Category Archives: Royal Navy

Fleet Week Review

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Generally i was pretty happy with fleet week, for a first event. The ship selection could have been better, and it would have been better if the week, was actually a week, and not just 4 days.

The American Ship had a not so long line, that took forever to get through, and some signage indicating it was the line for the US Ship only would have been Helpful. (also there was no shade, and the line looked to be around waste containers, and a transformer vent made part of the line quite loud.

Beyond that, Freddy was disorganized, and the Moncton’s gang plank was way to steep.

More in the Video Above.

Halifax Gets a Fleet Week

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Yesterday it was announced that the first Halifax Fleet week would be taking place Sept 7-10, coinciding with the biannual Cutlass Fury Exercise.

The week will feature a number of ships open to the public on Friday and Saturday Including an AOPS, HMCS Margaret Brooke as well as Naval vessels from the US (USS Porter and USS James E. Williams both Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers), UK, France and Germany.

The event will end on Sunday at noon with a Parade out to sea to mark the start of the Exercise.

More Details can be found at hfxfleetweek.ca

** why does the fleet week logo use a Battle Ship?
UPDATE: I spotted this Amazing Fleet week patch on IG. so much better.

Carriers

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HMS Prince of Wales, the UK’s second aircraft carrier sailed for a North American Deployment a couple of days ago. On the way out of Portsmouth, it appears the ship may have struck bottom, and suffered an issue with her Starboard shaft or propeller. She is now at anchor, undergoing inspections.

HMS Prince of Wales was reportedly due to visit Halifax this fall, and under go some exercises with a US Carrier Group.

This brings us to the C-2 greyhound, the US Navy’s carrier capable cargo plane, a variant of the E-2 Hawkeye, the plane features a bigger body, but same engines, tail and wings. This particular plane arrived at YHZ yesterday from Norfolk, and returned this afternoon. Flying as Rawhd75, the plane belongs to VRC-40 rawhides squadron.

SD Victoria at the Dockyard

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The SD Victoria Arrived February 10th, and has been at the dockyard ever since. It recently moved to a more photogenic berth, and i was able to get a picture. The ship is operated by Serco, which holds a contract with the UK MOD to provide support services to the British Armed Forces, and also operates the RCAF Air base in Goose Bay.

The SD Victoria is a support ship used to provide service to the Royal Navy. Its trip here was in support of some diving exercises, and remained to conduct some repairs. the ship is expected to sail next week.

Portsmouth Naval Dockyard

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Most of the functioning Royal Navy was out of port. What remained was laid up or undergoing work periods.

Admiralty Pilot Boat.
This tanker is storing the RN’s Fuel Supply. Shore tanks are being refurbished.
HMS Diamond, a Type 45 Destroyer in Drydock
Another Type 45 having work done
Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster
HMS Bristol, a type 82 destroyer and the only one of her class. she is now a training ship.
River Class OPV
HMS Mersey, a River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel
Sandown Class mine sweeper
RFA Diligence – A forward repair vessel. its reportedly for sale.
this is the ammunition jetty. the barges move armaments form the shore based bunkers to this pier in the middle of Portsmouth harbour.

Ship Tour Photos

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Some recent additions to our ship tours collections, courtesy of our UK Trip. More Can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/hfxshippingnews/collections/72157633267966243/

HMS Belfast is a Town-class light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy in 1939. She severed until 1961, and became a museum ship in the 70’s.

Cutty Sark was built in 1869 for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, she was one of the last and fastest tea clippers to be built. with the Suez open in 1869, steam ships had an advantage, but she contained sailing in the wool trade, before becoming a sail training vessel.

Golden Hind is a replica of Francis Drakes ship that circumnavigated the world between 1577-1580. the replica was built in 1972, and can be sailed.

HMS Warrior from 1860 is a 40 gun frigate. Notable as the first RN armour-plated, iron-hulled warship, she also has a steam engine. from 1904 she served as a shore establishment, working as an oiler from 1927-1979.

HMS Victory was Nelsons flagship at Trafalgar.

HMS M33 is an M29-class monitor of the Royal Navy built in 1915. She saw active service in the Mediterranean during the First World War, and then served in other rolls until being sold in the as an attraction in 80’s.

I went to England, and found the French.

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PSP Flamant, (P676) is a French Fisheries patrol vessel. the First of her class, she entered service in 1997. Three of these offshore patrol vessels are based in Cherbourg. The ship makes for an interesting contrast with Fulmar, which fulfills the same role off Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

This one was photographed on a port visit to the Royal navy dockyard in Portsmouth, England. There will be more posts from that trip in the coming days.

Cutlass Fury Arrivals

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The first arrivals for exercise cutlass fury showed up in Halifax Yesterday and Today.
HMS Northumberland is missing below, its tucked in out of the way at the moment. HDMS PETER WILLEMOES had not yet arrived.

USS NEW HAMPSHIRE
NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA
BNS LEOPOLD
HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL
USNS PATUXENT
HNLMS VAN SPEIJK
USS JASON DUNHAM
USS Gridley
HMCS FREDRICTON inboard, HMCS VILLE DE QUEBEC outboard

Cutlass Fury Attendees

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Exercise Cutlass Fury is taking place September 9. The announcement has said 22 ships will take part.So Far, it appears NATO Standing maritime Group 1 will be in attendance. SNMG1 currently consists of:
– USS Gridley (American)
– BNS Leopold I (Belgium)
– NRP Francisco de Almeida (Portugal)
– KNM Thor Heyerdahl (Norway)

I am also hearing that the new Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be making an Appearance. It has in the past traveled with a Destroyer and Supply ship.

This post will be updated as i learn more details.

UPDATE 1. Marlant has confirmed Asterix will be participating via a tweet.

UPDATE 2. the Royal navy confirmed HMS Northumberland will be sailing to Halifax. the release also states that Northumberland is part of the QE Carrier strike group with HMS Dragon and RFA Tideforce.

UPDATE 3: Arrivals are beginning to be posted – On September 5th, HDMS PETER WILLEMOES (Danish),HNLMS VAN SPEIJK (Dutch) and HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL (Norwegian) are due.

UPDATE 4: USNS PATUXENT and NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA also now confirmed.

UPDATE 5: A US navy Submarine is Due on the 4th. it is USS New Hampshire, Virginia class, fast attack . Other confirmed arrivals include USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM , and BNS LEOPOLD

UPDATE 6: HMS Queen Elizabeth will be in Halifax in this month. She is traveling with HMS Dragon, and RFA Tideforce

Defence watch reports HMC Ships Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan, and Glace Bay will be participating for Canada.

Incidentally – the previous reports mentions 22 Ships and 8 countries. So far we have:
Canada – 6 ( Fredericton, Ville de Quebec, St. John’s, Shawinigan, Glace Bay and Asterix)
US – 4 (USS GRIDLEY, USS JASON DUNHAM, USNS PATUXENT USS New Hampshire)
UK – 1 (HMS Northumberland)
Portual – 1 ( NRP FRANCISCO DE ALMEIDA)
Norway – 1 (HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL )
Netherlands -1 (HNLMS VAN SPEIJK )
Denmark – 1 (HDMS PETER WILLEMOES)

France is likely a participant, and will probably send a Frigate and a Submarine as they did in 2016. Add the Leeway Odyssey we have 18 ships. The HMS Queen Elizabeth, RFA Tideforce and HMS Duncan bring us to 21 ships. the RN Carrier group also includes a Astute class Submarine.

UPDATE 7: the French anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet was spotted working with HMS Queen Elizabeth and RFA Tideforce.