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Portsmouth Naval Base News

22 Feb 2023

UK Royal Navy's Experimental Ship Starts Sea Trials

(Photo: Royal Navy)

The U.K. Royal Navy’s NavyX trials ship, XV (eXperimental Vessel) Patrick Blackett, left Portsmouth Naval Base to undergo sea acceptance trials - ensuring the vessel and its onboard equipment is fully functioning and ready to support innovative experimentation.The ship will be used by NavyX innovation and autonomy team to independently test and trial novel technologies, including unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles, paving the way for advanced experimentation, innovation and future capabilities within the Royal Navy.

10 Oct 2022

UK Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier Heads to Rosyth for Repairs

U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (Photo: U.K. Royal Navy)

The U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has left Portsmouth en route to Rosyth where the £3 billion aircraft carrier will receive repairs after breaking down off the Isle of Wight in August.The 65,000-tonne warship will enter Babcock's dry dock in Rosyth where it will undergo repairs to its starboard propeller shaft which suffered a mechanical defect as the ship left for New York. Inspections by divers revealed the shaft coupling had failed. Since the aircraft carrier returned to Portsmouth Naval Base in early September…

17 Nov 2019

Prince of Wales Maiden Visit to Home Port

Britain's newest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales sails into home port of Portsmouth Naval Base for the first time.The £3.1 billion warship left Rosyth dockyard, Scotland, where it was built in September before undergoing eight weeks of sea trials.The ship’s arrival into Portsmouth represents the culmination of 16 years of work by the ACA – a unique alliance relationship between BAE Systems, Babcock, Thales, and the UK Ministry of Defence.More than 10,000 people across the UK have been involved in the program to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, with six British shipbuilding yards across the country playing a vital role in the ships’ design and construction.Sir Simon Lister…

16 Apr 2018

HMS Forth Commissioned

(Photo: Royal Navy)

The first of the U.K. Royal Navy's next-generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) has been formally commissioned into the fleet.Commissioned last week at her home base of Portsmouth, HMS Forth represents the second ship to join the Royal Navy in less than six months, following aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth commissioned in December. The warships are part of the government’s £178 billion plan to bolster its Armed Forces over the next decade.HMS Forth is the first of five new OPVs designed for counter-piracy…

27 Mar 2018

UK Team to Resolve Type 45 Destroyer Power Issues

(Photo: BAE Systems)

An alliance team led by BAE Systems has won the contract to resolve propulsion issues that have been plaguing the U.K.’s most advanced air defense warships. The team, which also includes Cammell Laird and BMT, has been tasked to improve the resilience in the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyer power and propulsion system by replacing the existing two diesel generators, fitting an additional diesel generator and modifying the high voltage system on each ship. The warships had reportedly suffered a number of breakdowns at sea due to problems with their propulsion systems.

07 Dec 2017

Queen Elizabeth Welcomes UK’s New Aircraft Carrier

Her Majesty The Queen at the commissioning of HMS Queen Elizabeth (Photo: Royal Navy)

The U.K.’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet this morning by Her Majesty The Queen. Serving as the ship's Lady Sponsor, The Queen addressed guests before the ship's Commanding Officer, Captain Jerry Kyd, and read the commissioning warrant at a ceremony in Portsmouth Naval Base. The ceremony, attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson and military chiefs, marked the first time the Queen has visited the new warship since the formal naming ceremony in Rosyth in July 2014.

18 Jul 2017

UK Partners to Launch Autonomous Vessels Testing Service

(Photo: BAE Systems)

The U.K.'s first maritime autonomous systems testing service is set to launch later this year. BAE Systems said it has been awarded £457,000 (approximately $594,700) in grant funding from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to design and deliver the U.K.’s first dedicated autonomous systems testing service. Based around Portsmouth, Southampton and the South East of the Isle of Wight, BAE Systems will work with ASV Global (ASV), Blue Bear Systems Research (Blue Bear)…

16 Nov 2016

Unexploded WWII Bomb Halts Ferries in Portsmouth Harbour

An unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Portsmouth Harbour on England's southern coast on Wednesday, halting traffic of cross-channel ferries at the port. The 500 lb bomb was discovered by a barge dredging the harbour ahead of the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth - the Royal Navy's new 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier. "This is the third piece of historic ordnance found in the harbour during the dredging works since September," said Bill Oliphant, Captain of Portsmouth Naval Base. The Royal Navy said disposal experts will tow the bomb out of the harbour and destroy it in open waters off the eastern Isle of Wight but the timing will depend on tides and weather conditions. Reporting by Adela Suliman

03 Oct 2016

HMS Westminster Undergoes Extensive Refit

Photo: BAE Systems

A multimillion pound refit has been carried out on Portsmouth-based Type 23 Frigate, HMS Westminster, to return her to the forefront of naval capability. Her extensive maintenance period, as part of the £600 million Maritime Services Delivery Framework (MSDF), has been carried out by a team of more than 800 people at Portsmouth Naval Base, U.K. The upkeep program on the 24-year-old Duke Class frigate has followed several busy years of deployments across the globe and includes upgrades to weapons and marine systems that will enhance her warfighting capabilities for years ahead.

17 Jun 2016

Unmanned Surface Vessels: From Concept to Service

BAE Systems Unmanned RHIB with ASV Technology. (Credit: BAE Systems)

Over the next decade the maritime sector is likely to see one of the largest changes since sail gave way to steam. Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) are now being considered for various marine roles and the drivers for rapid development are significant. Unmanned or autonomous vessels have passed through the trial and evaluation stage and are now being adopted for civilian and military applications. The maritime sector now has the opportunity to shape technology developments from legislative and end-user standpoints.

19 Nov 2015

GE Partners for Royal Navy Business

GE announce its partnership with VolkerStevin Ltd. to provide technical solutions to the Defense Infrastructure Organization (DIO) for the Royal Navy. Through this partnership, GE is set to design, manufacture and commission a Rotary Frequency Converter (RFC) which enables efficient, safe and reliable power transfer from the national grid to HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers, based at Portsmouth Naval Base, UK. The electricity from the U.K. national grid, which operates at a frequency of 50Hz, will be converted by the RFC into 60Hz for use by the equipment on-board the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier. This allows for the ship’s diesel generators to be switched off while at berth in Portsmouth Naval Base, reducing noise, pollution and costs.

27 Aug 2015

BAE Systems Welcomes Record Number of Paid Interns

Summer interns Rez Nuru (left) and Alex Rubin (right) working in Portsmouth Naval Base for BAE Systems. (Photo: BAE Systems)

More than 140 university students from across the country are being given a unique insight into working life at BAE Systems, as part of the company’s 12-week summer internship program. At Portsmouth Naval Base and Cowes on the Isle of Wight, 11 interns are currently working across a number of disciplines from HR and finance, through to engineering and supply chain. Now in its third year, this growing program gives students the opportunity to learn from employees who are experts in their fields and gain insights that can only come from real world experience.

25 Jun 2015

New Vessel Traffic Management System for Portsmouth

Image courtesy of BAE Systems

BAE Systems has been awarded a £5.5 million contract to install a new Vessel Traffic Management System to assist in the controlling and monitoring of all ship movements within Portsmouth Harbor and the Eastern Solent. The contract is the latest development in the partnering agreement between BAE Systems, the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defense to modernize HM Naval Base Portsmouth and prepare for the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of the four acre, 65,000 metric ton aircraft carriers to be based in Portsmouth.

25 Jun 2015

Portsmouth Naval Base Harnesses Sun Power

Ken Hobbs, Head of Energy Solutions and Services at BAE Systems Maritime Services in Portsmouth Naval Base (Photo: BAE Systems)

BAE Systems has completed a large scale installation of solar panels at Portsmouth Naval Base to increase energy efficiency and generate savings. In total, almost 2,000 solar panels comprising the latest photovoltaic technology have been installed on two key Portsmouth Naval Base buildings. The new 500kW system is expected to generate energy savings worth more than £1million over the next 20 years. Ken Hobbs, Head of Energy Solutions and Services at BAE Systems Maritime Services said, “We are proud to be managing this important project for the Portsmouth Naval Base estate.

16 Jun 2015

WWI U-Boat Propeller Returned to German Navy

A handover ceremony took place on the German Naval vessel Karlsruhe in the Portsmouth Naval Base (Photo: MCA)

A brass propeller from the first U-Boat to be sunk a century ago has been given back to the country it belongs to, the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported. The propeller from the German World War I submarine U-8 was handed over by the MCA to members of the current Navy during a handover ceremony on the German Naval vessel Karlsruhe in the Portsmouth Naval Base. The propeller, recovered along with other historical items following a number of seizures of illegally recovered dive artifacts in the Kent area in 2014…

05 Feb 2015

Sunken WWII Landing Craft Refloated

Photo: Unique Seaflex

LCT 7074, the last known landing craft to survive the D-Day invasion in 1944, has been refloated as part of a project to lift and save the vessel which began in March 2014, almost exactly four years to the day after she had sunk. The vessel, which came out of service at the end of the WWII after numerous deployments to the Normandy beaches, was converted to a naval repair facility for a short while, and then became a floating nightclub berthed in Liverpool from around 1950. Unique Seaflex (Seaflex)…

24 Sep 2014

Barge Operator Fined for Releasing Dangerous Gas

The operator of a Portsmouth-based barge has today been made to pay almost £111,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to a breach of maritime legislation. Serco Ltd. admitted an offence at Portsmouth Crown Court in relation to the health and safety of workers aboard the barge 1706, which is operated as part of a service contract with the U.K. Ministry of Defense. The primary function of the barge is to collect waste products from naval vessels when they were moored in Portsmouth. On July 6, 2011, barge 1706 was secured alongside a warship at Portsmouth Naval Base and was taking waste water from the vessel. A short while later, the crew started to smell the distinctive 'rotten eggs' odor of hydrogen sulphide (H2S).

28 Aug 2014

HMS Illustrious Decommissioned

HMS Illustrious

HMS Illustrious – the last of the Royal Navy’s Invincible-class aircraft carriers – was decommissioned at Portsmouth Naval Base today, marking the end of her 32-year career. The ship’s White Ensign was lowered for the final time during the decommissioning ceremony in front of hundreds of guests, ending an era which began with the launch of her sister ship HMS Invincible in 1977. Illustrious is being replaced as the nation’s helicopter carrier by HMS Ocean which has just undergone a £65m refit.

29 May 2014

McIntosh Named CTruk Chairman

Peter McIntosh

Composite high-speed craft designer and builder CTruk has appointed shipbuilding industry veteran Peter McIntosh OBE to succeed Andy White as chairman. McIntosh, the former executive director of VT Group PLC, holds experience of the marine and defense industries and will steer the innovative company through its next stage of growth, CTruk said. White will remain on the board as an executive director. Managing director Ben Simpson will be working closely with McIntosh on implementing…

24 Jun 2013

BAE Ocean Patrol Vessel Handed Over to Brazil Navy

Patrol Boat 'Araguari': Photo credit BAE Systems

'Araguari', the third of 3 Ocean Patrol Vessels built by BAE Systems, is handed over to the Brazilian Navy in a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base UK. Employees joined guests from the Brazilian Navy and UK Royal Navy, to watch as members of the ship’s company raised the ensign for the first time, formally marking the handover of the Brazilian Navy’s newest vessel. Mick Ord, Managing Director of BAE Systems Maritime - Naval Ships business, said: “We are extremely proud to deliver Araguari. She is a highly capable ship, and with her sister ships, will be a great asset to the Brazilian Navy.

21 Jun 2013

Brazil Takes Delivery of Third Ocean Patrol Vessel

Photo: BAE Systems

Araguari, the third of three Ocean Patrol Vessels built by BAE Systems, was handed over to the Brazilian Navy in a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base. Employees joined guests from the Brazilian Navy and U.K. Royal Navy, to watch as members of the ship’s company raised the ensign for the first time, formally marking the handover of the Brazilian Navy’s newest vessel. First of class, Amazonas, was handed over to the Brazilian Navy in June 2012. The second ship, APA, was completed in November of last year.

20 Mar 2013

Destroyer Duncan Sets Sails

Photo: BAE Systems

Duncan, the sixth and final Type 45 destroyer built by BAE Systems, has set sail from the Clyde in preparation for her handover to the U.K. Royal Navy. Duncan set off from the company’s Scotstoun yard with a combined BAE Systems and Royal Navy crew for the 600-mile journey to her new home port of Portsmouth. Duncan’s departure was delayed due to a technical issue and the BAE Systems team has worked tirelessly with the Ministry of Defense to complete repairs over the weekend. The…

29 Jan 2013

Merger Creates UK's Largest Independent Ship Repairer

Burgess Marine acquire Testbank Ship Repair, making them the country's largest independent in the ship repair business. Burgess Marine, headquartered in Dover and with sites in Poole and Portsmouth’s naval base, has acquired Testbank Ship Repair, with locations at Southampton docks, Portchester, near Portsmouth, and Avonmouth, near Bristol. The deal will see 120 full-time staff work under the Burgess Marine banner from the six sites, with a combined annual turnover of £20m-plus. Nick Warren, Managing Director, Burgess Marine, said: “The various work streams of both companies very much complement each other, so it made compelling business…