maybe still, who knows - foreign service by any Royal Naval vessel was only considered to have started after the routine call at Gibraltar.

Just because it's routine doesn't mean that someone isn't going to kick up a fuss. Remember North Korea and their BS about the US and South Korea's annual (or was it bi-annual) joint military exercise?

Confirmed at the NATO Summit just ended:-

THE second of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers will be brought into service, it has been announced.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/ ... -1-6282758

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29075307

The Royal Navy is flexing muscle and the French built Russian Mistral's have their delivery delayed (don't mention the 'cancelled' word). All announced in the same week .... splice the mainbrace I say.

Flying the Flag is Blighty

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/tallyho2015/albums

HMS Duncan is a mean looking machine!!

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Roshan Bachan