No. 343 January 2024

January 2024

Front cover

The British aircraft HMS Prince of Wales at sea during the Westlant 23 deployment. See P16/18.
Inset cover image: A Mojave drone is moved into position ready for launching from HMS Prince of Wales. Photo: LPhot Unaisi Luke/Royal Navy.

Photo by LPhot Finn Stainer- Hutchins/Royal Navy

Contents

NEWS

P2 & P20 – TENSIONS SPIKE IN ARABIAN SEAS
• US Navy warships under attack.
• Houthis fire ballistic missile & hijack merchant vessel.
• USS Dwight D. Eisenhower makes Hormuz transit.

UKRAINIAN MARINES ON THE ATTACK – P3

RUSSIAN FRIGATE RETURNS TO THE BALTIC- P4

NEWS-IN-BRIEF – P7/8 & P10
• Trident submarine’s potentially fatal defect.
• Sea Ceptor for Swedish corvettes.
• New Philippines warship to face down China.
• French test updated nuclear missile.
• German frigate’s Lebanon patrol.
• S. Korean warships to counter N. Korea.
• China building more destroyers.
• Russo-Myanmar exercise • Tomahawks sale to Tokyo.
• UAE-Brazilian missile progress.

DYNAMIC DRESS REHEARSAL – P14

SOUTH AFRICAN PATROL SHIP – P19

A NOBLE VISTA FROM CANADIAN WARSHIP – P24/25

SPECTACULAR PARADE THROUGH ISTANBUL – P30/31

 

COMMENTARY

ODIN’S EYE – P5/6
Political smoke screen cannot hide that the Royal Navy has too few ships and sailors.

 

FEATURES

FLYING WING COULD TILT SEA FIGHTS – P9
New US bomber might be decisive in a future war.

UK FLEET READINESS SCRUTINISED – P12/13
A Parliamentary committee quizzes the top brass.

ABOARD HMS PRINCE OF WALES – P16/18
We fly out to the Royal Navy strike carrier to learn about a new dawn for the British fleet.

PERUVIAN NAVY TESTS ASW SKILLS – P22/23
Hunter versus the hunted off Latin America.

FORMER UK PRIME MINISTER RETURNS TO GOVT – P26/28
What impact will Lord Cameron have in dangerous times?

VIEWPOINT FROM THE TOP – P32/34
Our Q&A with the boss of NATO’s newest fleet.

EX-BRITISH COLD WAR FRIGATE TO SAIL ON – P35
The Romanian Navy abandons its plan for new corvettes.

MARINA MILITARE’S TOP UNDERSEA WARRIOR – P36/38
An interview with Italy’s submarine force boss.

MIXED FORTUNES OF MOSCOW’S FRIGATES – P39/41 The Ukraine War and Russia’s key surface combatants.

IRKSOME PALESTINE PATROL – P42/43
How the 1940s saw the Royal Navy trying to stop migrants reaching what would become Israel.

HMS CARDIFF – P44/45
Warships named after the Welsh capital.

MOVIE REVIEW – P46
In the 20th anniversary year of ‘Master and Commander’ how did Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ measure up?

BOOK REVIEWS – P47/48