British warship tracks Russian submarine in Channel
A British warship has tracked a Russian submarine in the English Channel as part of a Nato effort to monitor Moscow's activity in European waters.
The Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne was deployed as part of a wider Nato operation to shadow Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it made its surfaced journey back to Russia from the eastern Mediterranean.
It comes just two weeks after HMS St Albans and HMS Mersey separately shadowed Russian vessels through the Channel.
Credit: Royal Navy
Last month HMS St Albans was activated to monitor RFN Admiral Golovoko as the frigate sailed east through the English Channel, while Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey tracked RFN Soobrazitelny as the corvette sailed westward.
It was the second such activation for HMS St Albans in April, after she had to monitor the Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy in a three-day operation two weeks ago.
The announcement comes as world leaders meet at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo on Friday.
JEF leaders are expected to discuss further protections to the UK and Euro-Atlantic critical national infrastructure.
The patrol vessel intercepted Krasnodar on entry to the Channel near the French coast, reporting on every move as it made its eastward journey before handing over duties to allies as the submarine left UK waters.
Earlier in its journey, Krasnodar was tracked by a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter of 815 Naval Air Squadron deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Atlantic.
Once responsibility for Krasnodar had been handed over, HMS Tyne was quickly back on new tasking to shadow Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Boikiy as it headed westward from the Baltic Sea, through the busy Dover Strait.
HMS Tyne and 815 Naval Air Squadron later monitored the corvette's return journey to the Baltic alongside three merchant ships.
Luke Pollard, the Minister for the Armed Forces, said: 'The Royal Navy has once again demonstrated its readiness to secure UK waters and protect the public.
'Our sailors acted swiftly and decisively to a potential Russian threat, and I pay tribute to their dedication, courage and professionalism.
'National security is a foundation of the Government's Plan for Change and we are giving our Armed Forces what they need to keep us secure home and strong abroad.'
HMS Tyne's Operations Officer, Lieutenant Bailey Denyer said: 'Activations like the one we've seen on this patrol to track Krasnodar are our bread and butter – defending UK sovereignty and that of our NATO allies is at the very heart of what the Royal Navy does.'
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