Latest news with #RoyalFleetAuxiliary
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Navy tracks Russian warships through UK waters
Royal Navy ships based in Plymouth and Portsmouth were deployed to track Russian warships through British waters this week, a navy spokesperson has said. Plymouth-based HMS St Albans, a Type-23 frigate, monitored the Admiral Golovoko as it sailed east through the English Channel and launched a Merlin helicopter to gather information from the air. Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey tracked RFN Soobrazitelny as it sailed west. HMS Alban's commanding officer, Cdr Matt Teare, said the "regularity of Russian activity around the United Kingdom reinforces the vital importance of continuous integration with our allies and partners". HMS Albans was also involved in a three-day operation to monitor the Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy earlier this month, the navy said. Cdr Teare said the frigate "is at very high readiness to operate whenever, and wherever, the nation needs us in the protection of our home and the waters surrounding it". He added he was "extremely proud" of his crew's professionalism and "tireless dedication to keeping our nation safe". Meanwhile, Portsmouth-based patrol HMS Mersey tracked RFN Soobrazitelny as the corvette sailed west, supported by Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Tidesurge. Russian tanker Kola was also monitored heading in the same direction in a coordinated effort with the Joint Maritime Security Centre. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Royal Navy frigates to be based in Portsmouth Russian warship tracked for five days off UK coast Russian warship tracked near British waters Royal Navy
BBC News
26-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Royal Navy tracks Russian warships through UK waters
Royal Navy ships based in Plymouth and Portsmouth were deployed to track Russian warships through British waters this week, a navy spokesperson has HMS St Albans, a Type-23 frigate, monitored the Admiral Golovoko as it sailed east through the English Channel and launched a Merlin helicopter to gather information from the patrol ship HMS Mersey tracked RFN Soobrazitelny as it sailed Alban's commanding officer, Cdr Matt Teare, said the "regularity of Russian activity around the United Kingdom reinforces the vital importance of continuous integration with our allies and partners". 'Tireless dedication' HMS Albans was also involved in a three-day operation to monitor the Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy earlier this month, the navy Teare said the frigate "is at very high readiness to operate whenever, and wherever, the nation needs us in the protection of our home and the waters surrounding it".He added he was "extremely proud" of his crew's professionalism and "tireless dedication to keeping our nation safe".Meanwhile, Portsmouth-based patrol HMS Mersey tracked RFN Soobrazitelny as the corvette sailed west, supported by Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA tanker Kola was also monitored heading in the same direction in a coordinated effort with the Joint Maritime Security Centre.
Telegraph
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Britain's Armed Forces remain hamstrung by sluggish recruitment
SIR – There is obviously a need to strengthen our Armed Forces, and an increase in the defence budget will be welcome. However, without a new mindset, nothing will improve. Take the current recruitment process. My 18-year-old granddaughter applied to join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary at the end of December, and completed her online testing in the first week of January. This was followed by the submission of a formal application a week later. She has heard very little since, other than that the process can take seven to eight months. It is not surprising that the Armed Forces are struggling to recruit manpower with this approach. Most applicants worthy of a position will have found other employment by the time they hear back, and quite possibly begun to climb the promotion ladder. They will be reluctant to give this up in order to start as new recruits. In 1974, when I joined the Army as a telecommunications apprentice, the whole process was completed within weeks rather than many months. Why, in these days of instantaneous communication, is it taking so long? Antony Mann Millbrook, Cornwall SIR – In 1944, at the peak of the Second World War, Britain was producing more than 2,000 aircraft a month, as well as large numbers of ships, tanks and other military vehicles. Today, however, the complexity of the technology means that even if 20 new Typhoon aircraft were ordered tomorrow, we would not see them for two or three years. Manpower is also critical to defence. You cannot make instant sergeants or captains, the ranks (along with their equivalents) that form the backbone of our fighting elements. You need to 'grow' this experience. The current Armed Forces are in no state to support adequate growth in these key areas if the military were required to expand rapidly. Delaying the ramp-up of military funding until 2027 leaves us negligently vulnerable. The defence budget needs to increase to 2.5 per cent of GDP now – then by half a percentage point each year until we achieve 4 per cent. This would give us some chance of training manpower and gaining additional equipment. It would also signal to our allies in Europe that we are serious. Laurence Barnes Tattenhall, Cheshire SIR – As one of the last people to undertake National Service in Britain (1959-1961), I believe that it should be reintroduced. It served several purposes besides defence, the main one being to convert boys into men. I completed mine during the 'Teddy Boy' era, and as a country boy was alarmed by the 'DA' hairstyles and velvet collar jackets. But within 12 weeks these men would be prepared to die for you. Tom Beverley Jones Falmouth, Cornwall
The Guardian
25-02-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Mark Thompson obituary
My friend Mark Thompson, who has died aged 69 after a fall while travelling in Sri Lanka, was a key figure at Bristol's characterful Henleaze Swimming club, based at Henleaze lake, a flooded limestone quarry to the north of the city. Mark joined the club in 1988 and became a committee member in 1990, at a time when it was in the doldrums, dealing with a drastically depleted membership, recurrent vandalism and worrying environmental issues. Taking on the challenge of improving the lake with a focus on water quality and biodiversity, he also promoted the controversial idea of creating a lakeside sauna, which opened in 2013, and the following year helped to initiate a successful winter swimming programme, enabling members to enjoy the deep, cold water all year round. In addition he was instrumental in creating greater community access to the club's facilities from 2018 onwards, so that more people could enjoy its peace and beauty. His term of office and subsequent trusteeship coincided with a dramatic improvement in the club's fortunes. It now thrives ,with more than 4,000 members. Mark was born in Kesgrave, Suffolk, to Robert, a tool setter, and Hazel (nee Shulver). After attending Headlands school in Swindon, Wiltshire, he left home at 17 to join the merchant navy, studying marine engineering to HND level with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary before completing a degree in the same subject at Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University) . In 1982 he trained at Garnett College in London to become a further education lecturer in maths, but soon afterwards decided to change direction, becoming an IT programmer with Lloyds Bank in 1983, first in London and then, from 1988, in Bristol. He left Lloyds in 1990, remaining in Bristol to work for the Sunlife insurance company and then the Bovis construction firm, for whom he operated remotely as an IT consultant until his retirement in 2005. Outside work, the Henleaze Swimming club took up much of his attention. Aside from his wider commitment to the lake's environment, he gathered together all the elements of the club's archive materials, which were scattered across various parts of Bristol and often in poor condition. Together we digitised the collection and delivered the materials to the Bristol Archives. Using that material, Mark initiated the production of a club centenary book, The Lake (2019), and helped to organise the centenary celebrations, which included mass synchronised swimming and a 1920s tea party. Retiring in 2024 from the committee and board of trustees, he was awarded an honorary life membership, which he enjoyed for all too short a time. As well as swimming, Mark had a keen interest in cycling and worked part-time for a number of years with Sustrans as a cycle route surveyor, covering Swindon and south Wales. A gentle, reflective man, he was a natural communicator whose unassuming manner belied his strength of character. He is survived by his wife, Carol Freeman, whom he met in 1982 and married in 2016, and his three sisters, Christine, Jenny and Stephanie.
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
UK and Norway begin talks on new defence agreement
The UK and Norway have started negotiations on a new defence pact aimed at combatting the threat from Russia in the Arctic. Defence Secretary John Healey and his counterpart, Tore Sandvik, kickstarted the talks as they met at Norwegian Joint Headquarters, a fortress tunnelled deep into the side of a mountain. Moves towards the major defence agreement come as European countries continue to reel from the sharp shift in US foreign policy towards Ukraine. President Donald Trump has urged European nations to spend more on their own money on defence, and has locked Nato partners out of initial peace talks over the future of Ukraine with Russia. The new UK-Norwegian defence agreement will see closer co-operation between the two nations' defence industries, and closer working between their armed forces, including on protecting undersea cables from sabotage. Defence Secretary Mr Healey said: 'Kickstarting work on a deep, ambitious new defence agreement with Norway shows the UK promise to step up on European security in action. 'Norway remains one of the UK's most important allies. We will create a new era of defence partnership to bring us closer than ever before as we tackle increasing threats, strengthen Nato, and boost our security in the High North. 'The UK is determined to play a leadership role on European security, supporting the foundations for our security and prosperity at home and showing our adversaries that we are united in our determination to protect our interests.' Mr Healey's visit to the High North – loosely defined as the area contained within the territories of the Arctic countries – also saw him visit a British vessel, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Proteus, currently docked in the town of Bodo, which will join Norwegian ships on exercise in the Baltic Sea.
