Amongst informed defence commentators it has been an open secret for several years, but on 29th January a BBC report finally put the engine problems of the Type 45 destroyers into the public eye. The MoD has consistently played down the seriousness of the issue, that had on occasions resulted in total propulsion and electrical failure, leaving| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
Originally designed with a service life of around 18 years, the RN’s Type 23 Frigates will now have to serve for around 30 years. These vessel are undergoing life extension (LIFEX) refits and an important component of these upgrades is the Power Generation Machinery Upgrade (PGMU) to replace the ships’ four diesel generator sets. The| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
Royal Navy frigate, HMS Lancaster, has reached the end of her life and will return home to be decommissioned later this year. There are no warships available to replace her, and her departure marks the end of a significant RN permanent presence in the Gulf region, at least for now. The Royal Navy has had| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
On 16th October the head of the MoD Stephen Lovegrove formally approved a revised schedule for the delivery of the 4th Astute class submarine HMS Audacious. Writing to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee he admitted publicly for the first time that Audacious will not be handed over to the RN until January 2021.| Navy Lookout - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
The oldest of the Royal Navy’s ballistic missile submarines, HMS Vanguard is currently in Devonport undergoing major refit and refuelling. There are strong indications the project is in trouble and she will be unable to return to service at the start of 2020 as originally scheduled, with knock-on effects for the 3 remaining boats that maintain the nuclear deterrent.| Navy Lookout