Exercise Joint Warrior JW 19:1
Twice a year the UK hosts Exercise Joint Warrior which is designed to enable the armed forces of participating countries to practice procedures and operate as a multi-national coalition. The event incorporates a wide variety of training scenarios, and each one may include small boat attacks, boarding operations, large-scale amphibious assaults, gunnery practice, air defence, live aerial bombing and anti-submarine warfare. Joint Warrior 191 took place between 30 March and 11 April 2019 when once again warships, submarines and aircraft, plus thousands of military personnel and support staff from the UK and other NATO countries, gathered on the Clyde for the two-week exercise.
The exercise was controlled from the Maritime Operations Centre at HMNB Clyde (Faslane) and following an initial briefing there over the weekend, the participating nations split into two opposing task forces and made their way to their respective starting positions. As usual most of the action took place in the waters off Scotland`s West Coast, but there was also activity in the Solway Firth and Royal Marines conducted amphibious landings at Castlemartin Range on the south-west coast of Wales. A smaller-scale night landing on the shores of Loch Ewe in Northwest Scotland saw 60 Korps Mariniers of the 21st Raiding Squadron (Dutch Marines) delivered to the beach from RFA Lyme Bay by Royal Marine-operated LCVPs (Landing Craft Vehicle/Personnel). Various armoured vehicles followed on.
In the above view, Frankenthal-class Minehunter FGS Dillingen of the German Navy, Hunt-class Mine Countermeasures Vessel HMS Cattistock and Oksøy-class Minehunter HNoMS Hinnøy of the Royal Norwegian Navy, can be seen making their way upriver to Glasgow prior to the commencement of the exercise. Along with HDMS Thetis of the Danish Navy (See Royal Danish Navy section below) they make up Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1). There are four NATO Standing Maritime Naval Groups. Two of them - SNMG1 and 2 (Standing NATO Maritime Group One and Group Two) bring together large surface vessels such as destroyers and frigates while the other pair, SNMCMG1 and 2, are composed of minehunters and minesweepers. Groups designated as `One` operate in the waters off northern Europe, and those named `Two` operate in southern Europe, all teams of course having the capability to ply their trade beyond their designated area.
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No less than 17 naval vessels tied-up at Glasgow`s King George V Dock over the weekend before the exercise began. Last Christmas my wife surprised me with a voucher for a Glasgow City Tour helicopter flight so I booked it for Saturday 30th March well in advance knowing that there was potential to capture some of the warships. The weather is obviously an uncontrollable factor, but I was very fortunate as conditions were ideal, and I believe the gathering was the largest-ever number of Joint Warrior participants in the city. I also managed an upgrade to the front seat position next to the pilot so the views were excellent. Surprisingly, the tinted glass screen was totally clear of scratch marks and as the sky was partly overcast reflections only spoiled a small percentage of shots. The curvature of the windscreen did result in some images blurring towards the edges but overall the Bell LongRanger makes a superb photographic platform and the trip, with Adventure001.com is thoroughly recommended.
Another bonus came in the shape of a Loch Lomond Seaplanes voucher for my birthday. I`d flown with them last year around the same time on their 1 hour-long Explorer Tour which usually heads out west towards Jura and Islay taking in Bute, and the top end of the Kintyre peninsula en route, or on the way back, with an excellent bird`s-eye (or Russian Spy satellite) view into the Clyde Naval Base on both the outbound and return legs. My flight in Cessna Caravan G-LAUD was booked for the afternoon of Sunday 14 April, just a few days after Joint Warrior ended. Even so, Faslane was fairly busy with HMS Westminster, RFA Tidespring and a pair of US Navy destroyers, namely USS Carney and USS Gravely, berthed together with various submarines, based Minehunters and patrol boats. |
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Despite a promising start, the day clouded over which would have been okay if it hadn`t been for the haze which made for a grey scene throughout and drastically reduced contrast. The landscape and seascapes, familiar to most only from ground level, are always spectacular though and this trip is thoroughly recommended, even if it was a bit of challenge to get reasonable shots this time.
The above view looks west along the River Clyde to Dumbarton Rock with Greenock beyond. BAE Systems` Govan Shipyard is in the foreground with the company`s Scotstoun yard, once home to Yarrow`s Shipbuilders, further downstream on the opposite bank. Most new-build vessels in recent times have been assembled and launched at Govan then towed up to Scotstoun for fitting-out. Also on the right side of the river is Rothesay Dock with a tanker at the oil terminal. Two Titan Cranes are visible with the furthest away, located on the site of the world famous John Brown`s Shipyard at Clydebank.
Above: A better view of BAE Systems Govan. HMS Medway (P223) is in the dock having recently returned from sea trials. In the distance are the Campsie Fells, a range of hills extending from Strath Blane in the west to Milton of Campsie in the east where they adjoin the Kilsyth Hills. Although the highest point of the Campsies is Earl`s Seat, 578 metres (1,896 ft), the most well known hill is Dumgoyne, 427 m (1,401 ft), a distinctive volcanic plug at the plateau`s west end, which can be seen above, partially sunlit towards the left-hand side.
Glasgow`s King George V Dock from the west. The city`s Riverside Transport Museum is in the centre at the top of the photo.
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For many years now most of the aircraft involved in Joint Warrior have operated from RAF Lossiemouth although Prestwick Airport has been adopted as a temporary base for Royal Navy Hawk T.1s of 763 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) and the Dassault Falcons of Cobham Aviation Services.
Although the Cobham jets are civilian, they work closely with the MOD and play a major role in proceedings. They`re equipped with onboard systems and special electronic warfare mission pods for radar and communications jamming, threat simulation and electronic surveillance. |
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The Falcons also act as hostile airborne targets for the warships by running in at low-level to simulate a sea skimming missile, or 'launch' simulated missiles electronically which the navy can track and respond to with their defensive systems. The Prestwick-based jets usually carry out numerous sorties each day.
Cobham Aviation`s Diamond DA42 MPP Guardian G-FFMV: After the installation of special equipment by Diamond Airborne Sensing, this aircraft is primarily used for the inspection and calibration of airfield navigation systems. The slow fuel burn of around 30 litres of Jet-A1 per hour results in very low levels of pollution. The aircraft was snapped taking off at Prestwick on Wednesday 3 April.
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Lossiemouth usually hosts at least one foreign fighter unit and any Maritime Patrol / ASW (Anti-submarine Warfare) aircraft taking part but as far as I`m aware no visiting fast jets were involved this time.
Prior to the RAF receiving its new P-8 Poseidon jets, the first of which is due to enter service in February 2020, a £400 million expansion project is underway at the Moray base to accommodate the latest addition to the UK’s defence and the extra 470 personnel involved.
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As a result of the disruption which includes an upgrade of Lossie`s runway, all Maritime Patrol Aircraft operated from Prestwick Airport which was a real bonus for any enthusiasts in Ayrshire or the Central Belt. Their presence even attracted quiet a few spotters from down south and it`s likely that if similar types are deployed for JW 192 in October, they`ll again operate from Prestwick.
Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic No.9 was one of two of these long-range maritime patrol aircraft deployed by the French Navy to Prestwick.
Although hard to make out in this low-res panorama taken from the top of Lyle Hill on an overcast Friday 29 March, the German Supply Ship FGS Berlin is inbound for Faslane while an Astute-class submarine, just right of centre, is heading in the opposite direction. Conditions were excellent on Sunday 31 March, departure day, as illustrated by the following comparison shots taken from the same spot - it was almost like a naval review for around 4 hours with a constant procession of warships and support craft sailing past in the sunshine...
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Joint Warrior JW 19:1
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Joint Warrior JW 15:2
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Joint Warrior JW 15:1
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Activity in the waters of the Firth of Clyde usually ramps-up in the weeks preceding the exercise so I`ll start with a few ships caught on camera early, although not all are necessarily Joint Warrior participants. RFA Fort Victoria (A387) is seen here passing Gourock on 5 March en route to HMNB Clyde. She is a Fort-class combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and her role is to provide ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. Fort Victoria was ordered from Harland and Wolff, Belfast in 1986 and was launched in 1990. She is named after Fort Victoria on the Isle of Wight, a military fortress built in the 1850s to guard the approaches to the Solent. It was a formidable brick-built triangular construction with two seaward batteries and it remained in use until 1962.
On 6 September 1990, while Fort Victoria was at dock and less than three months after being officially named, the Provisional IRA (IRA) planted two IEDs (Improvised explosive devices) on board. Shortly after a telephone warning was received one of the bombs exploded causing extensive damage inside the engine room which was holed and subsequently flooded. The ship listed 45 degrees, and the chances of sinking were high. Emergency teams worked tirelessly to shore up the damage and pump the water out, and eventually brought the situation under control. A second telephone warning 24 hours later alerted authorities to the fact that a second bomb had been placed on board but had failed to detonate. It took two weeks to find and disable the second device and the terrorist action, combined with other construction problems, meant that Fort Victoria was not delivered to the RFA until 1993, two years behind schedule.
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On Wednesday 20 February, HMS Medway (P223) left BAE`s Scotstoun yard and headed out into the Firth of Clyde for another set of sea trials. She is the second of three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) built for the Royal Navy. These latest 90 metre-long additions to the fleet are based on a proven BAE Systems` design which is already in service with the Brazilian Navy and Royal Thai Navy.
The Royal Navy`s latest patrol ships provide accommodation for 60 personnel, including a crew of 34. An additional 50 embarked troops or passengers can also be carried. The flight deck aft has been upgraded to operate the latest Merlin helicopters and the vessels will be equipped with two Pacific 24 rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). The lead ship, HMS Forth (P222) is now in service, having been commissioned on 13 April 2018, while HMS Trent (P224) (below right) is currently in the final stages of being fitted out at the Scotstoun yard. Following her second set of sea trials, HMS Medway (P223) (below left) returned to BAE`s Govan yard to have additional mechanical issues addressed.
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On Friday 22 March 2019, HMS Defender (D36), one of six Type 45 Destroyers, arrived on the Clyde for a four-day visit to Glasgow, her affiliated city, prior to her participation in Joint Warrior. Private visits had been arranged for local school kids, college and university students, Sea Cadets and shipbuilders from BAE Systems’ two Clyde yards, but on Sunday 24th members of the public were able to step on board, tour the high-tech vessel and chat to members of the 190-strong crew. Entry was by pre-booked ticket only and places soon filled, however, there is a 2 minute-long virtual tour of the vessel on Defender`s Twitter account.
Below: This MOD Police RIB provided additional security for the warship as she made her way upriver. It was a grey afternoon and raining heavily so, rather than getting shots from the Erskine Bridge, my preferred location, I stood underneath it in an attempt to keep the camera lens dry. The graffiti-covered structure in the background below dates from the Second World War and is a mine-watcher`s lookout post. In an effort to protect the huge number of vessels transiting the Clyde, many were built along both banks of the river between Greenock and Glasgow. Most have since been demolished, while others have collapsed and slid into the water as a result of bank erosion, but several examples remain. The shelters are made of brick with a concrete roof and have a foot-high horizontal observation slit facing the river. The rear entrances were often protected by a defensive wall.
Another identical structure still stands on a promontory at the eastern end of the Greenock Ocean Terminal, and can be seen from the walkway at the back of the town's swimming pool, while another intact example survives at Port Glasgow, near the lighthouse. On the north bank a few others still exist in various states of repair. The spacing of these surviving examples indicates that there must have been a considerable number of them in use along the river during wartime.
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Most recently HMS Defender was deployed to escort a Russian naval task group – keeping a watchful eye on frigate Admiral Gorshkov and three auxiliary ships as they moved through international waters off the UK`s east coast.
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On 22 March, Defender`s AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat HMA2 serial number ZZ396 (c/n 481) was out on deck but it was impossible to get a clear shot of it from ground-level as the warship sailed past. Wildcat is the latest generation of multi-role helicopter specifically procured to operate from the Royal Navy`s frigates and destroyers. Replacing the Lynx Mk.8, the Wildcat has a more powerful engine allowing it to be flown in extreme conditions all-year round. It is also equipped with a more robust fuselage, a high tech interactive display and a new radar system that provides 360 degree surveillance.
The latest £26m Maritime Attack Helicopter can carry Sting Ray torpedoes, a door-mounted 0.5 inch heavy machine gun and new light and heavy variants of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon Missiles. Designed to perform a range of tasks, the Wildcat HMA Mk.2 will be used to protect the fleet in anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine roles, plus undertake anti-drugs and counter-piracy operations. This pair, from the Black Cats Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team, were snapped while performing at Scotland`s National Airshow at East Fortune in 2016.
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These local pooches weren`t the least but interested in the destroyer - only where their ball would land on the next throw!
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Approaching the Yoker / Renfrew Ferry slipway -there are a number of excellent vantage points along this stretch of river.
Defender stayed at Shieldhall until Tuesday 26 March, leaving on the afternoon high tide shortly after James Cook which had been in the adjacent KGV Dock since the 16th. The survey ship, bound for Falmouth, met the first of the tugs en route to assist with the warship`s departure at Clydebank, close to the Titan Crane.
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RRS James Cook was built in 2006, at a cost of £36 million, her hull having been completed in Poland with the remainder of the vessel constructed in Norway. She has been designed to operate in all types of environments from tropical oceans to the edge of the ice shelf, enabling scientists to carry out a diverse range of undertakings. She belongs to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and has been involved in numerous large-scale projects including the discovery, in the Caribbean, of what is believed to be the world's deepest undersea volcanic vents.
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Defender met up with HMS Penzance off the Cumbraes and both vessels continued south down the Firth of Clyde.
As far as I know all vessels that had berthed at either Faslane or Glasgow left for the exercise area by mid-afternoon on Sunday 31 March, apart from Polish Frigate ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski, HDMS Absalon and HMS Westminster, which left the KGV Dock late evening. First away on the Sunday morning was HNLMS Friesland (P842) (above) from Glasgow, which I snapped from West Ferry against the rising sun.
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The weather on departure day was superb with calm waters and clear blue skies. The clocks had went forward an hour into British Summer Time and with the gorse in full bloom, bees, and even swarms of midges buzzing about. it felt more like a day in mid-May rather than late March.
The only thing that could have improved the scenery would have been a decent dump of snow on the hills but there had been very little of the white stuff down this way this winter. |
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Above left: Icelandair`s striking Aurora Borealis special-liveried Boeing 757 TF-FIU was snapped from Lyle Hill, Greenock, on its approach to Glasgow Airport on Sunday 31 March. The flyover, shot from the same spot soon after, was at an altitude of around 30,000ft but even clearer in the sky as the sun had quickly burned off the morning haze.
I`ve devoted a section to each of the countries taking part, starting with the UK`s Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Aircraft shots are mostly included under their respective nationalities. I made three visits to Prestwick Airport during the exercise including on Saturday 6 April, which turned out to be very quiet with no Cobham jets taking to the air at all while I was there. The weather was also overcast and less than ideal for photography but the other two visits were more productive.
Although difficult to make out in the above panorama taken on 6 April from the mound, Canadian Boeing CC-177 Globemaster III 177704 is present (extreme left) along with two USAF C-17s, none of which were connected with Joint Warrior. One of the US transports was based at Charleston, South Carolina, and the other at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Numerous military aircraft transit through Prestwick each year and although slow movement-wise most of the time, it has its moments with unusual visitors or multiple arrivals.
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Royal Navy
Hopefully, it won`t be too long before the first of the Royal Navy`s new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) with her compliment of F-35 Lightning IIs, makes a historic visit to the Clyde but the occasion will likely still be a few years away. Queen Elizabeth was due at Rosyth for scheduled inspections and checks while Joint Warrior was ongoing and there was some speculation she might meet up with the naval units involved in exercise, but the significant detour could not be justified for the sake of a photo opportunity. Understandably she took the most direct route from Portsmouth up the east coast, reaching the Forth on 3 April. Blustery conditions prevented her berthing immediately and joining her younger sister HMS Prince of Wales (R09), in the final stages of fitting-out, and she finally sailed into Rosyth for dry-docking on 6 April.
F-35 and carrier Image below © Royal Navy / www.savetheroyalnavy.org
The huge carrier`s hull has been in the water for almost 5 years, so while she is dry-docked at Rosyth some of her underwater valves will be changed and wear and tear on the rudders, propellers and stabilisers will be assesed. Marine growth that reduces the speed through the water will be cleaned off and new paintwork applied where needed. The £5 Million work package should take about 6 weeks after which Queen Elizabeth will conduct further sea trials and training. Later in the year, she will sail on another deployment to the USA (Westlant 19) carrying UK-owned F-35B jets to begin operational test flying, building on the successful developmental second phase of test flying (DT-2) undertaken last year which was completed on 18th November 2018, well ahead of schedule.
During the trials, which took place off the USA`s eastern seaboard, a pair of F-35s conducted over 200 take-offs, 187 vertical landings and 15 SRVLs (Shipbourne Rolling Vertical Landings). The aircraft spent a total of 75 hours in the air and 54 training weapons were dropped on ranges. All of the DT-1 and DT-2 threshold requirements have now been achieved. Logistical support and escort vessels were was provided by the US Navy and US Marine Corps personnel were on board the British carrier to assist in aircraft handling and pass on their skills and experience to their RN counterparts. The above photo shows HMS Queen Elizabeth sailing in to New York Harbour on a goodwill visit.
Nine F-35s are on UK soil at present, flying with the RAF`s legendary 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron, but nearly half its personnel are Royal Navy pilots or engineers. I took the above shots of a US Marine Corps F-35B displaying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, while the following images of UK aircraft are courtesy of the Royal Navy website.
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F-35 images © Royal Navy
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Next, back to some of the ships and planes that took part in Joint Warrior 191...
HMS Albion (L14) is the lead ship of two Albion-class Assault Ships, the other being HMS Bulwark (L15). These vessels can transport up to six Challenger 2 main battle tanks or around 30 armoured all-terrain tracked vehicles. The floodable well dock has the capacity to take four utility landing craft while four smaller landing craft, each capable of transporting 35 troops, are suspended on davits. The ships support a permanently embarked Royal Marines landing craft unit, and the stern opens and floods a compartment, allowing the boats inside to be launched. Although there is no hangar, the 64-metre flight deck can handle a pair of Chinook-sized helicopters, or operate two smaller machines with the space to stow a third.
Before the Royal Navy’s new carriers become fully operational, they will have to load up at the MOD`s ‘northern ammunitioning jetty’ at Glen Mallan on Loch Long. The existing facility is not up to task, however, and a major upgrade is required including a replacement jetty and new, more powerful dockside cranes. Work will also include the installation of around 200 piles into the sea bed, as well as four new navigation aids and five mooring dolphins.
The jetty has been operational since 1958, though the last significant modifications were carried out in the 1970s. Work is set to start this summer, with completion expected in the summer of 2021. The new materials will be delivered to the site, and dismantled materials removed, by barge rather than by road in an effort to reduce traffic problems. Dismantled structures will likely be transported to the Inchgreen Dock in Greenock for onward disposal and recycling.
Defender appeared back off Greenock early on Sunday 31 March, returning to the base for a short time. She left later that afternoon.
Just before the Type 45 destroyer turned into the Gare Loch she passed HMS Albion heading out to sea.
The sixteen Type 23 Frigates, also known as Duke-class, form the core of the Royal Navy's destroyer and frigate fleet and serve alongside the Type 45 destroyers. Twelve were Clyde-built by Yarrows at Scotstoun with Swan Hunter on the Tyne constructing the others, including HMS Westminster (F237), pictured here berthing at the KGV Dock about 06:30 hrs on 28 March. The first Type 23, HMS Norfolk, was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, HMS St Albans was commissioned in June 2002. Three vessels have since been sold to Chile but the rest remain in Royal Navy service. HMS Westminster was used for the Type 23 interior shots in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies in three different roles as HMS Chester, HMS Devonshire and HMS Bedford. A model was constructed for the exterior shots.
Hunt-class HMS Cattistock (M31) was one of three MCMVs of SNMCMG1 which headed in to the KGV Dock on Thursday 28 March.
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HMS Cattistock (M31) escorts USS Porter (DDG 78) down the Firth on 31 March. HMS Hurworth (M39) another of the Hunt-class warships, is pictured below left, off Greenock on 29 March. Replacement of the Royal Navy`s ageing Hunt and Sandown classes of MCMVs is not now expected to start before 2030.
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An Astute-class Sub outbound from Faslane, snapped from Lyle Hill on Friday 29 March.
There were plenty of submarines in at Faslane when I flew past on 14 April including USS Olympia (SSN-717), a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack boat based at Pearl Harbour. She arrived on a blustery 13 April and I imagine that the typically-Scottish summer weather encountered would have been a shock to many of her crew - no doubt Hawaiian shorts and shades were kept firmly in the lockers for the duration of their stay. Olympia can be seen top centre in the photo below...
As Joint Warrior got underway, criticism was again levelled at the Ministry of Defence over its failure to dispose of 20 obsolete nuclear submarines, currently stored at either Rosyth in Fife or Devonport in Devon. Nine of the retired vessels still contain nuclear fuel, according to the government spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, who also state the MOD has not dismantled any of its decommissioned submarines since 1980. The MoD currently plans to spend about £40bn on four new nuclear powered Dreadnought-class submarines to carry Britain's Trident nuclear weapons but among the obsolete boats still languishing in the Navy dockyards are four 1960s Resolution-class submarines, namely HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, HMS Renown and HMS Repulse that once carried Polaris nuclear missiles, plus attack submarine HMS Conqueror which sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the Falklands War.
Rosyth Images © Daily Mail: Ken Whitcombe / Aerial Photography Solutions.
The government has already spent around £500m storing the retired vessels and the estimated cost of fully disposing of each one is £96m. In a statement, the
The MoD said that the disposal of nuclear submarines is a complex and challenging undertaking and that it would dispose of them "as soon as practically possible", however, the disposal programmes have been beset by lengthy delays and spiralling costs, with taxpayers forced to foot the bill. When the eventual disposal of the 10 submarines currently in service is taken into account, the overall total soars to £7.5bn.
The MoD said that the disposal of nuclear submarines is a complex and challenging undertaking and that it would dispose of them "as soon as practically possible", however, the disposal programmes have been beset by lengthy delays and spiralling costs, with taxpayers forced to foot the bill. When the eventual disposal of the 10 submarines currently in service is taken into account, the overall total soars to £7.5bn.
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While awaiting dismantling, decommissioned submarines are stored afloat in a non-tidal basin in the respective dockyard. Classified equipment, stores and flammable materials are removed together with rudders, hydroplanes and propellers while the hull is given treatments to help preserve its life. The 7 submarines in Rosyth have all had their nuclear fuel rods removed but of the 13 in Devonport, 9 are still fuelled. This is because in 2003 the facilities for de-fuelling were deemed no longer safe enough to meet modern regulation standards and the process was halted. Submarines that have not had their fuel rods removed have the reactor primary circuit chemically treated to guarantee it remains inert and additional radiation monitoring equipment is fitted. Responsible care of the growing number of hulls means they pose little risk to the local population, but a tiny risk does remain and Britain`s failure to promptly and efficiently deal with their legacy has been called a national scandal by some.
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The Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) finally started in 2016 with HMS Swiftsure at Rosyth being the first sub marked for attention. Until the work on this vessel is completed the MoD is reluctant to commit to a timetable but says current assumptions are that on average, one submarine will be dismantled every 12 - 18 months at each site from 2022. The aerial shots of the submarines at Rosyth feature in a Daily Mail article and are available for sharing via social media.
Pictured below at Faslane on 14 April is RFA Tiderace (A137), one of four Tide-class replenishment tankers of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
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Hawks active at Prestwick Airport on 8 April were XX189 (CR), XX239 (842), XX256 (846) and XX285 (CK) (100 Squadron - 100 Years titles). All were pilot-only and most opted to do a high-level overshoot and break on their return before landing, which was gratefully appreciated by the numerous onlookers.
Aérospatiale SA 365N Dauphin 2 ZJ164 called in at Prestwick on Monday 8 April 2019. It is operated by Bond Helicopters on behalf of the Royal Navy`s Fleet Air Arm. The chopper dates from 1991 and is on the Civil Register as G-BTLC. It called in at Prestwick Airport several times during the exercise period.
Canada
As far as I`m aware, there were no Canadian naval units involved in JW 19:1, either surface combatants or submarines, but a Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora, call-sign `Dinkum 18`, serial number 140115, was among the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPAs) operating from Prestwick Airport. The Aurora is based on the Lockheed P-3C Orion and both types appear very similar externally, however, their interior layouts differ. The CP-140 is Canada's only strategic Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, conducting long range missions over land, water and littoral areas. These missions are flown in support of Canadian Joint Operations Command, the RCMP, and several other federal government departments.
The Aurora was acquired by Canada in the early 1980s to replace the ageing Canadair CP-107 Argus and to further support Canada's anti-submarine warfare mission obligations under NATO for the northwest Atlantic sector. The Argus pictured below, serial number 10712, is on display at the Comox Air Museum on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
In the early 1950s, during the Cold War, submarines of the Soviet Navy were increasingly becoming a major threat to the NATO alliance, and it was urgent that Canada's armed forces be strengthened and provided with a replacement for the ageing fleet of WW2 Lancaster MK.10s that were performing the maritime reconnaissance role.
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The answer was the Canadair CP-107 Argus (CL-28), a hybrid design derived from the Bristol Britannia airliner, which incorporated the same type of wings, tail surfaces and landing gear although the fuselage had been completely redesigned by Canadair. When work on the Argus began in April 1954 it was, at that time, the largest aircraft ever built in Canada.
The Argus proved to be one of the most effective anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft of its day, using a powerful search radar, sonobuoys, explosive echo ranging (EER) and magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) to detect potentially hostile targets. The CL-28 had an endurance of approximately 26.5 hours with full armament, however, an Argus flown by 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron held the Canadian military record of slightly over 31 hours for the longest flight by an aircraft without aerial refuelling. The Argus also packed a powerful punch with the bomb bay able to carry up to 8,000 lb (3,632 kg) of weapons, including torpedoes, bombs, mines and depth charges.
In 1991, Lockheed shut down its production lines for the P-3 Orion. Three surplus airframes on hand were purchased by the Air Command, but delivered without the anti-submarine fit. These three aircraft were designated the CP-140A Arcturus and were used primarily for pilot training and coastal surface patrol missions up until retirement in 2011.
Present at Prestwick Airport on Saturday 6 April, but unconnected with Joint Warrior, was Royal Canadian Air Force Boeing CC-177 Globemaster III 177704.
Royal Danish Navy
The Danish Navy`s two largest warships, the Absalon-class Support Ships HDMS Absalon (L16) and Esbern Snare (L17), are regular JW participants and they both appeared here together for the first time when they sailed up the Firth of Clyde on 8 April 2016. (see JW 161). While the Absalon-class vessels are primarily intended for command and support, Denmark`s three relatively new Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, one of which is the Peter Willemoes (F362), perform an air defence role, protecting the fleet with Standard Missiles.
Both Absalon-class vessels were built by Odense Steel Shipyard with the lead ship launched in February 2004 and commissioned in July 2004. Esbern Snare was launched in June 2004 and commissioned in February of the following year. Following successful weapon and combat system acceptance trials both vessels became fully operational by the end of 2008.
The standard weapons fit includes Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missile and x36 RIM-162 Raytheon Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles. The ships also have torpedo launchers, plus two Close-In-Weapon Systems (CIWS), namely the Oerlikon Contraves Millennium 35mm naval gun system (GDM-008), one to the front of the bridge and one on the roof of the hangar. Millennium can fire up to 1,000 rounds a minute, each round containing 152 3.3g sub-projectiles with an effective range of over 3.5km against aircraft and helicopters, and between 1.2km - 2km against missiles depending on the type. The BAE Systems Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) 127mm main gun provides naval fire support capability giving a range of over 100km with an accuracy of less than 20m. In addition, the ships can carry up to 300 mines and can be fitted with containerised mine laying rails.
An on-board battle damage and control system continuously monitors the status of these ships and incorporates a closed circuit television observation system with more than 50 cameras, fire fighting installations, sensors and alarms, plus a load and stability computer. There are 16 watertight sections or compartments and two airtight bulkheads to increase survivability and damage limitation.
HDMS Peter Willemoes (F362), one Denmark`s three Iver Huitfeldt-class guided-missile frigates took part in this Joint Warrior. The vessels use the basic Absalon hull design which enabled Denmark to construct these vessels at a far lower cost than most comparable warships. The three frigates, all of which were commissioned in 2011, perform an air defence role with Standard Missiles and have the potential to use Tomahawk cruise missiles, a first for the Danish Navy.
HDMS Thetis (F357) is the lead ship of four Danish Navy Thetis-class Ocean Patrol Vessels, all of which have attended previous Joint Warriors on numerous occasions. Thetis and her sisters can usually be found patrolling the Danish Sovereign waters around the Faroe Islands and Greenland and feature double-skinned ice-reinforced hulls which allows them to break their way through up to 80cm (31 in) of pack-ice.
Between February and April 2008 Thetis served as a protection vessel for the World Food Programme chartered ships, carrying food aid, off the Horn of Africa. She currently serves as the flagship of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1).
She is pictured below passing Dumbarton Castle on her way out to sea on Sunday 31 March.
French Navy
FS Premier-Maître L'Her (F792) is one of nine D'Estienne d'Orves-class A69 avisos, comparable in size to a light corvette. These vessels are mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions (notably in support missions with Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). FOST originates out of naval bases in the United Kingdom, with purpose to deliver operational training across all disciplines for the Royal Navy and other navies desiring to make use of its services.
Built on a simple and robust design, these French warships have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions. The A69 design was based on the Portuguese Navy's João Coutinho-class corvettes. A total of 17 ships of this class were produced, all being named after French heroes of the Second World War. Eight of these vessels have since been decommissioned and six were sold to the Turkish Navy where they were re-designated as Burak-class or B-class corvettes. The remaining French ships will have their heavy weapons removed and be reclassified as oceanic patrol ships, eventually replacing the P400-class patrol vessels in this role.
FS Andromède (M643) is a Tripartite-class Minehunter. The type was conceived in the 1970s and built in the 1980s, a joint venture between France, which built the mine-hunting equipment, Belgium which provided the electronics, and the Netherlands which constructed the propulsion train. France and the Netherlands originally bought 15, with Belgium buying 10. All three countries' Tripartite warships contribute at times to NATO's Standing Maritime MCM capability groups (SNMCMG1 or SNMCMG2) and there is usually at least one involved in Joint Warrior. These vessels are also operated by Pakistan, Indonesia, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
The Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic long-range maritime patrol aircraft has been a workhorse with several NATO countries since first introduced way back in 1965. The type`s main roles included reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare but it is also capable of carrying out ground-attack missions when fitted with relevant ordnance, A small number of these aircraft were also equipped to perform ELINT (covert intelligence-gathering by electronic means) operations. An updated version, the Atlantique 2 or ATL2, was produced by Dassault Aviation for the French Navy in the 1980s and a pair of these was based at Prestwick for the duration of this Joint Warrior. Other operators of the Atlantic have included the German Navy, the Italian Air Force, the Pakistan Navy, and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
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German Navy
FGS Berlin (A1411) and her Type 702 Berlin-class sister ships Frankfurt am Main (A1412) and Bonn (A1413) are the largest vessels operated by the Deutsche Marine. Carrying fuel, provisions, ammunition and other supplies, they provide combat support and replenishment at sea capability to allow German naval vessels to operate a long way from their home ports.
Berlin was commissioned in April 2001 with Frankfurt am Main following on just over a year later. Bonn was commissioned on 13 September 2013 and all three vessels are homeported at Wilhelmshaven on Germany`s North Sea coast. The above shots were taken from Cloch Point at Gourock and Lyle Hill above Greenock.
Lyle Hill: A distant view of FGS Berlin inbound for Faslane on Friday 29 March 2019.
The German Navy`s two Type 704A Rhön-class tankers FGS Rhön (A1443) and FGS Spessart (A1442) are regular Joint Warrior participants and have visited the Clyde on numerous occasions. They have been in service since late 1977 but were originally built for Libya as Okene (Rhön) and Okapi (Spessart). They were not delivered to the Libyans, presumably due to a deteriorating political situation, and were taken on by the Deutsche Marine. The names Rhön and Spessart are a reference to compact, forested mountain ranges in Germany.
The Type 704A Rhön-class operate as replenishment oilers and provide underway replenishment for ships at sea, both German and Germany`s NATO Allies. In 2018 it was announced by the German Navy that the ships are planned to be replaced in 2025. Prior to moving into position at the start of the exercise, Rhön berthed at Ocean Terminal, Greenock. Her sister ship Spessart was not involved this time round.
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On Thursday 11 April U-36 (S186) (not illustrated) showed up on marinetraffic.com heading south down the Minch well east of Benbecula. Likely to have been involved in proceedings, she is the last of six German Navy Type 212A submarines to enter service having been commissioned on 10 October 2016. The Type 212A is a highly advanced design of non-nuclear submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for both the German and Italian navies. The boats feature diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system. They can operate at high speed on diesel power or switch to the AIP system for silent slow-running, staying submerged for up to three weeks without surfacing and with little exhaust heat. The system is also said to be vibration-free, extremely quiet and virtually undetectable. The Italians currently operate four Type 212As while the Germans hope to add two more to their fleet, finances permitting.
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These shots of Frankenthal-class Minehunter FGS Dillingen (M1065) were taken from from the Erskine Bridge as she made her way upriver to Glasgow on 28 March in the company of HMS Cattistock and KNM Hinnoy.
The Type 332 Frankenthal-class mine hunters are built of non-magnetic steel. Hull, machinery and superstructure of this class is similar to the original Type 343 Hameln-class minesweeper, but the equipment differs.
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Slightly modified Frankenthal-class minehunters are also operated by the Turkish Navy, where they are referred to as the A-class.
All active German Type 332s are currently stationed at Kiel on the Baltic Sea.
The German Navy`s airborne element was represented by Lockheed P-3C Orion 60+06 which used the call-sign `Goldfish 21`...
Royal Netherlands Navy
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HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801) is the second Landing Platform Dock (LPD) amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The first LPD, HNLMS Rotterdam (L800) has been in service since April 1998 with de Witt not coming online until late November 2007.
Rotterdam was cooperatively designed by the Netherlands and Spain and the newer vessel has been improved somewhat, addressing some of Rotterdam`s performance issues. HNLMS Johan de Witt is equipped with a large helicopter deck for airborne operations and a dock for large landing craft. It can carry up to six NH 90 helicopters or four Chinooks. She has a well dock for two landing craft utility and carries four davit-launched LCVPs. The dock is wide enough to support two LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) but to allow for this the centre barrier that splits the dockwell in two must be removed. |
The vessel has an extra deck with rooms for command staff to support a battalion-size operation. There is a complete Role II hospital, including an operation theatre and intensive care facilities. A surgical team can be stationed on board. The ship also has a desalination system enabling it to convert seawater into drinking water indefinitely.
The sensor suite consists of a Thales Netherlands Variant 2D Air and Surface surveillance radar, the Thales Scout Low Probability of Intercept Surface surveillance and tactical navigation radar, and the Thales GateKeeper Electro-Optical warning system. When participating in high-risk operations Johan de Witt needs additional protection from frigates or destroyers. For defence against incoming anti-ship missiles or hostile aircraft including swarm attacks the ship has two Goalkeeper CIWS systems and 4-6 manual operated .50 Browning or FN Mag machine guns.
The ship has participated twice in anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, where it successfully disrupted pirate activities and patrolled the coast with her landing craft functioning as forward operating bases. Johan de Witt also supported the locals with medical assistance and supplied food and water.
On Saturday 30 March, two Eurocopter AS 532U2 Cougar choppers were out on deck, ready for action while the vessel was berthed at Shieldhall. The serial numbers are S-419 and S-447 and at least one took to the air on Sunday 31 March as Johan de Witt sailed south past the Cumbraes, At that time the choppers were using the call-signs `Borat 1` and `Borat 2`.
Following Johan de Witt upriver early on Friday 29 March was HNLMS Friesland (P842), one of four Holland-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy. She is pictured above early morning on Sunday having been the first warship to leave Glasgow for the start of the exercise. The Holland-class vessels have been designed primarily for patrol, maritime security and intervention tasks against lightly armed opponents, such as pirates and smugglers, and are fitted with advanced electronic and radar surveillance systems. Due to their size and sensor suite, these OPVs can be compared to corvettes and frigates, however, their relatively light armament is not compatible with that qualification.
Friesland, a product of the Damen shipyards, in Galati, Romania, entered service on 22 January 2013 and is named after the Dutch province of Friesland. In November 2015, while operating in conjunction with elements of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in Operation Caribbean Venture, Friesland, was involved in the seizure of $17 million worth of cocaine. Then, on 20 September 2018 Friesland intercepted a suspicious go-fast boat which had tried to evade, using the warship`s NH-90 helicopter. The craft`s cargo hold was found to contain 900kg of cocaine. The crew and seizure were passed to the US authorities.
On Thursday 11 April, Karel Doorman-class Multi-purpose Frigate HNLMS Van Speijk (F828) was showing on marinetraffic.com, well to the west of Islay, heading north listing Enkhuizen in the Netherlands as her destination. As far as I`m aware, this vessel didn`t call in at either Faslane or Glasgow`s KGV Dock prior to the exercise but may well have been a Joint Warrior participant.
Royal Norwegian Navy
HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl (F314) is the last of five Nansen-class anti-submarine warfare frigates built by Navantia of Spain to replace Oslo-class vessels which had been in service with the Norwegian Navy since 1966. The other `Nansens` are lead ship HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310), Roald Amundsen (F311), Otto Sverdrup (F312) and Helge Ingstad (F313). The first vessel was launched from Navantia’s Ferrol shipyard in June 2004 and sea trials with the Aegis weapon system and the new SPY-1F radar began in October 2005. Thor Heyerdahl was launched in February 2009 and commissioned in January 2011.
The main role of the frigate is to detect, identify, track, engage and attack hostile submarines, however, it is also equipped for anti-air warfare and anti-surface warfare and can carry out non-combatant tasks in peacetime. The ship houses a medical facility, a hangar and a helicopter landing deck which can support one medium-sized helicopter such as the NH90.
Thor Heyerdahl and her sister ships are armed with two modules each with four launch tubes for the NSM (Naval Strike Missile), a long-range anti-ship missile, developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for the Royal Norwegian Navy. Equipped with an inertial navigation mid-course guidance with GPS and an imaging infrared terminal seeker with a multi-purpose warhead, this weapon has a range of 160km.
An eight-cell Mk.41 vertical launch system (VLS) for the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) has the capacity for 32 missiles, four per cell. ESSM has been developed by Raytheon with an international co-operative of ten NATO countries and is designed to counter high-speed anti-ship missiles. It has the same semi-active radar guidance and warhead as the Sea Sparrow but has a new rocket motor and tail control to provide increased speed, range and manoeuvrability. In addition, these vessels have two twin-magazine torpedo launchers for BAE Systems Stingray lightweight torpedoes and one Oto Melara SuperRapid 76mm gun with a rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute.
An eight-cell Mk.41 vertical launch system (VLS) for the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) has the capacity for 32 missiles, four per cell. ESSM has been developed by Raytheon with an international co-operative of ten NATO countries and is designed to counter high-speed anti-ship missiles. It has the same semi-active radar guidance and warhead as the Sea Sparrow but has a new rocket motor and tail control to provide increased speed, range and manoeuvrability. In addition, these vessels have two twin-magazine torpedo launchers for BAE Systems Stingray lightweight torpedoes and one Oto Melara SuperRapid 76mm gun with a rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute.
HNoMS Hinnoy (M343) is one of four Oksøy-class Mine Hunters that have been in service with the Royal Norwegian Navy`s 1st Mine Clearing Squadron since the mid-1990s. Vessels from this unit are regular Joint Warrior attendees.
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I photographed Hinnoy on 28 March from the Erskine Bridge as she sailed upriver to Glasgow, then from Lyle Hill outbound on the 31st.
The Oksoy and Alta-class mine warfare vessels were built by Kvaerner Mandal (now Umoe Mandal). The first four ships, Oksoy, Karmoy, Maloy and Hinnoy, which were commissioned into the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1994 and 1995, are minehunters, while Alta, Otra, Rauma, Orkla and Glomma, commissioned in 1996 and 1997, are Alta-class minesweepers. Of the Alta-class only the lead ship and Otra remain in service. KNM Orkla (M353) was destroyed in a fire off the Norwegian coast in November 2002 and Rauma and Glomma were decommissioned in 2004. The vessels are of catamaran design, the hull being constructed from a fibre-reinforced plastic sandwich. An air cushion between the two hulls is created as the catamaran moves through the water and the design enables a high transit speed to the area of operations, low magnetic and acoustic signatures and low susceptibility to the shock of exploding mines.
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The ship’s surface-to-air missile system is the Sadral twin-launcher armed with the Mistral missile. The Mistral is fitted with a 3 to 5 micron infrared and ultraviolet seeker head, a 3kg warhead with impact and laser proximity fuses and SNPE rocket motors. The missile has a range of 4km and approaches the target at a speed of Mach 2.6. The ships are also armed with one or two 20mm Rheinmetall guns and two 12.7mm machine guns.
To detect and deal with mines, these warships have a number of systems including a pair of Pluto remotely operated mine disposal vehicles which are stored in the hangar at the aft deck and launched by two hydraulically operated cranes. A data link between the host ship and the submersible vehicle is via an umbilical cable.
Norwegian Air Force P-3C Orion 3298 was operating out of Prestwick. Given `The Saint` logo on the the tail it looks as though someone is a Roger Moore fan!
Polish Navy
ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski (272) is one of two Oliver Hazard Perry-class (FFG-7) guided-missile frigates currently in service with the Polish Navy. Formerly serving in the United States Navy as USS Clark, after her transfer to Poland she was named for Kazimierz Pulaski, an American Revolutionary War hero in the United States and an independence hero in his native Poland.
A total of 71 of these warships were produced between 1975-2004 and although now retired from US Navy service, the type remains operational in other countries` navies including Australia, Spain, Egypt, and of course Poland and Turkey, examples of which took part in JW191. These frigates were designed to protect amphibious landing forces, supply and replenishment groups, and merchant convoys from aircraft and submarines.
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Later, they also formed an integral part of battleship-centred surface action groups (SAG) and aircraft carrier battle groups/strike groups.
The Oliver Hazard Perry-class ships were produced in 445-foot (136 m) long "short-hull" (Flight I) and 453-foot (138 m) long "long-hull" (Flight III) variants. The longer ships carried the larger SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters, while the short-hulled warships carried the smaller and less-capable SH-2 Seasprite LAMPS I. General Kazimirz Pulaski`s armament comprises 2x double tube anti-submarine torpedo mounts, 1x 76mm (3.0 inch) Rapid Fire Dual Purpose Gun, 1x Vulcan Phalanx CIWS System (right), 1x Guided-missile launching system with Standard surface-to-air missiles and Boeing Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles. She also usually carries a Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter equipped for anti-submarine warfare. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm Vulcan cannon mounted on a swivelling base, the Phalanx has been used by multiple navies around the world. Because of the distinctive barrel-shaped radome and their automated nature of operation, Phalanx CIWS units are sometimes nicknamed "R2-D2" after the famous droid character from the Star Wars films. |
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Spanish Navy
SNS Almirante Juan de Borbón (F102), the second ship of five F100-class air defence frigates in service with the Spanish Navy, is pictured passing Newshot Island at Erskine on her way to the KGV Dock. The F100s are among the few non-US warships to carry the Aegis Combat System and its associated AN/SPY-1 radar, technology which enables them to track hundreds of airborne targets simultaneously. They are also the first Spanish Navy vessels to incorporate ballistic resistant steel in the hull, along with power plants mounted on anti-vibration mounts to reduce noise and make them less detectable by submarines.
The original contract for four ships was worth €1,683m but they ended up costing €1,810m. As of 2010 it was estimated that the fifth vessel, Cristóbal Colón (F105) would cost €834m (approx US$1.1bn). A sixth vessel was originally planned but production was cancelled due to lack of funding.
Post exercise, Almirante Juan de Borbón called in at Belfast resulting in a visit by Spanish Air Force Citation II U.20-1/01-405 to Belfast City Airport over the weekend of 12-14 April. After previous events warships have also visited other ports including Liverpool and Leith to give their crews some well-earned shore leave.
SNS Cristobal Colon (F105) followed her sister ship upriver to Glasgow on 28 March.
Above: Cristobal Colon passes Newshot Island at Erskine.
Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gökova (F496), along with U.S. flagship guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107), the German navy replenishment tanker FGS Rhoen (A 1443), the Danish support ship HDMS Absalon (L16), the British frigate HMS Westminster (F237), the Spanish frigate ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon and the Polish guided-missile frigate ORP General K. Pulaski (FrR 272) form Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1). This is one of four standing maritime task groups composed of ships from various Allied countries. These task groups form the core maritime capability of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). They provide a continuous maritime capability to execute NATO missions across the spectrum of operations, demonstrate solidarity, and strengthen diplomatic and professional links among Allied naval forces.
TCG Göksu is classed as a G-class Frigate by Turkey. She is ex-US Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class USS Estocin (FFG-15).
Shot taken from the Greenock Espalande on Sunday 31.3.2019.
Shot taken from the Greenock Espalande on Sunday 31.3.2019.
United States of America
Three US front-line warships took part in JW 19:1, all Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers; USS Carney (DDG-64) (below), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Gravely (DDG-107). On this occasion, USS Carney practised repelling attacks from small craft and “visit, board, search, and seizure” drills as part of her Joint Warrior missions. She is currently forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, on her sixth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, supporting regional allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.
It`s been a few years since any of the larger Ticonderoga-class Guided-Missile Cruisers have participated. As is usually the case, a large US ship was in support of the Joint Warrior naval assets, in this case Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE-13) (not photographed). She has attended a number of previous Joint Warriors. These big ships take on fuel at the MOD / NATO facility on Loch Striven before heading out to sea but sometimes return to the Clyde and drop anchor off Greenock while proceedings are ongoing. Medgar Evers didn`t do that this time though.
USS Porter.
USS Gravely (DDG-107) is pictured below...
American aerial assets allocated for the exercise were two P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) from Commander, Task Force (CTF) 67; a Boeing KC-135 tanker from 100th Air Refuelling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England; two MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters from USS Gravely; and two MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22. The above sildeshow shows the Prestwick-based Poseidons in action.
About 11:50 hrs on Wednesday 3 April, Boeing C-40A 169036 of the US Navy, call-sign `Convair 6603` arrived from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, presumably on a personnel transfer. The aircraft, which has made numerous visits to Prestwick over the years, set off on the return leg 50 minutes later. Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora serial number 140112 returned from a mission late afternoon after I`d set off for home.
The only aircraft to appear during my visit to Prestwick on 6 April was the same Boeing C-40A Clipper, making another round trip from Sicily...
C-17 Globemaster 33125 `Spirit of New Jersey` is based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a United States Air Force base located in Burlington County, New Jersey, approximately 16.1 miles south-southeast of Trenton. The aircraft is seen here being prepared for departure on Monday 8 April.
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The logo on the McGuire-based C-17 incorporates a silhouette of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. This distinctive twin-boom fighter was used extensively on long-range bomber escort missions with other variants operating as interceptors, dive bombers, ground attack, photo reconnaissance mounts and night fighters. Nicknamed the `Fork-tailed devil by the Germans`, it served not only in Europe but was used widely in the Pacific Theatre. Over 10,000 were produced.
USAFE Learjet C-21A 84-0096, call-sign `Valor 42`, touched down at 11:25 hrs on Monday 8 April and stayed for approximately 3 hours.
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Originally known as Dobbins Air Force Base, it was named in honour of Captain Charles M. Dobbins, a World War II C-47 pilot from Cobb County, Georgia, who died near Sicily on 11 July 1943. Also present at Prestwick on the 8th were a pair of C-130 Hercules from Dobbins Air Reserve Base which is located in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta. Only one of the Hercs was suitably positioned for a photo.
Arleigh-Burke class Destroyers USS Carney (DDG-64) and USS Gravely (DDG-107) at Faslane on Sunday 14 April. Both sailed out that evening.
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Pilots, Tugs, Support & Security
Clyde Ports Authority Halmatic Cara 52 Pilot launch Mount Stuart passes Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107) which has recently departed Faslane. The Firth of Clyde can often produce some of the most difficult sea conditions in the British Isles, and the Authority`s pilot boats, which are tasked with taking pilots out to, and collecting them from commercial shipping, are large enough and robust enough to cope with all but the most extreme weather. At 52ft 5in (16.0m) LOA (length over all), on a beam of 4.6m, Mount Stuart replaced an even larger 1970s built Nelson 60 for the Authority when she was delivered in March 2003. Twin Scania diesel engines give the Portsmouth-built cutter a top speed of 24 knots.
Above: Mount Stuart and two MOD Police launches off the south end of the Kilcreggan peninsula near Roseneath Point on Sunday 31 March. The police had spotted a drone apparently launched from the Roseneath Caravan Park on the west side of the Rhu Narrows and soon after, this Microlight which was flying close to the Greenock side of the Firth.
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The pilot in the latter craft was obviously enjoying spectacular views of the warships transiting the area but the police, and no doubt crews aboard the naval vessels were closely monitoring his or her movements. Additional security was provided by Royal Marines in these RIBs.
Serco Marine`s SD Moorfowl (above) along with SD Moorhen, was originally designed to act as a mooring lighter but she has been converted to serve as a diving training and support vessel. Both the Moor-class support tenders were built in 1989 by McTay Marine on Merseyside. Moorfowl spends much of her time at Kyle of Lochalsh.
SD Northern River, is a multi-purpose auxiliary ship and is the largest vessel operated by Serco Marine. Her duties involve target towing during naval training exercises, noise ranging and data gathering, as well as serving as a submarine escort. Northern River can embark the NATO Submarine Rescue System.
Also Out on the Water
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No matter what time of year, there is usually some activity on the Clyde, with ferries, merchant ships and cruise ships operating anywhere from Glasgow to the Outer Firth. This final section features a few of the civilian vessels snapped on the Clyde during Joint Warrior fortnight.
Although grainy, the above shot emphasises the stunning scenery surrounding the Finnart Oil terminal on Loch Long. Crude Oil tanker Australis is a product of JMU Ariake Shipyard, Kumamoto, Japan, having been built in 2003. She is currently owned and managed by Athens-based Chandris Hellas and sails under a Greek flag. The 330 metre-long vessel was originally named Front Saga which was quickly changed to Saga. She received her current identity in October 2003. The MOD jetty at Glen Mallan is also visible in the above view. |
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Loch Long has a long association with the Royal Navy Submarine Service. An Admiralty Torpedo Testing Facility was in operation at the head of the loch opposite Arrochar from 1912 until 1986 but very little evidence remains. The pier is still partially visible but most of the associated buildings have been burnt to the ground or dismantled. Peak testing activity took place unsurprisingly during the Second World War when more than 12,000 torpedoes were logged as having been fired down the loch in 1944 alone! Torpedoes would be launched without warheads at floating targets and rather than strike the targets, the torpedoes were programmed to pass underneath then rise to the surface for recovery. Many sank to the bottom, however, and are still found by divers exploring the seabed.
Below: One of the first cruise ships to call in at Greenock this season was Costa Mediterranea which visited on Sunday 14
April. These grainy telephoto shots were taken from the Helensburgh / Dunoon side of the river during my seaplane flight.
April. These grainy telephoto shots were taken from the Helensburgh / Dunoon side of the river during my seaplane flight.
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Joint Warrior JW 19:1
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Joint Warrior JW 15:2
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Joint Warrior JW 15:1
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Other JW pages to follow
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