A decade-long programme of upgrade work on the UK Royal Navy’s ageing Type 23 frigates is nearing completion, with one ship left to complete the process. At the end of February 2024, the UK Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans returned to sea after what the Royal Navy described as a “massive revamp” at Devonport […]
The Australian government has selected BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd to jointly build Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines in the latest significant development in the AUKUS trilateral security pact. SSN-AUKUS is a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) being developed in partnership with the US and Australia to satisfy the needs of […]
Babcock International Group PLC and the UK’s Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have sealed a new agreement. The full cost recovery contract, worth approximately £560 million, is earmarked for the comprehensive maintenance and life extension program of HMS Victorious, one of the United Kingdom’s Vanguard Class nuclear submarines. The goal of this multi-year initiative is to […]
In the first in a regular series, RINA historian Mark Barton looks at some of the figures who helped shape naval architecture Up until the Napoleonic era shipbuilding remained a conservative affair; those responsible for ship design would usually begin life as shipwright apprentices, and learn their craft from their masters and hope to rise […]
Trials of the largest uncrewed aircraft ever launched from a UK Royal Navy aircraft carrier could pave the way for the next generation of UK naval air power. The specially modified aircraft – operated remotely by a ‘pilot’ at a computer terminal, codenamed ‘Mojave’ – took off and landed safely on HMS Prince of Wales […]
By Dr Marco J Cianni, FRINA, FIEAust., FRSA HMS Ark Royal was the former flagship of the Royal Navy and the third and final vessel of the Invincible-Class aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 1985 with a complement of 685 crew, 366 fleet air arm and 22 aircraft. At 210 metres in length, a beam […]
The hull of the UK Royal Navy’s first Type 31 frigates, HMS Venturer, is taking shape at Babcock. After less than 18 months since the vessel’s keel was laid, Venturer is beginning to resemble a warship as the giant units and blocks which make up the vessel are slotted into place by Babcock at their […]
Progressive approach to design provides a pathway for the introduction of new technology and energy-saving and emission-reducing technology. Team Resolute, a consortium of Navantia UK, BMT and Harland & Wolff has unveiled an evolved design for the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship. The FSS programme is delivering new solid support ships to replace RFA Fort […]
A spate of tests and demonstration projects are being used to advance the introduction into service of a range of uncrewed assets. Potential naval applications of uncrewed surface vessels and of unmanned underwater and above water units continues to proliferate in the US and in Europe as recent developments attest. In July 2023, the Defence […]
The Royal Navy has teamed up with Imperial College London to test a cutting-edge navigation system that could revolutionise warship navigation and is using the prototype of a ‘quantum sensor’ developed by academics at Imperial College London on its experimentation and trials ship Patrick Blackett. According to the Royal Navy, the technology has the potential […]
The Royal Navy is transitioning mine countermeasures capability from ships to unmanned, autonomous units and a distributed, disaggregated force that makes use of networking, autonomy and artificial intelligence. With a series of operational demonstrators already on contract as part of Block 1 of the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, the Ministry of Defence and UK […]
Type 26 to get fully automated ammunition system for Mk45 gun as Type 23 is upgraded with enhanced torpedo launch systems Royal Navy surface combatants including the Type 26 frigate and Type 23 frigates are to be the recipients of new weapons handling technology. BAE Systems Inc has received a US$219 million contract to equip […]