“In October 1987, I transited the #StraitOfHormuz on the bridge of the frigate #HMSAndromeda. We were watched from less than a mile away by an Iranian warship as Ian Stewart, the armed forces minister of the day, decried them as “pirates”.

Later that day, we transferred on to one of the four counter-measures vessels that had been dispatched to clear the waters off #Dubai of Iranian mines. At that time, the #ArmillaPatrol consisted of four or five #destroyers or #frigates, four of those minehunters and three or four support vessels.

Today there are no Royal Navy ships in the #Gulf, after its #Bahrain based squadron was run down to save money and allow sailors to be deployed elsewhere. The last of the #minehunters returned to #Britain in January.

Back in 1987, at the time of my visit to the Gulf, the #RoyalNavy had 50 #destroyers and frigates, 21 #submarines and three #AircraftCarriers. Today it has 13 of those large surface ships, nine subs and two carriers.”

Rule Britannia, no more. ⚓️

<https://thetimes.com/uk/defence/article/strait-hormuz-reopen-royal-navy-sfphbgns5> (paywall) / <https://archive.md/pEJGJ>

The UK continues to delude itself that it has the resources and equipment to be a great military power. It's a fantasy.

In 2009, the UK's #MOD told the #DefenceSelectCommittee that it could sustain readiness of at least 4 #Type45 #destroyers and usually 5, despite cutting the class from 12 ships to 6. The Committee was very doubtful.

In March 2026, #HMSDragon was the only Type45 available for service in Cyprus in the #IranWar.

The UK's military fantasies are out of date.

#ukpol #RoyalNavy

#China, #Russia Celebrate US $10B #Trump Battleships Instead of 5x More Destroyers

Implementation of Trump-class battleship project caused in Western publications shock & misunderstanding of causes of extremely controversial decision. Because real challenges US #Navy is facing dictated opposite decisions

For price of 1 Trump-class #battleship, up to 5 Arleigh Burke #missile #destroyers could be built with 3.75x more missile salvos

https://en.defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/china_and_russia_celebrate_us_builds_10b_trump_battleships_instead_of_five_times_more_destroyers-16940.html

#DementiaDon #dictators #sociopath

USS Sellers - DDG-11 - Guided-Missile Destroyer, c.1960s - Gotuzzo Photograph

https://www.ebid.net/uk/for-sale/uss-sellers-ddg-11-guided-missile-destroyer-c-1960s-gotuzzo-photograph-221995013.htm

#USSSellers #Destroyers #USNavy #Photography

#Canada #défense #contrat #marine

Ottawa signe un premier contrat avec Irving pour de nouveaux #destroyers de la classe #River. ... Le contrat de mise en œuvre s’élève à 8 milliards de dollars pour les six premières années et ne couvre qu’une partie de la facture pour les trois premiers navires, qui coûteront finalement 22,2 milliards de dollars.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2025/03/08/ottawa-inks-initial-contract-for-new-river-class-destroyers-with-irving/

New deck log post up. Chosen by a long time supporter. Become a regular supporter and you too can join in the fun.

https://ko-fi.com/post/USS-Edsall--the-Little-Destroyer-The-Could-M4M11BE2C2

#NavalHistory
#Histodons
#History
#WorldWarII
#Australia
#Convoy
#Destroyers
#Corvettes