Thomas Holliday

@NavyLookout @wolfman_55 @RfaNostalgia @NavyLookout Do we know why enough spares were not procured and through-life not given any consideration to?

@wolfman_55 @RfaNostalgia 4 main reasons that only 1 out of 6 Astute class SSNs are available right now: Lack of dry docks. Poorly designed submarines from a through-life support perspective. Failure to buy enough spares. Excessive construction time.

HMS Anson inbound to Plymouth Sound this afternoon for boat transfer Via @RfaNostalgia

@thickkyonceee @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @thickkyonceee All T31's will be delivered my mid 2030 with 3 T26 coming online alongside those. T31 WILL have MK41 VLS as I pointed out. The T31 can have sonar kits fitted and removed. Modular is all part of the design! I am guessing you don't work in defence?

@T_9705 @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic And with T26 delivery schedule pushed back (slots given to Norway), there'll be a capability gap by 2030 as the remaining T23s will have been retired and only 3 T26s built (with one going to Norway). T31 can't afford to be a big patrol ship with no VLS or sonars in that context.

HMS Active in the basin in Rosyth following her launch in March. Construction ongoing while she awaits HMS Venturer to vacate the dry dock. Via: @air_maritimepic

@thickkyonceee @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @thickkyonceee The T26 was designed from the outset with ASW in mind and the French ships weren't they had ASW kit added in later! To dispute your point the RN is a European leader in ASW and the Italian/French navies have different priorities to us!

@T_9705 @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic And to finish, 8 T26 is definitely not enough which is why a sonar equipped T31 is critical. France has 8 full ASW frigates + 3 hull sonar light frigates and 10 upcoming hull sonar corvettes, Italy has 10 full ASW frigates + 7 hull and towed sonar light frigates.

@sonofwessex @thickkyonceee @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @sonofwessex I am with you 100% on those points well said!

@thickkyonceee @T_9705 @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic I appreciate your points but we’re dealing with the reality of keeping alive the navy’s skills, a few ships afloat and retaining a shipbuilding capability - a future government could easily add to the 31’s kit, they will be good hulls with potential.

@thickkyonceee @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @thickkyonceee The funds have already been put aside for MK41 to go on T31 the DIP is irrelevant (I do agree with you DIP may not come very soon) The T31 is/will not be a big OPV it falls outside that category end of! Concept work is further ahead for T83 then T32

@T_9705 @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic To order them, you need the DIP and the funds to be released. It doesn't look like the DIP is coming anytime soon. They will be fitted with Mk 41 the same way T83 and T32 will be built: in dreams only. So no Mk 41 and the mission modules will be cancelled as well. Big OPV.

@thickkyonceee @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @thickkyonceee Nope a contract has been signed between Babcock and the MOD for them to undertake insertion periods for the first 3 ships. You will have seen Babcock have had to do some rework on ships 1 & 2 the reason of this is MK41 space/cabling etc

@T_9705 @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic I knew you'd say that but no Mk 41 has been ordered by the MoD so far. They don't make them instantly and there's no stock or them in the UK so how are you going to outfit them when 4 frigates are already being built? It's just another empty promise and from the MoD.

@thickkyonceee @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @thickkyonceee To correct you the T31 will be fitted with MK41 VLS and be better armed than the River class OPV's. The Navy is getting dedicated ASW ships in the T26 which is specially designed for that role and has T45 for AAW. T31 is more capable than T23 and bigger

@T_9705 @sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic How is Type 31 what the navy needs? What the navy needs is either capable multirole ships (like FREMM, FDI, PPA) or dedicated AAW/ASW ship. A "general purpose" ship not equipped with VLS or sonar has no use beyond being an oversized patrol ship. Don't count on mission modules...

@JohnWilkin26302 @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @JohnWilkin26302 I have heard she is alongside Ambush

@NavyLookout @air_maritimepic Is she close to a return? Has the First Sea Lords 100 day push showing any signs of improvement?

HMS Artful alongside in Faslane today - 1,120 days since she last sailed. Via @air_maritimepic

@gibraltarfx @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @gibraltarfx All the Astutes which haven't been to sea for a long while still have crews assigned

@NavyLookout @air_maritimepic Would they have crews available even if they were fit to go to sea ? If they have, what have they been doing for the last three years ?

@DefenceSenseUK @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS Hopefully Now we need the MOD/Government to stop messing around invest properly in our Navy/Airforce The T26 & T31 are a start

@T_9705 @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS I suspect some F35 later 🤞🏼

.@HMSPWLS now at sea off northern Norway participating in annual NATO ASW exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2026 (18 - 29 May). Submarines from Germany, the Netherlands & Portugal are taking part in the exercise under operational control of COMSUBNATO.

@DefenceSenseUK @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS @DefenceSenseUK Yes it does I agree and the F35 fleet is stretched so that is why no jets onboard yet. I am not sure what they mean by commitments elsewhere other than Cyprus. Anyway maybe more airframe will join later?

@T_9705 @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS Ahh cheers mate. And yes, feels shy on airframes doesn’t it.

@sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic @sonofwessex I definitely agree and hope that more money is found/not wasted and given to Naval programmes amd fixing availability etc

@T_9705 @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic Absolutely - we’re paying for 30 years of neglect but if a new government got to grips with the MOD - where does £60 billion a year go - eeked out a bit more for the navy, we could get back on our feet again - lots of potential, just needs new management at number 10 😁

@Mazza6069 @Mazza6069 We are a proper country 2x biggest carriers ever built in UK Most capable 5th generation jet (admitted there are challenges) Potential for QE class to b3 fitter with catapults in future offset front ski ramp!!

Angled flight deck Jets We used to be a proper country

@youlum @Mazza6069 @youlum Very well said and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them totally agree!

@Mazza6069 What’s wrong with the design of the new QE class carriers. Bigger, faster with leading edge tech and planes 🤷🏻‍♂️

@sonofwessex @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic These ships will be very capable and what the Navy needs. A great bit of engineering and if all delivered by 2030 a major achievement

@NavyLookout @air_maritimepic Seeds beneath the snow - the Royal Navy is in trouble right now but the new ships slowly emerging could be a solid foundation to build up a small, but highly capable force - assuming we vote in a serious change of government at the next election of course…

@andymedcraft @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS @andymedcraft It's currently 2x Merlin HM2 and 2x Wildcat. Apparently this is due to other aircraft demand elsewhere and F35 force stretched

@NavyLookout @HMSPWLS Do we know the composition of her airwing?

@DefenceSenseUK @NavyLookout @HMSPWLS @DefenceSenseUK The air group is currently 2x Wildcat and 2x Merlin HM2 Apparently this is due to other aircraft being busy elsewhere which is plausible then again the Navy have quite a few of each type so. You've got a great Twitter name also!

@NavyLookout @HMSPWLS Do we know the composition of the air group? - 3-4 Wildcat? - 5? Merlin HM2

@pegge49 @pegge49 Efforts to address's this T31 being prime example plus facility expansion/workforce at Barrow and Derby for SSNA Once first T26 leaves Glasgow (accepted taken far to long) otjers will follow quicker

Quite... As the price shows, it's not a question of money, but just like the glacial paced (but expensive) T26 program or taking longer to not deliver one SSN, than it took to complete an entire class of seven in the past, something is very broken in the way the UK does things...

@yankeekiwiinUSA @NavyLookout @air_maritimepic It's possible but things could still go wrong

@NavyLookout @air_maritimepic With all the years its taken to design, build, and fit her out she better have zero defects when she starts sea trials.

HMS Glasgow in sunny Scotstoun today. Still plenty of work to be completed before sea trials in late 2026 or early 2027. Via @air_maritimepic

@NavyLookout @RNGibSqn @key2med I wonder if she will continue on station or be redeployed to UK waters?

HMS Anson sails from Gibraltar this afternoon. Escorted by @RNGibSqn HMS Cutlass. Via @key2med