Versatile RN Type 12 Improved Batch 3 Frigates (1967)Class: HMS Hermione, Andromeda, jupiter, Bacchante, Charybdis, Diomede, Achilles, Apollo, Ariadne. The “Broad Beam” Leander are the last evolution (and 3rd batch) of the Leander class Frigates, tha really defined a standard and met export success. They went to be the most successful (arguably) British frigate design … Read more
Royal Navy – 23 ships converted, service 1951-1977 HMS Rapid, Relentless, Rocket, Roebuck, Troubridge, Grenville, Ulster, Ulysses, Undaunted, Undine, Urania, Urchin, Ursa, Venus, Verulam, Vigilant, Virago, Volage, Wakeful, Whirlwind, Wizard, Wrangler, Zest We open the ball here on cold war Royal Navy Frigates with the case of WW2 destroyer “recycling”: The Type 15 and 16 … Read more
Royal Navy 3 Light Aircraft Carriers built 1973-85: HMS Invincible, Illustrious, Ark Royal R05-07 (decommissioned 2011-2017). The Invincible class was a class of light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Navy, with three ordered and built, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal. They were defined as aviation-capable ASW platforms to counter Soviet submarines … Read more
Nuclear Ballistic Submarines 1964-1968 S22 Resolution, S23 Repulse, S26 Renown, S27 Revenge in service until 1996 The Resolution class were four nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) built for the Royal Navy and part of the British Polaris programme, each carrying 16 UGM-27 Polaris A-3. HMS Resolution, Repulse, Renown and Revenge (one more cancelled) from Vickers … Read more
Nuclear Attack Submarines built 1962-1971 HMS Valiant (S102), Warspite (S103), Churchill (S46), Conqueror (S48), Courageous (S50) in service until 1990-96 The Valiant class were five nuclear powered British Royal Navy submarines. They were built for the first two at (a) Vickers Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness in 1960-65 and for the sub-class Churchill, same to the exception of … Read more
United Kingdom (1958-68) – HMS Oberon Odin Orpheus, Olympus, Osiris, Onslaught, Otter, Oracle, Ocelot, Otus, Opossum, Opportune, Onyx, Onyx (1960-1995). The Oberon class were 27 British-designed submarines also exported to five navies, designed as a follow-on from the Porpoise class, very similar but with of stronger construction, better silencing and improvements across the board. Instrumental … Read more
United Kingdom (1958) – HMS Porpoise, Rorqual, Narwhal, Grampus, Finwhale, Cachalot, Sealion, Walrus 1957-91. After exploring the A class (Amphion), last WW2 British design and first streamlined for a longer career in the cold war, here is the first generation cold war conventional submarine, designed and built from the ground up for the Royal navy: … Read more
Midget Submarines 1954-1966 The Stickleback-class were midget submarines of the British Royal Navy, as a replacement of the WW2 XE-class submarines. They were essentially target submarines, designed to improve British ASW defences against midget submarines, as it was believed the Soviet Union whether had them or was about to develop such craft. But in a … Read more
Fleet Aircraft Carrier (R09), 1943-1979 This was the last great, true fleet British aircraft carrier, and perhaps the best of them all before it was decided to retire her. The smaller HMS Hermes had a longer career, sure, but she was the only British carrier large enough to operate the capable, multirole F4 Phantom II. … Read more
Experimental Submarines 1953-1965 The two Explorer-class were experimental submarines ordered in 1947 for the Royal Navy as an early underwater test-bed for a new propulsion system using hydrogen peroxide (HTP) for greater underwater endurance and speed. The construction of the two Explorer-class combined steam turbines powered by the catalysed interaction of HTP and diesel oil. … Read more
