Special Boat Service Recruits - The SBS has traditionally drawn its recruits from the Royal Marines, but now it has put an appeal in the Soldier Magazine.     The Special Boat Squadron began life in 1940 as a branch of the Royal Navy then in 1987 became part of UK Special Forces Group beside the Special Air Services Regiment.   This is not good news on so many levels that we need to hear more of this and soon – but doubt and light will be shed in public on this matter.

The Scottish Question – Politically the question that cannot be asked but clearly some are taking the matter seriously and wondering what happens if we have an independent Scotland and thus Faslane can no longer remain the home of the British deterrent.     The media has reported that the Strategic TRIDENT submarines cannot be moved from Scotland to Devonport because they do not have safety clearances to dock there.     The MoD has also revealed that the safety arrangements for Devonport do not permit the presence of submarines carrying TRIDENT nuclear warheads.    As Devonport is at the centre of a densely populated area and the worst accident scenario envisaged by the MoD would kill up to 11,000 people in Plymouth so it is reported and would the go on to say “not meet the official criteria for what is acceptable” - which begs the question what is an acceptable number of people to be killed in a worst accident scenario.   A referendum on independence is due to be held in the autumn of 2014 – not long now!

Previously it has been assumed by both experts and politicians that the VANGUARDs with their TRIDENTs could relocate to Devonport.   There are series of other options that can be considered and this is no way is an exhaustive list :-

·         Devonport – there are dredgers that would solve the problem of water depth – the subject of warhead storage is a different matter however.

·         Barrow – impossible to configure as a submarine base

·         Portsmouth – as at Devonport the subject of warhead storage would be a problem.

·         Milford Haven – the is a deep water option and could become a suitable base – with all the natural gas installations/oil refineries etc there could be few environmental objections ? – but it begs the question of will there be a Welsh question at a future date ?

·         Gibraltar – this would be politically near impossible given our relationship with Spain

·         Falkland Islands – there must be a deep water option on these islands, far away, and could become a suitable base – there would be fewer environmental objections that elsewhere, but would change the political dynamic with the Argentine Government.

·         Kings Bay – The American option – at least for the short term – this is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet’s  Naval Submarine Base for its TRIDENT submarines located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, (not far from Jacksonville).   The actual “”British” missiles (as opposed to the warheads) are already maintained at Kings Bay.

Maybe the answer is to separate the two key functions namely submarine basing and support and that of warhead arming.   The VANGUARDs could, it is imagined with some attention to detail could operate from successfully from Devonport but the taking onboard of weapon armed TRIDENT missiles is another thing all together.     Maybe the routine could become that British warheads would be stored with those of our American allies and our submarines on the commencement of a strategic patrol would sail from Devonport to Kings Bay to load the weapon package before the commencement of the actual patrol.   So all is not lost - it seems likely that when and if we as a nation have to address the subject of the Scottish question then it will be a mixture of any or all of the above!

FORT ROSALIE For Refit – The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Supply Ship RFA FORT ROSALIE has arrived at the Cammell Laird shipyard Birkenhead for refit that is scheduled to take 22 weeks.   The RFA FORT ROSALIE has been a stalwart “East of Suez” on Operation Kipion and recent visits has included port calls at Seychelles, Mumbai, Oman, Diego Garcia and Djibouti.     For Captain Dale Worthington OBE, the Commanding Officer of the RFA FORT ROSALIE the voyage to Birkenhead marked the end of a long and illustrious career with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary having joined the service in 1972.

Six Years In – The Royal Navy minecountermeasure presence in the Middle East is marking six years of keeping the Gulf waters safe.    Since the end of 2006, Britain has maintained a permanent minehunter presence in the region – currently with the Hunt Class Minecountermeasure Vessels ATHERSTONE and QUORN and the Sandown Class Minecountermeasure Vessels SHOREHAM and RAMSEY.   The initial deployment of two vessels was increased to four in 2008.      To sustain these four warships in Bahrain, there is a permanent cadre of engineering staff in port, with the ship’s companies being rotated every six to seven months.   The planning assumption (which is being worked) is that these vessels are rotated back to the UK for a refit every three to three and a half years.    An overseeing specialist battle staff, drawn from either from 1^st Mine Counter-Measures Squadron (Faslane), or 2^nd Mine Counter-Measures Squadron (Portsmouth) currently embarked on the Landing Ship RFA CARDIGAN BAY.

LYNX Flight Deployment to French Frigate - A dozen Fleet Air Arm air and ground crew from 217 Flight/815 Naval Air Squadron from the Type 23 Frigate SOMERSET are deployed with the French Frigate SURCOUF, the first time a Royal Navy helicopter detachment has deployed with the French Marine Nationale.    217 Flight/815 Naval Air Squadron will be away from SOMERSET until March 2013 as the British Flight supports SURCOUF on Operation Atalanta, the European Union led mission to tackle piracy in the Indian Ocean and safeguard food shipments to Somalia.

Happy New Year to all our readers

British Maritime Power Team

www.britishmaritimepowerblog.blogspot.com/

PENZANCE For Refit – The Sandown Class Minecountermeasure vessel PENZANCE is now at Babcock/Rosyth to undergo a multi-million-pound revamp.    The ship will be out of action for five months and when the ship emerges among other upgrades, the PENZANCE will be the first Sandown class with an enhanced 30mm cannon.     The ship enters refit just weeks after the sistership GRIMSBY emerged from the same yard.    After trials and training post refit the PENZANCE is due in the Autumn 2013 is to join a NATO force.