British Military News

A British Royal Navy ship will supply aid to Gaza as part of an international effort to help set up a new humanitarian maritime corridor in early May, the foreign office and ministry of defence said on Saturday.The multinational effort, involving the United States, Cyprus and other partners, will develop a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza, British foreign minister David Cameron said."The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it…

Britain's new aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth made a stop in Singapore on Monday, part of a move to reassert itself globally and boost its military presence in Asia amid rising competition among major powers.The Queen Elizabeth led a British carrier strike group in exercises with Singapore's military at the weekend, including naval maneuvers and simulated combat training with F-35B stealth fighters and F-16 jets.Britain plans to permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters…

Three Iranian vessels tried to block a BP-operated tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz but backed off when confronted by a Royal Navy warship, the UK government said on Thursday.Britain urged Iran to "de-escalate the situation in the region" after the British Heritage, a Suezmax oil tanker operated by BP under an Isle of Man flag, was approached."HMS Montrose was forced to position herself between the Iranian vessels and British Heritage and issue verbal warnings to the Iranian vessels…

British diesel innovator Cox Powertrain joins Swedish distributor Diesel Power this week at the High-Speed Boat Operations (HSBO) forum to discuss final concept details of its new CXO300 diesel outboard engine ahead of its launch later this year.Originally developed for a British Military of Defence (MoD) development contract, the CXO300 will be of great interest to visitors of the conference, which attracts delegates from many of the world’s law enforcement, military, special forces and rescue agencies.Built for professional marine use from the ground up…

A search for four British sailors missing in the Atlantic Ocean after their yacht capsized a week ago will be called off by midnight on Friday if no sign of the men is found, British and U.S. authorities said. The four yachtsmen went missing a week ago as they were returning to Britain from a sailing event in Antigua in the Caribbean and reported that their vessel, the Cheeki Rafiki, was taking on water, forcing them to change course for the Azores. U.S. authorities abandoned a search after two days due to treacherous conditions but resumed the hunt on Tuesday after a request from the British government and a public petition signed by over 200,000 people. Captain Anthony Popiel from the U.S.

The Royal Navy’s 'fleet ready' escort HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, pinpointed and monitored the movement of the Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov as it transited past the UK coast. Dragon deployed from Portsmouth last week to pre-position well north of Scotland in good time to respond to the Udaloy-Class destroyer’s deployment. She made contact with the Kulakov and is keeping an eye on the Russian ship’s transit south. The Royal Air Force was also involved recently with its Russian counterparts when RAF Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft were launched from RAF Leuchars to determine the identity of unknown aircraft that were approaching the Nato air policing area north of Scotland.

Reducing the number of ships that are hijacked by Somali pirates is a realistic prospect in the near‐term if shipowners and operators are willing to adopt a security posture onboard their ships that is directly and robustly proportional to the threat, an industry forum heard on March 24. attending an event hosted jointly by Gray Page and Protection Vessels International. They heard that merchant shipping faced a more widespread threat from Somali pirates than at any time over the past three years*, with a fall in incidents in the Gulf of Aden notably offset by an increase in attacks and hijackings in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, where pirates roam on “mother ships” largely unchallenged by naval forces.

Marsh, insurance broker and risk adviser, and REDfour (MSS) Ltd, a maritime security firm, announced they are working together to help shipowners address potential exposures associated with piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden. Shipowners working with REDfour for security services and with Marsh for kidnap and ransom (K&R) insurance coverage may qualify for significant reduction in their overall K&R insurance costs. In addition, Marsh and REDfour have agreed that clients binding with certain underwriters will be provided services from REDfour at a reduced cost.

A British firm is offering shipping companies the services of up to 300 ex-British Army Gurkhas to combat piracy, particularly in Asia. Anglo Marine Overseas Services Ltd. has sent letters to international shipping companies offering "anti-piracy embarkation teams" of four to eight Gurkhas. The letter, one received by Australia's Western Bulk Carriers, states the primary mission of the Gurkhas is to deter piracy, but a "secondary mission is to manage the event should deterrence fail against a determined boarding party". "These men are available at reasonable rates of pay and average 16 years British military experience," said the letter.