Stephen Jagger

With no sign of the DIP & talk of possibly delaying ship building projects, thought I'd repost this... Yes the previous Govt has a lot to answer for, but in 19+ months whilst we've have plenty of war footing talk & spin, the current Govt hasn't ordered a single ship (or dry dock)

1/9 As part of an alleged £10 billion in @GOVUK defence savings - amid major wars in the Ukraine (with the Russians having the UK high on their current & future hit list) and in the Middle East (exposing the poor state of the Royal Navy) - it has been reported, the RN will suffer yet again. This time due to a reported delay in its Type 83 future destroyer programme and key projects to plug capability gaps. So, let's take a look at a few instances of how the naval fleet of the UK has fared under the current Labour government (which took office following 14 years of Conservative and Liberal Democrat cuts). Photo: HMS Duncan - one of the current Type 45 destroyers @StephenJagger4

1/7 Odin on breaking news: The very role the ancient jack-of-all-trades auxiliary vessel RFA Argus performed, is apparently now possibly to be undertaken in the eastern Med by RFA Lyme Bay. Argus, recently sent to be prepared for scrap at Falmouth, had the edge via a lift and hangar, which Lyme Bay does not have. Both ships very useful for evacuating civilians from harm's way, especially with a naval medical facility installed. Keeping reading for the cutting observations...

BREAKING: MoD says Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) Crowsnest-equipped Merlin helicopters of @820NAS dispatched 'for Middle East' from @RNASCuldrose today. No further details of mission and exact destination as yet.

Odin's Eye Extra: People are asking why HMS Dragon has been selected for the likely mission to the Mediterranean to protect British sovereign territory on Cyprus from attack. It is worth waiting a few days to get her out of maintenance because that Daring Class (Type 45) destroyer is fitted for/armed with the right missiles for the task. HMS Dragon took part in Formidable Shield last year, a major NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) exercise off the UK with NATO allies that saw her sailors successfully tackle the kind of threat she will now possibly face. The big question is why this ship was not accelerated through maintenance and deployed as a contingency earlier? The likelihood of an attack on Cyprus was strong as the Iran crisis unfolded, regardless of direct UK involvement. Also, why were Wildcat helicopters, which can fly from British warships and/or an airbase ashore, not sent earlier? Their crews have likewise been perfecting their skills in destroying fast moving attack craft and also shooting down drones with Martlet missiles in several recent exercises. So, again, why the delay and failure to deploy ahead of the clearly-signalled, looming war? Is the Treasury refusing to fund such actions out of a contingency fund and telling the MoD it must pay out of extant funds, which of course will likely mean more cuts to front line strength if such a deployment occurs? And so it perpetuates the naval defence decline and strips even more military capabilities away from the UK? Remember this is the govt that cut assault ships capable of evacuating UK citizens from the line of fire only last year, along with fleet tankers that can keep vessels at sea - at safer range from missiles and drones and on the move - rather than being stuck in a port. And decommissioned the frigate HMS Lancaster at Bahrain where she now sits immobile as missiles and drones fly over the Gulf. Comparatively minor sums are being saved for major cost to the UK and strategic humiliation, plus further weakening of military options in a crisis, and now war. The UK is more and more at risk as each day passes with paralysis in Defence and Treasury obduracy.

The current cover star of our magazine is the @RoyalNavy nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Anson, which has now reached Australia, hence this video. For more on the deployment check out an article inside the March 2026 edition. youtube.com/watch?v=_fr-sh…

The Editor's morning perspective 👇

In a ceremony today aboard HMAS Sydney V, it was a privilege to appoint @russellcrowe an honorary Commander in the @Australian_Navy. Russell’s contributions across film, sport and public advocacy have honoured Navy's story with authenticity and lasting commitment. BZ!

Just two years ago, the RN had 4 minehunters, a frigate and an RFA permanently deployed in the Middle East (based in 🇧🇭Bahrain). Today, they are all gone, leaving just a headquarters and possibly some limited autonomous minehunting capability. Let us not pretend the US or our allies in the region consider this to be a good thing. This is not a strategic withdrawal, simply the unavoidable result of a rapidly contracting fleet. navylookout.com/the-royal-navy…

The British submarine HMS Anson has reached Australia to operate out of HMAS Stirling, a major naval base on its west coast. She is there under the AUKUS defence pact, to operate as part of Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West). According to the @RoyalNavy it is 'seen as a crucial part of the ongoing process of supporting Australia to develop the skills and capabilities necessary to operate, maintain and steward conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.' The Astute Class nuclear-powered attack boat (SSN) is allegedly currently the UK's only submarine on operations anywhere. Pictured, left: HMS Anson powering through the ocean off Australia. Photo: LPhot Kevin Walton/RN. Right: the front cover of the new edition of our magazine. It includes an article on Anson's deployment inside and the submarine on the cover (at Gibraltar on the way to the other side of the world) in a photo by @dparody Mag available in shops or direct from the publisher (digital and hard copy) warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/

An appalling state of affairs.

The @RoyalNavy Duke Class (Type 23) frigate HMS Somerset inbound to @HMNBDevonport Plymouth  yesterday morning. Video courtesy of @StephenJagger4

BREAKING: RFA Argus to be scrapped navylookout.com/rfa-argus-to-b…

Here's the Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Protector seen outbound from @HMNBDevonport Plymouth yesterday afternoon. Video courtesy of @StephenJagger4

Our March edition is officially out today, in the UK and going global. Its cover star is the Astute Class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the @RoyalNavy HMS Anson, calling at Gibraltar on the way to Australia. Another fine cover image by @dparody The magazine boasts its usual mix of topical features, commentaries, some history and an array of stunning naval images. Out in shops as hard copy and also a digital variant. Can be obtained direct from the publisher warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/

Announcement on the sale of the former RFA Wave Knight & RFA Wave Ruler to the parent company of Federal Fleet Services, which runs the replenishment ship MV Asterix for the @RoyalCanNavy. Intrigued to see who the Waves will be contracted to - the RCN? The RN? AN Other NATO navy?

Here's the @RoyalNavy Hunt Class Mine Counter-measures Vessel (MCMV) HMS Ledbury @HMSLedbury outbound from @HMNBDevonport Plymouth yesterday afternoon. Still going strong almost 45 years since commissioned (built by Vosper Thornycroft). Second of her class, only a few of which remain in RN service. They have, in fact, just about outlasted the successor Sandown Class in the UK fleet. Video courtesy of @StephenJagger4

Here's the German Navy @deutschmarine Berlin Class replenishment ship FGS Bonn outbound from @HMNBDevonport Plymouth yesterday afternoon. One of three Berlin Class vessels able to supply warships with everything they need (almost) - fuel, ammo, food and engineering stores. Plus capable of support missions such as evacuation of civilians from crisis zones and assisting in embargo operations. Video courtesy of @StephenJagger4

New UK submarines could, according to a newspaper report, be 'delayed' eh? Who is surprised that 'up to 12' SSN-AUKUS is likely going to be less than that? Nobody with any insight into how these things pan out. I seem to recall Sunak's lot were thinking nine. Labour will not even be in office when certain key decisions are made ref exactly how many SSN-AUKUS are constructed to commission 2030s/40s (and yes, drones will affect it, but SSNs are going to be needed for decades). If the Greens take power it will be zero anyway (and all current nuclear subs binned). If it's Reform, who knows? Maybe half a dozen? The current govt should mainlyfocus on getting seven Astutes into commission - three of them on ops when we need them...and that's going to take until maybe 2029. And all sides should just stop the 'party of defence' stuff...none of you are that, even in an alleged 'pre-war' era 😅 PS: the idea the UK would turn out a SSN-AUKUS every 18 months was for the birds - it has taken 25 years to build and commission just six Astutes (with only one reportly at sea today). Thirteen Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class SSNs were completed between 1973 and 1991...a lightning 18 years (and even that was considered slow back then by some). One every 16 months (?).

The new edition is now out and, as usual, it is packed with news, views and great pics, with a dash of history. The cover image is by @sandymcclearn of the @RoyalCanNavy frigate HMCS St. John's returning home to Halifax after a very busy deployment (see inside) on @NATO duties. Available as hard copy sundialmedia.escosubs.co.uk/subscribe/wars… and also digital pocketmags.com/warships-inter…