royal navy

Sorry if this has been flagged previously, I have tried searching, but so far, to no avail. I am (still) reading Hennessy and Jinks' 'The Silent Deep', and have to say it is a very informative tome. There is reference made to discussions held during the period when Dennis Healy was Defence...

I must admit to being puzzled at the choice of Dreadnought as a name for the new SSBNs. Assuming 4 or 3 submarines are built, the only rationale is to resurrect the names of our early nuclear boats. That would add Valiant and Warspite and possibly Conqueror or Churchill. The alternative would...

In the thread here https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/alltheworldsbattlecruisers/jacky-fisher-s-1882-battle-cruisers-hms-nonsuch-an-t8794.html John talks about a design suggested by Fisher for an fats all big gun ship. Fisher’s first project was what he considered an essential upgrade to his own...

Blue Envoy Press are pleased to announce The Admiralty and the Helicopter by James Jackson. A companion volume to The Air Staff and the Helicopter, this latest addition to the Project Tech Profile series charts the development of the Admiralty’s pioneering requirements and the numerous...

In July 1945 Supermarine had not yet finalised their design for the Type 392 Attacker. This drawing (39200 116) shows one of the alternatives considered; note the design of the tail surfaces, the repositioned air intakes, the four cannon mounted alongside the cockpit, and, of course, the...

"France & UK Launch Next-Gen Missile Project with MBDA to Replace Harpoon/Scalp/Exocet by 2030" Published: Tuesday, 28 March 2017 15:21 Source...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/11/armistice-day-two-minute-silence-to-be-observed-to-remember-the2/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37938047

BAE gets funds to start building new submarines (ft.com, registration may be required.)

Type 31 design Concepts Note that there was a misprint in the original article which had the Type 26 as the Type 266. IMAGE CREDITS: BAE Systems, via Janes.

In the spirit of what-if? Scotland votes to exit the United Kingdom and re-join the EU. As part of the negotiations with the London Government, the Scottish First Minister insists that all nuclear warheads for the Trident submarines must leave Scottish territory as soon as Scotland becomes...

I put this under 'Early Aircraft Projects' because the things were free-flying but sorry if they should be under 'Missiles'. The sheer scale of this plan makes it hard to regard as a 'secret' project but seemingly it is, or at least I'd never heard of it. Anyway, here’s something on Britain’s...

I cannot find my copy of the Janes or Hippo book with the 1962 artists impression of the Tiger class helicopter conversion. It looks very different from the version that actually appeared. It should be out of copyright by now so if anyone could scan a copy and post here, I would be very...

A number of books mention that HMS BELFAST was considered for conversion to carry helicopters and landing craft but the idea was soon dropped. Anyone know more?

True hero sadly departs. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-35626854

List compiled from the excellent book The Silent Deep: The Royal Navy Submarine Service since 1945 BOREAS Class - page 131 1950s diesel-electric SSK. Smaller complement to PORPOISE Class. 1200 tons 'high quiet speed' 4 x TT in bow, 2 x TT in stern Baseline version with twin screws, then single...

Assuming the RN does select Green Flax aka Thunderbird II instead of Sea slug for the County class Destroyers, the early obsolescence of the ships is no longer a given. In that light, what happens to the Type 82 Destroyer design process? Does this simply become a 'all-GT' version of the County...

I had always been sceptical of the claims in various books that the RN planned to name its fifth Polaris boat RAMILLIES. It made no sense as all the other names RESOLUTION, RENOWN, REPULSE and REVENGE were related to the role of the boats. In his excellent new book about the RN submarine...

I noted with interest JFC Fuller's comment about the new Friedman British Battleships book that material exists in the National Archives about proposed modifications to the remaining King George V class battleships between 1945 and their withdrawal in the 50s. I have browsed the new Friedman...

Helmover giant WWII torpedo I recently read David Edgerton’s excellent “Britain's War Machine: Weapons, Resources and Experts in the Second World War” which made mention of the “Helmover” giant, R-R- Merlin powered aerial torpedo. This weapon was designed by Air Commodore William Helmore, PhD...

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34077719 :)