50 Years In The Commando Role – having celebrated this milestone earlier this year 845 Naval Air Squadron, flying SEA KING HC4 helicopters, based at Yeovilton; awarded the prestigious Breitling Trophy for achieving the best overall assessment during a naval flying standards inspection in recognition of professionalism and excellence in naval aviation marking them out as the best in the Fleet Air Arm.    With the Squadron operating at such a high tempo, with personnel and aircraft returning from Afghanistan, preparing to go to sea on board the Helicopter Carrier ILUSTRIOUS, or on exercise in the Highlands of Scotland, the inspection could not have come at a busier time.

The Folly of Past Defence Decisions – The folly of past Defence Decisions was only too apparent when the Type 45 Destroyer DAUNTLESS, having completed some challenging evolutions in the Gulf of Mexico and taking a break from the UNITAS exercise; berthed at Key West  (Florida).   The DAUNTLESS berthed alongside the Brazilian warship BNS GREENHALGH, better know the our readers as the Type 22 Frigate BROADSWORD.    The BROADSWORD has completed seventeen (17) years serving under the Brazilian flag.    Put another way the Royal Navy has been deprived of that warship, which is still serviceable, for that period.  Has anyone ever costed the amount we have lost be selling off ouir warships prematurely and were very little ?

The Last 42 Patrol – the EDINBURGH, the only remaining Type 42 Destroyer in service has departed of a final deployment and is scheduled to work on counter drug trafficking measures off West Africa before visiting the Caribbean and the USA, returning to Portsmouth in March 2013 and withdrawal shortky after.    The EDINBURGH will deploy without the SEADART Missile System being operational.

NI Parade of Sail - The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee has been marked in a spectacular fashion across the country, but operational commitments (supporting Operational Ellamy off Libya) delayed the visit scheduled for last year to Bangor, by the Sandown Class Minecountermeasure Vessel BANGOR.     Apart from the usual array of dignitaries several yacht clubs from Northern Ireland joined forces to mark the weekend with their own “Parade of Sail,” organised by the Royal Ulster Yacht Club whose patron is HM the Queen.

Carrier Propulsion Motors Delivered - GE have delivered the last of eight propulsion motors for the Aircraft Carriers QUEEN ELIZABETH and PRINCE OF WALES which are to be the largest warships in the world to use fully electric propulsion systems.      GE secured to contract to supply its Advanced Induction Motor technology for integration in to the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion systems in 2008. The Integrated Full Electric Propulsion system comprises all shipboard electrical power generation and propulsion systems and features.   The Advanced Induction Motor technology is said to increase fuel efficiency plus high levels of survivability.    According to the MoD the Aircraft Carriers are expected to consume no more fuel during typical routine operations than the much smaller INVINCIBLE Class Carriers. The all electrical power and propulsion approach improves ship survivability by decoupling the placement of the turbines and the generators from the propellers’ mechanical drive.     Power generation and propulsion equipment is instead distributed across several independent compartments rather than concentrated into a single space or small number of spaces.

Then Their Was One – the Type 42 Destroyer YORK has made a final entry into Portsmouth Harbour prior to decommissioned after 27 years of service.   The “White Rose” warship made a final visit to the namesake city, well Kingston-upon-Hull being, being the nearest the Type 42 could reach.   Hightlight of a long career saw the YORK make four  deployments to the Gulf in the 1990s and saw front line action in 2003 when the ship was one of three Type 42s assigned to the naval armada mustered for the invasion of Iraq.   Since then the YORK has been seen evacuating British nationals from Beirut during the Israel-Lebanon conflict, ferrying evacuees to Cyprus.   In 2011 – the last operational deployment – the YORK was sent to Malta to assist in the evacuation of British personnel during the Libyan uprising.    That was followed in December 2011 by the high profile shadowing of a Russian task group through British waters (around the top of Scotland) – the Russian ships had been forced into the more sheltered waters closer to the coast to avoid some severe winter storms.   Since then YORK has continued a Russian theme, this time on Anglo-French-American-Russian exercises in the Baltic, culminating with a visit to St Petersburg.   A final overseas visit was made to Brest (France).   That leaves sister ship EDINBURGH as the only remaining Type 42 in service.

Combined Task Force 345 Nuclear Attack Proof Bunker – is Great Britain's secret nuclear bunker buried 100ft down, built into a hillside is in the leafy London suburb of Northwood.    Inside is the control room where the order to launch a strike would be given from the Secret Operations Room which controls the submarines that carry our nuclear deterrent.   The bunker is permanently manned by watch keepers on 12 hour shifts.    Work on the bunker began in 1941 when RAF Coastal Command were based there, and it has grown over the years to become a network of six underground buildings joined together with temperature and humidity controlled, and the air below ground is over pressured so that in the event of a chemical attack outside, no toxic gases would be sucked in.