Ree e Cc WuAOMIL O i= w We WP interNationat FLEET REVIEW CDR BOND... WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOUWARSHIP GREETED BY MAGICAL TET SR | ‘Anyone who has seen them inal ther spectacular glory never forgets See ae eon Eee C ce into the High North, the British tigate HMS Lancaster salled west into Sort ae ty Pie eae tee esas an Pe Serge eee tlectrically charged particles sent across space by the Sun that are ei nue ane ees Pera oh or lena Messe ue eae Ree en ey ee Ree eee Tl ee eee on epee eee eta) eer Sesame eee) ‘magnetic South Poe (where itis called the Aurora Australis Ce Ce adAbove: A Chetak helicoter from the Incion Navy launches fort HIMAs Belarat during Exercise Malabar inthe Indian Ocean Photo: {SIs Emesto Sanchez RAN, Below: Off Callo, Per last month (Ge) the Chilean Navy pata ship (Cabo Ocger during 3 parade to Caeorate Pers leentennal and birth of ts navy. Photo: MCS2 James, Hongus Navy Adress: Washi FR Tandy Media, PO Box 302, Bexhlon Sea, TN40 SHN. Tel: 00 48 (1203 745 3367, Web site: vv warshipsr.com ‘Annual Subscription Rates: Uk = £5250; Europe - £76.00. Rest of the Word £20.00. subscriptions @tandymadia com [WARSHIPS intratinal Feet Revew is dstbuted by Seymour, 2 East Poulty Avenue, London €c1A 9°, Te; 00.44 (0) 20 7429 4000 Fae 00 44 (0) 20 7429 4001 INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW NORTH Konta TEST | TESTS MISSILE - P2 USN ESTABLISHES ‘GREYHOUND’ ASW GROUP - P3 ITALIAN FRIGATE JOINS EURO MISSION - P3 POLISH FUTURE FRIGATE - P3 RN SUBMARINE VISITS AUSTRALIA - Pa NAVIES IN FOCUS - P6 F-35B LANDS ON JAPANESE WARSHIP - P7 MAJOR MED EXERCISE - P10 INGLORIOUS END FOR ONCE PROUD SHIP - P14 THE DUTCH IN BRITISH SEAS - P28 COMMENTARIES ODIN's EYE - P5 Europe is at the mercy of both Russia and China, ‘CLEAN SHEET CANBERRA’S GOLDEN OPP - P11 ‘AUKUS gives the RAN a quantum leap but won't be easy to achieve. FEATURES RUSSIAN & US WARSHIPS’ CLOSE ENCOUNTER — P8/9 Moscow claims it forced a USN vessel out. ATTACK BOAT CRUNCH RIPPLE EFFECT - P12/13 The damage to a US Navy SSN is a fleet-wide blow. EXERCISE CUTLASS FURY 2021 - P17/20 A Canadian-led workout was more than just a war game. FUTURE SUB-HUNTER’S NUCLEUS CREW - P21 The next HMS Glasgow receives her first sailors. MILESTONE DEFENCE ALLIANCE EXERCISE - P22/23 New Zealand fleet weighs in for FPDA 50th. CARRIER STRIKE GROUP COALITION - P24/27 Nations work together in Asia-Pacific. NEW PATROL SHIP AMID STORMY SEAS - P30/32 Part two of our voyage aboard ARA Piedrabuena UK NATIONAL FLAGSHIP ON COURSE? - P33/34 The proposal needs a firmer hand on the tiller. CDR BOND... WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU - P45 A look at the latest superspy movie. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - P46 NAVAL HERITAGE & HISTORY LONG VOYAGE TO PEARL ATTACK - P35/37 Japan's surprise assault was years in the making. NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR VETERAN SUBS - P38/39 US Navy & Royal Navy preserved SSNs get some TLC. PLUS - Hood and her mighty guns commemorated: WW2 Battle of the Atlantic illuminated; Trafalgar Hero’s salute in stamps; lttle-seen portraits on show; Finland's undersea warfare collection. (ON A MISSION TO SINK BATTLESHIP BISMARCK- P47/48, Anew TV documentary enables WW2 veterans to speak about taking on the German battleship. Above: HMAS Warramunga sails OH HMAS Brabane’s starboard Side of Busan, South Korea Fea during the latest pase of the Austraan fleet's atest Regional Presence Deployment Pata: LSS Daniel Goodmar/RAN, Below. lian warships during Enercise Mare Apert lst month in the Mediteranean, For more See P70, Photo: Marina Wiltare Below: The Roya Netherlands Navy figate #NLIMS De ZevenProviceh in Pymouth Sound ast month For Inars Dutch warship see P28. Prot! an Blin Cover, Train image Japanese dexvojer 16 Feshima eae on exer wth ‘he Dutch gate HNLMS Eversen lm) and th Yee tanker REA Tdespingin the Piipine Sea See 24187 Proto: MCS Sariiag0 NevaraQs Noy Inset mage, top leftJames Bond (Darel ra) gon tha ready No Tine to Di See 35 Mot Neola Gove © 2019 SANA, aed NA teed top it~ an Cl fs Ik Rays! nd Sword rem the documentary ‘mark 24 Hous 0 Doom" See a7 mage: Copmight © screen Son Al articles and istration puished Renew are sty copyright ofthe ‘thors and the pubes day iat be repos n oy ora Sd eet tan tout ween person, ‘StandA previous North Korean test fing ofa SLBM, Poo: DPRK afl. Below A depiction oF. I. Korean Sinpo- Gorge subyarine feunening a nuclear ped bali rmasie stration by #1 Suton. WARSHIPS Pee longer-range Pukguksong-5 SLEM was not tested implies Pyongyang fs, for now more SUBMARINE-LAUNCHED MISSILE ‘33: :22 52°" Report by Usman Ansar range SLM. South Korean Berens the most serious n 3 North Korea's test launch from a Sources claim the missle flew Series conducted by North Korea Ss Pen enee GGorae submarine last month _590km, reaching an alttude of in re ks (Oci)is believed to have been a 6Okm. An offical statement Gwen a simultaneous conéitional KN-23 Submarine-Launched aimed the KN-23 missile peace offers to Seou,it appears Baltic Mise (SLBM incorporated “lots of advanced a ploy to pressure South Korea ae Iwas conducted from the convol guidance technologies __into extracting concessions from shina vicinity of the port of Sinpo on incuding flank mobility and the USA to asst that process. ress: Pe North Korea's eastern coast ling skip mobility, Pyongyang has, meanwhile fee Banned from carving out balistic The KN-23 isa road mobile solid- rejected U'S offers 0 one BBR rissle tests by the UN Security. fuel missle, which has now been unconditional talks, demanding Coun, this was the fst N ‘adapted for submarine launch. Washington frst abandon is Korean SLAM test since 2019, ‘The KCNA statement implies t hostile actions such as erppling| a land sparked condemnation from has the same depressed sanctions, of which there litle sal Fegional states and the USA, trajectory and manoeuvrability to fketinood. i The later deemed the test nop it evade detection and Alongside earlier strategic cruise PERRIN “cestablising” and reiterated its interception, The small missile and hypersonic missile ironclad carnitine fo narrower mise would slow fess, the SLBM test defend Japan and South Korea. more of them to be carted in 2 demonstrates continual North ae France, the UK and US al GieseLeletrc alist submarine Korean advances, inorder t ees slammed the test asa new (GS), However, the SSB would garner recognition 2s ade facto con provocation at an emergency have to get closer to an enemy's huclear weapon state to ensure freeting of the UN Secunty rome temitory in order to make athe regime's sural PEMERMMREEE | CouC, calling for sanctions to launch, so increasing the isk of Pyongyang has also claimed to eae be applied more effectively detection, The KN-23 may bein the fina stages of Though the end in Pyongyang's actualy be the equivalent of designing a nuclear-powered all missles has been towards South Korea's recenty tested submarine of an unk eae progressive larger, longer Hyurmoo 4-4 SLBM, and 50 which may form the Basis fo aun Fanged, and hence more should be considered a response more potent sea-based second wd missiles, the KN-23 is a sho to that event. That the suspected strike capability re her NT Dc eaeae vessel USS Laboon dung eearet, ‘USN ESTABLISHES TASK GROUP’ TO HUNT RUSSIAN SUBMARINES IN THE ATLANTIC Reports by Usman Ansari ‘The US Navy has upped its game incountering the undersea menace posed by a resurgent Russan submarine fore, via festabising a new ASW formation, ‘Task Group Greyhound (TSG) ‘as urweled by the commander ‘of Naval Sutface Force Atlantic Rear Admiral Brendan McLane, ‘and commander of Submarine Group Two and deputy ‘commander 2nd Fleet, Reat ‘Admiral Brian Davies. Ithappened during an event at Nava Station, Mayport. It was held aboard the destroyer USS ‘Thomas Hudner ‘TGG has been established as part of the USN's Optimized Fleet Response Plan, which aims to provide fully cetfed warships Feady to undertake a full range ‘of missions around the clock ‘every day ofthe year. ‘TGG wil assign and task destroyers to be available for countering Russian submarine activity, ensuring the maintenance of an undersea arfare edge, ‘The first two warships assigned 10 TGG are the Hudher and sister vessel USS Donald Cook ‘Admiral MeLane explained: Task Group Greyhound provides ‘away to increase continuity Between training and operating ‘against high-end compatitrs in a ‘dynamic environment. These destroyers are now designated under Task Group Greyhound in the western Allanticon watch 24V7 ready to practice, integrate, and operate ‘ta moment's notice.” USN statement outlined Countering the Russian threat as requiring "focus, continuous mmanitring and a team approach to undersea wartare” Establishing TGG wil ensure designated post-deployment East Coast destoyers remain in ‘an extended sustainment phase fon a rotating basis with other estroyers. The task group name references those established In WW2 to counter the U-Boat menace ‘uring the Battle ofthe Atlantic ITALIAN FRIGATE JOINS EURO MISSION The Kalla frigate ITS Federico ‘Martinengo isthe first italian ‘warship 10 participate in Op AAGENOR, aka the Maritime Awareness inthe Strat of Hotmuz (EMASOH) intiatve, which isa Europeanded naval mission to monitor traffic in the Sea gateway of the Gul EMASOH was launched by France in 2020 in partnership with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Holland, ay, and Portugal, with Norway having joined more recent Itaims to protect merchant shipping, strengthen other Fegional security and stabilising initiatives, plus contribute to ‘maritime situational awareness, TTS Federico Martinengo's three ‘month deployment part of Fraly’s commitment to counter terrorism and help stablise the wider Mediterranean region, rom the Persian Gulf tothe Atlantic down to the Gulf of Guinea. As well asthe standard complement of the ship and tembarked helicopter fight, the frigate also hosts a San Marco Brigade special operations ‘boarding team, The Bergamini Class warship relieved the French frigate FS Languedoc that was deployed with EMASOH for more than four months. POSSIBLE POLISH FUTURE FRIGATE German shipbuilder TKMS has revealed detals of the MEKO- 'A3OOPL design beng offered to Poland to full is MiscenkiSwordish frigate programme. Survvabilty, stealth, Fethalty, and adaptability were promoted a the four key Strengths of the design The very heavily armed muta frigate design i equipped with 68 SAMS, 42 point defence misses ‘and 16 anti-ship or land-attack ruse misses, I would also be fitted with high energy laser and directed energy ‘Weapons, plus a range of smal to large calibre guns. The layered air defence offered incorporates ‘weaponry to counter the entire ‘ange of aerial threats from short ‘ange to theatre ballistic missiles, land wil be able to Simultaneously engage 16 threats ‘with two missles each ‘A modular mission space under the flght-deck wl allow RHIBS to be launched and recovered via a ramp, modular mission 'S iivteRNaTIONAL FLEET REVIEW containers, heavy ASW torpedoes ‘and towed sonar arrays, mines, Unmanned surface vehicles, and ‘other mission specic equipment {to be installed. The A-3OQPL has survivability design features ‘adapted from the German Navy's F125 frigate, such as mattpication and division of sensors, command and control systems, and engineering/proputsion ‘equipment. TKMIS spokesman, ‘and former South African ‘Admiral Jonathan Kamerman, ‘eqlained the A-300 “was Specifically developed to secure ‘actions in high-risk ar, surface, ‘pd subsurface conditions, such {2s those present on NATO's eastern flank inthe Baltic Sea Fegion." Three frigates are planned to be buit in Poland, ‘with prototype completion by June 2028, delivery ofthe second in 2033, and third in 2034. Meanwhile, the UK-based Babcock has been shortlisted ‘ao, offering a variant of the ‘Arrowhead-140 and Navantia ‘too, with a development of its F- 104. They new vessels wil replace the extant figates Orp General Kazimierz Pulaski and ‘ORP General Tadeusz Koscusko, ‘a pair of ex-US Navy Pery Class ‘warships transferred to Poland's fleet inthe early 2000s,u Raion. HN aetute made tare public — appearance Asti fs hete alongside in Perth welcoming vistors aboard, Photo: UK offical oot + + + + Come Aboard! .. the Royal Maritime Club, the perfect venue for overnight stays, holiday breaks, social occasions and business meetings ‘welcoming ambience Over 100 comfortable bedrooms to suit all needs ‘Special rates for seafarers and other military personnel Fully accessible Swimming Pool with hydrojets, Infrared Sauna, Spa Pool Horatio’s restaurant serving a set price dinner Traditional buffet style English breakfast Compass Cafe and Victory Bar serving refreshments Snooker and Skittle Alleys Telephone or email for Royal Maritime Club & Hotel ‘Queen Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, POT 3HS Club Tet: (023) 9282 4231 Email: events@royalmaritimectub.co.uk www.royalmaritimeclub.co.uk WARSHIPS jireavsrionaL rueer review‘plate October the president of Russia, Vadim Put ordered Sate-ovmed every gant Gazoom to sr rebuieng European gas reserves Minter European reserves were periousy low and hadn't been festocked over te summer Sespte another potentially harsh tend and torn of yea looming Futn's move wasnt ovt of Concern for Europe and is arng enero, but Russia's fest demonstration of Svangleho Germany’ championing of Russia's Nord Steam 21N52) Prplne bypassing Pond and Ukraine (and denying the ater crt tans fees) has eectvely tindermined European energy Security, ith NSE competed in Soterber, Washington was ompeled to abendn Sppeston and instead made ‘Spue pledges of acon i Russa ‘weed the eneray weapon {Spans Utrane Yet Russa sendy efecively weed his weapon in summer {0 et NS2 aporoved and ‘peratnal, by hang Shipments ‘hough exstng pipelnes instead meeting contract ‘bigations trough remaining Stocks in Germany and Asa “hs further depleted Europe's resenes and packed ts esders into thinking winter g2s Shortages may result Rusia of couse blamed Europe forthe css wth Present Putin claming oppostion to NS2 land Europea istence on flee ter than long erm 10 to 15 year contacts cost tem ‘rate supplies of cheaper ga He angiy denied sing 936 Suppy a5 2 weapon to force ‘rough ns sceeptace espe teatening not to supply ‘ev uriessNS2 cate online fsa energy dstomacy for Europe as nstious 3 ary of ‘the hybrid ware tactics and ints ease the message was lear Evopeon scanty of Scovy can rly be pose trough co-operation wth Russa an ths case rough Spproial, completion, and exlusheutlston of NZ Sehverng the capaci to rebuild seiner rears ith other Se Pipeines encircling Europe, and the sanctioned Turkstream2 pipeline aimed at the Balkans, Russia now has control over European eneray supplies, Russia may wel be able to force 8 reduction in sanctions imposed ‘ver its annexation of Crimea, Which seized from Ukraine in 2014 to secure its strategically vital naval bastion inthe Black Sea, EUROPE is a captive Russian market. The provision of 45 per cent of Europe's gas and 30 per Lndercut LNG costs to secure longsterm contracts, but has become a top LNG producer itself thas seen how Turkey at least has weaned itself off gas pipeline dependency via ING Imports, and won't allow Europe to-do the same, While Europe ‘may presently source its largest LING Supplies from the USA, Russia's already n second place as a supplier. ‘With the Arctic warming ‘opening up the Northern Sea Route to Asia, Moscow could leven trade pipeline diplomacy for EUROPE IS AT THE MERCY OF BOTH RUSSIA & CHINA cent of ts ol through long term contracts cements Russian, ‘domination enforced trough the tum of a tap. Russia supplies some Eastern European states with all oftheir gas, while others tate vulnerable to short-term cuts. LNG diplomacy making that region an even greater area for Strategic maritime competition China, meanwhile, is ramping up LNG imports more so than other Asan big spenders at the expense of other buyers Opinion Odin’s Eye ‘Moldova had its gas tuned off in September and was forced to sign anew fwe-year contrac, and deals on its existing debis plus energy sector ‘co: Dperaton’ While coal once gave an element of eneray security, ‘most countries are phasing it ‘ut, and those that stil rely on it fate also stuck buying Russan back stuff, with Germany again ‘one of the worst culprits due to having decommissioned its ‘hudear plants on environmental ‘grounds. None of the planned Green energy projects can lessen Russia's grip ay time soon, The only readily available alternative to Russian supplies is Liquified Natural Gas (ING), Foreian LNG suppies from the USA, Algeria, Qatar, and other producers ~ much of iin Gigantic ships criss-crossing the ‘oceans - could have mitigated Russia's energy supply influence However, even here Russia and China aré developing a strangjehold over security of Supply. Russia has previously Western pressure to force China away from coal has actually pushed it to outcompete the {Wes to secure LNG in order to feed its massive grid expansion and counter recent power cus While Russia can constrict Europe's gas supply therefore, CChina may divert ts ING supplies through financial ‘muscle, Europe has essentially delivered to Russa the abiliy to coerce it without having to resort to violence, Ithas also seen China flexing its ablity to constrain alternative ‘means of supply via using massive spending power to divert ING shigments, WHILE Europe regards gas as a {tansitional fuel prior to going fully green, this may not be Viable and was even mocked by Putin who blames th switch from gas and nuclear for the present energy crs, France wall have to build dozens ‘of new nuclear power plants in the coming decades to meet its WARSHIPS jisrsnaricnva: steer neview ecatborsation goals, but- with 19 idea how to pay for them al wilhave to sick wth ges The Uk already powers some 4.5 milion homes by wind energy, but ess wind than expected September ed to shortfall, New infrastructure ike the 1 400NW North Sea Link subsea power Cable from Norway harmeses the power of Nonwegan fords power approximately 1-4 milion Brits homes. The UK trades excess ind power in return if severed the Nonwegan power ‘able can't be repaed qucky, not could power cables inking Britain to Belgium France and Holland: With further ofshore renewable projects sated forthe future urgent consideration being gen to how they can be Kept sate rom peacetime sabotage of wartime Gestuction? And Rusia has in recent years enhanced ts abity to cary out covert sabotage of Undersea cabies a er {Ubmarnes and ‘ocean research Ships Foolshly gambling on beng abe to rly on a range of ‘teener energy sources while Bhasing out coal that kept running during WW2, and being {oo slow to commision net nuclear plans, Britain decommissioned a storage fecity in 2017, which bed 70 per cent ofits Gas reserves Alongside a dedine of North Sea Gos, thisleaves Brita exposed to higher prees and potetal shortages and power cuts. The Ur curently has capacity to Store ges for ony four 8 ve winter oa [RS gas produces some 50 per ‘ent of UX power, a single mised ING shipment coud turn ie ights out ‘here asting of LNG tankers stretching al the way to the Gul, wulerable to atack, and ‘eth the Royal Navy lacking the Torce levels of warships 0 protect ther a Sst one being destroyed could dink the UK, causing 2 collapse in the British economy and socety, ‘ath milion freezing That ithas come to his highlghts the stunning incompetence of sucessve atonal governmentsNEW RAN PATROL VESSEL MAKES DEBUT Te first of sx Evolved Cape Class patrol boats has been launched atthe Austal Ships Shipyard in Henderson, W Australia (pictured, right, The vessels are an interim measure to replace the Royal ‘Australian Navy’ (RAN's) extant ‘Armidale Class boats They wil themselves be phased fut with the commissioning of the much larger, more capable, Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). "The EvoWved Cape Class patrol boats will ensure the Royal Australian Navy -equipped to keep Australia’s borders safe,” said Rear Admiral Wendy Malcom "With asx Evolved Cape Class patrol boats to be builtin WA, We are continuing to strengthen Australia’s naval eapabiity while ing local uction on the remaining ive boats is underway with the Second in class to be accepted by the RAN in early 2022. At the time of writing the first had not yetbeen named, Photo: Austal NATO WARSHIPS IN THE BALTIC & MED Two US Navy destroyers, USS Arleigh Burke and USS Porter, jainea forces with NATO. Standing Naval Forces for interoperability exeroses n both the Baltic Sea and Mediteranean. In the northern waters Aeigh Burke worked with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (NMG?) vessels, namely the flagship figate HMCS Frederito (Canada), and figates HNLMS Van Amstel The Netherlands), INRP Corte Real (Portugal and SPS Almirante Juan de Borbon (Spain. Meanwhile, in the USS Porter joined forces with Carrier Strike Group (UK C56) SNMG2 warships, led by the escort destroyer HMS Defender flagship ITS Virginia Fasan (tal, has testfired Maret missles on with fngate TCG Gokeeada 2 range inthe Pactic (Turkey tanker FGS Spessart The new mesle sytem is (Germany) frigate ROS Regina designed to protect Royal Navy ‘Maria (Romania). Pictured felow —sirraft carers, and other units {nd right: The SNIIG? frigate from swarm attacks by fast smal InRP Corte-Real at Pymauth for bats. isso far alsa hited to training (photo by Raymond frigates, Wergan) and inthe Bac on Royal Navy press release exercise (hot by MCSS Seaman explained: Ih 0.3 seconds, the Kern KinelUS Navy) masle detached from the Wildcat HMA M2 helicopter, STRIKE GROUP ‘accelerating to one and a half ‘COPTER LETS RIP times the speed of sound AWildcat helicopter from 815 towards is target. Naval Air Squadron (815 NAS) currently embarked in the UK tured, above: The Ma 19 (by LPhot Unats Luke/RN) WARSHIPS jy r:20s7101a1 reer Reviewpare ee Fea oes ie ipnereg a 2 eeRUSSIA AND CHINA STAGE JOINT NAVAL DRILLS MOSCOW CLAIMS ITS WARSHIP FORCED SNOOPER TO WITHDRAW Report by Steve Grant he United States has rubbished dais that one of is warships was chased away after it Supposedly attempted to violate Russia's tertoial waters during a Russo-Chinese naval exercise in he Sea of Japan. The US Pacific Fleet said the ‘uided-issle destroyer USS Chafee was conducting routine ‘operations in incerational waters last month (Oct) when a Udaloy Class destroyer came within 60, metres of the Amercan ship, Below: n an image taken from the Russian Navy video of the incident ‘with USS Chafee We see ho ‘ose the RFS Trbuts came to the ‘ther vessel Photo: Russon ‘efence mint hile the latter was preparing for flight operations. “The statement from the Russian Defence Ministry about the interaction between our two Navy ships is false," the US Navy (USN) Said in The interaction was safe and professional. Although Russa sued a Notice to Airman and Mariners (NOTAMINOTMAR) in ths area for later in the day, the NOTAMMNOTMAR was notin effect at the time of the Interaction. Atal tes, USS CChafee conducted operations in accordance with international law and custom. The United States wil continue tof, sal, and operate where international law allows Earlier, the defence ministry in Moscow claimed the Russian In the Sea of Japan last month (Oct) the Fussian Udloy Class destroyer RFS Tributs passes the US Navy's USS Chafee. Photo: USN, Nay had thwarted an alleged attempt by the USN destroy violate the country’s state border in the Sea of Japan. It said the Crew of the RFS Admiral Tributs radioed a warning to the Chafee that it was in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with antly fire” The Russians aimed the USN destroyer flied to change course, instead raised fags cating was preparing to ‘This meant it could not tur oF change speed! According to the Russians ‘acting within the framework of the international rules of navigation’ RFS Admital Tibuts ‘set out to dive the intruder out of the Russian teritonal waters, ‘The defence ministry statement OTST ieee added that the American vessel ‘Convinced of the determination ofthe crew of the Russian ship ot to violate the state border, hanged arecton and turned back on the opposite course. The statement added that actions of the crew of the USS Chafee were ‘a flagrant violation ofthe international Rules fo Preventing Collisions at Sea and re Russian-American intergovernmental agreement on ne prevention of incidents on ne high seas and in the aspace above it in 1972 BFS Admiral Tibuts was tkely ‘one of 10 naval vessels from China and Russia that sailed through the Tsugaru Stat, which Separates Japan's main island and its northern sland of Hokkaido, ree days later. The vessels hadjoint dil in Japan as part of broader, stat The Japanese ministy released a watching the ship i Chinese and Rus ‘the first time that Japan ‘ontirmed fan naval vessels sailing together through the 2 international le the straits regarded Japan's ith China ha ‘onfht Sea, Tokyo is als involved in ial elsputes wth Russia, “The government is ck watching Chinese and Ru Fontinve to do our utmost in our Sunella ters and asp TUS | tier territorial waters and pa fe by the Russian and Chine hips was permitted under Internationa a Its believed the vessel 4 Renhai Cass destroy yang I destroyer, Ilfrigates and a supaly from the People’s Liberation Army Ni ng with ‘wo Uda pair of Stor fettes from the Pa Of the Russian Naw) and a mi ‘ange instrumentation ship. included re ministy. Below, The Russ rand eesMAJOR MED EXERCISE OFFERS SCHOOLING IN A WIDE RANGE OF COMBAT SKILLS The talan Novy carr ITS Cavour during Mare Aperto 2021, with both aries and'a Lightning embarked alongside Inalcopters. Photo: NATO. ‘More than 4,000 men and missions, protection of wornen from nine navies took infrastructure, to safea part in the ltalian-led jo fee navigation fxercse Mare Aperto (Open Sea) training in cour 2021 last month (0c ‘maritime embar itaimed to enhance the combat Combt training scenarios Teadiness of partcpating assets, covered antiar ant-submar with 21 naval units, four Hamer and ant-surtace ship warfare AV.88 strike jets and 17 Skil: Handling intervention in embarked martime helicopters criss situations while facing both involved. Standing Maritime Group 2, Ta Conventional and asymmetric Unit 02 threats was aso on the agenda, (SNMG2 TUO2) ships played a SNMG2 fs currenty under the key role in the mantime-focused command of Rear Adm exercise, which was held inthe Stefano Russo ofthe italian Navy, Aatc lonian Sea, Stat of with #s TUO2 comprsing the Sicly and Tyrrhenian Sea across _taian frigate and flagship TS. hree weeks, Three Italian Navy Virginio Fasan, German tanker submarines aso took par FS Spessat and Turkish frigate alongside numerous acraft from TCG Gokceada itah’s airforce and army. A range of drills were arranged, __* Report based on material Fanging from counterterrorism provided by NATO.ee Hae LETT OFFERED mb} F OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FROM COLLINS BOATS TO SSNs, BUT WON'T BE EASY NOW THE DUST HAS SETTLED A LITTLE PETER WHITEHOUSE TAKES A CLEAR-EYED_ VIEW OF SOME CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD FOR, AUSTRALIA IN ACQUIRING NUCLEAR-POWERED ‘SUBMARINES FOR ITS NAVY, ‘The Australia-United Kingdom United States (AUKUS) security [pact announcement builds on the ‘Obama administration's Indo- Pacific Pot, Ths was an early recognition of global security| issues relating to China's aggressive economic initiatives ‘and associated miltary Build-up. ‘AUKUS has atvacted a lot of ‘media attention that has homed itvon Australia’s requirement for 2 credible replacement for its sie Coins Class conventional tack submarines (S5Ks) as part of the pact. AUKUS envisages Australia ‘cquting and operating nucear- ered atk submarines SSNS) with Both US and UK help, land ths raises a wide range of issues. The Austalan politcal stance towards China has ‘changed progressive. It has ‘gone from an enthusastic pro- Chinese outlook (under Kein Rudd, who was rime Minister 2007-2010) through a wary wait- ‘and-see period ove the last ‘decade, to fundamental concern 2 China's miltary strength and ‘ggressve stance have grown In tandem during the premiership (of Scott Morrison's (PM, since 2018). At the strategic level ‘Australia isan island continent totally dependent on its martime ‘rade routes; moreover, recent ‘wade spats with China have bacly damaged its export earnings. These points highlight important vulnerabitis. Gn the defence front, Australia has along history of reiance on US military technology dating back many decades. A recent example i the retrofit of the Lockheed Martin combat system into the Colins boats, “Today's Chinese threat drives the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) towards a credible long-range submarine capably ofthe type that any conventional propulsion system, even if installed inthe Full ofa large reactor less SSN, spy cannot dee, “Today's prioites are a short transi time to and from ‘operational areas that can be ‘ver 6,000 km fram home, an textended on-staton patrol ‘uration with a low indseretion ratio, a large weapons outtoad cepacity and high levels of crew comfort. Close reading of the Various Australian National Audit Office reports on the Collins replacement programme Suggests thatthe decision to terminate the French option was allowed for, even contemplated by, the overarching contract ~ even ithe diplomatic approach by Morison to the AUKUS announcement could scarcely have been more inflammatory to French sensilites. Australia can be seen as today's mega-version tf the mainland UK inthe early Cold War. is an island that both an unsinkable aircraft cater, a well-positioned tembarkation point for amphibious forces and a potential forward operational Base for US Navy (USN) nuclear powered submarines that is close to a likely theatre of future ‘agressive operations For Holy Loch in the 1960s, read Perth in the 2030s. The US holds the key to opening a coset from which the RAN can potentially acquire a set of state-of-the-art 58N technologies and a proven platform design that meet its heeds exactly, from a dose ally. Australia will ultimately require in-service support facies forts ‘own nuclear-powered boats. These will be equally ‘capable of supporting forward based USN submarines - i's just ‘a question of scaling up the infrastructure capacty, once Australia has crossed the Rubicon (of operating and hosting its own ruclear-powered platorms. (Once committed, an Australia with SSNS isa potential force ‘multiplier for the USA. An ‘Australia with even stronger inks to the US aso complicates CChina's scenario planning it were to move from rhetoric to military aggression, SIXTY years ago the UK was in a similar postion to today’s Austala. Under a government to ‘government agreement the US WARSHIPS jwresiriowa eveer Review Wes provided it wth a nuclear propulsion plant around which ‘the UK designed its fist SSN (Dreadnought). Unike the ‘AUKUS proposal the intent was ‘that the UK woulé become independent (and thereby deliberately dvergent from US thinking) 'n propulsion and mast ‘other SSN platform design Sspects, There are many lessons {o'be earned from the UK ‘experience over the last 60 years ‘of buying in and cooperating on submarine technology withthe Usa. Starting from a clean sheet ‘of paper, Australia isin a great postion to get it ight in Frinimising costs ane avoiding ‘existential programme threats, many of them selfnficted by the UK on itself - safety regulation in particular, Australia needs ts new Submarines to enter service within the next 20 years, Thisis an extremely aggressive timescale, gven the quantum leap in capabity and capacity ‘that Australia will need to make ints industrial base = with a fine balance to be struck between the politics of acquisition costs, in service support costs, in-country employment numbers and RAN, staffing issues. The US and UK submarine programmes curently face their own challenges relating ‘0 supporting and building their legacy and future submarine asses. Bringing the Aussie SSN ‘dimension of AUKUS to life will not be a trivial task. It wil, however, be fascinating to watchManas LTH dba a AL Tee a ONE OF THE AMERICAN NAVY'S THREE SEAWOLF CLASS ATTACK SUBMARINES (SSNs) COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING WHILE PATROLLING THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, LAST MONTH (OCT). SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT DAVID AXE LOOKS AT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE US NAVY'S SUBMARINE FORCE. The nuclear-powered USS Connecticut sufered unspecified damage, possibly to the Underside of her ull and, fortunately, nobody died inthe cellsion, though some Submariners were reportedly injured. The 353-foot boat managed to limp to Guam under her own, power, The incident temporarily Eidetines one of the mast important vessels in the US Pacific Fleet ata time of heightened tension. I's widely understood thatthe USN has too few submarines. {And that was before one of the 52 attack boats in commission Fan into an uncharted sea mount and wound up tied to a pier in Guam. The USN wants to grow the SSN force to a minimum of 66 vessels or a maximum of 72, an expansion that could take decades and cost tens of bilions of dolars, ‘Tne Connecticut is the second of three Seawolf Class boats, She commissioned in 1998 and, ike her sisters Seawolf and Jimmy Carer, sis from the Pacific Fleet's Kitsap Nava! Base in Bremerton, Washington. ‘The Seawalf Classis the least humerous ofthe three classes of ‘attack boats in US sence. The Older Los Angeles Class numbers 28 and there are also 21 newer Virginia Class boats. But the Seawols are the biggest and ‘most powerful of America's SNS The Los Angeles boats have 33- foot-dameter hulls, displace around 7,000 tons and reportedly can reach 30 knots wshile submerged. The Virginias have 34-foot diameter huls and displace around 8,000 tons. Sources attribute to ther a top speed of atleast 25 knots, The Seawolts by contrast have 40-foot diameter hulls and can reportedly sustain 35 knots while ‘dived. Seawoif and Connecticut displace around 9,000 tons. Jimmy Carter features a 99-foot hull plug that adds around 3,000 tons to her dsplacement. ‘The plug contains lock-out chambers for divers and undersea drones. The extra displacement lends the Seawolfs far greater firepower Compared to the other SSNS ‘8 seaviolf has eight torpedo tubes, whereas a Los Angeles or Virginia as ust four. ‘A Seawol sais with up to 50 torpedoes and missiles in her magazine. A Los Angeles or older Virginia model deploys with no more than 37 weapons. ‘The Navy is adding a hull extension to at least 10 new Block V Virginias in order to Squeeze in 28 additional Tomahawk cruise missiles. The extra missles give the Block Vs a powerful land-attack capability but don't improve the type's ability to sink ships or other Submarines [and i's ths anti-ship capability that the Navy increasingly values a5 it rewites ts dactine to deter the fast-growing and increasingly assertive Chinese feet or, in wartime, destroy it. t's not for "No reason that the new SSNOQ fattack submarine the Navy is Sesigning is reportedly closer in size and capably to a 1990s vintage Seawolf than its toa Visine The fist SSNDO fs years away from beginning constructon. in the meantime, the USN is leaning more heaviy on the Seawolts 3s, It shift moce of its vessels to the Pacific Fleet and increases the scale and pace of ts front-line patrols Notmaly ships in a particular class take turns deploying, Since ney all depend on the same logistics and training infrastructure, it's most‘sustainable to divide a given class into thirds, One third s On patrol ‘One thir isin wainng, One third isin maintenance, That model ‘explains why the Navy possesses ‘round 200 front-line ships But ‘deploys only a hundred ata time. But fleet commanders ideally ‘would be able to surge a cass ‘uring a criss - sending out more forall of the vessels at the same ‘ime. To have any chance of ‘defeating potentialy hundreds of Chinese warships in wartime, the Pacific Fleet would surely need to send out mare than fs Usual 50, (oF 60 ships. Surging is hard, as it requires the synchronization of alot of Fesources, 50 t's worth noting when a fleet demonstrates can {it's even more notable ‘when a fleet surges its most powerful vessel ‘Thats exactly what the Navy did withthe three Seawolfs this summer. In July, all the boats in ‘the class were underway at the same time in the Pacific Ocean ‘The Naty didn’t exactly announce this dassavide deployment, but it didn't exactly hide tether Ina stark break with ts normal practice, the saling branch over ‘the summer circulated photos depicting Seawolt and Connecticut on patil in the western Pact ‘Reavilan photographer meanwhile spotted Jimmy Carter leaving San Diego. Inealy July, the northwest chapter of the United Service ‘Organizations, which supports US service members in Washington {and surrounding states, tweeted Bhotos witha tling caption. It Fead: "USONW was on hand to serve the families of three ‘eployed submarines - USS Seawol, USS immy Carter and the USS Connecticut." ‘The three boats were on patrol in the same region at atime of escalating tension ‘The Chinese fleet between summer and fall deployed both Of ts acraft caries to the China ‘and Philippine Seas, staged several arge amphibious ‘exercises near Tawan and also Sent several surface combatants to exercise with the Russian fleet in the Sea of Japan. The Chinese air force meanwhile stepped up its own patrols over the Tatwan Strait and South China Sea, The escalating pace of aerial ‘operations culminated ina fall Surge that saw a record 93 Chinese warplanes criss-cross international ar space southwest of Talwan (between October 1 and 3) Not coincidental, the aera patrals coincided with a massive US-led naval exercise in the Philippine and South China Seas. More than a dozen US, British and allied warships, including four big-deck vesse's the aircraft carters HMMS Queen Elzabeth, USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan plus the Japanese helicopter carrie J5 se gathered for several days of training, Ths included extensive crossecking, whereby aircraft from one carer briely operated from a neighbouring fattop. For more on that exercise, Se paar? The Westem Pacifici becoming more dangerous. And the US Navyu is leary counting on submarines to deter the Chinese fleet and prevent tensions from escalating into open warfare. Connecticut's acedent complicates that plan. Siil, the Navy has projected calm The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition,” It stated (n October 7, five days after the SSNs colsion when she was stil at sea, "USS Connecticut's ‘huclear propulsion plant and Spaces were not affected and remain fully operational. The extent of damage to the remainder of the submarine is boeing assessed. The US Navy has ot requested assistance. The incident will be investigated.” By October 20, Connecticut was at Naval Base Guam, which Supports four forward-deployed los Angeles Clas SSNs plus the Naw's two submarine tenders. ‘Around the same time the damaged boat reached Guam, the Navy deployed Seawoit from Kitsap, I's not clear when Seawoif returned home from her summer deployment, but it couldn't have been move than a few months before Connecticut's accident compelled the boat to head back 1 sea, in order to keep up the Nays frontline stength in the ‘Western Pacific Commercial satelite imagery, meanwhile, depicted Connecticut tied up at pier, an apparent tarp covering a small section of her bow. No damage is visible, which could imply thatthe boat's injuries are light - or that theyre iS SS | a ; DE caasn=asueaeanesd Above: Newer, but not so ppowerfulin terms of Ant Submarine Warfare a a Seavolf Class SSN: Virgina Cass attack Submarine USS Delaware "etuming to Submarine Base New london. n October this year ‘Photo: John NarenskiUS Navy ‘Below: Sailors assigned to USS Connecticut stand watch on the bridge after the boat surfaces within the Artic Circle n the ‘Beaufort Sea during ce Exercise 2020 (CEX 2020). Photo: MICS1 ‘Michael & ZngarolUS Nay. entirely below the waterline. Irclearly could have been much ‘worse, Consider the last ume an ‘American SSN suffered a serous underwater colision, In 2005, the Los Angeles Cass USS San Francsco struck an uncharted seamount while submerged and traveling at high speed south of Guam. The colsion inflicted major damage to San Francisco's Ful killing one salor and injuring 97 others. San Francisco spent four years having her bow replaced, It might not take that ‘ong to Fepait Connecticut, but any time ‘ut of sence isa Setback for 3 navy that already has too few ‘tack boats,