Dansk Marine F348 Hvidbjørnen, F349 Vædderen, F350 Ingolf, F351 Fylla Built 1961-63, service until 1992 The Hvidbjørnen class were four inspektionsskibe (“inspection ships”) later classified by NATO as Frigates despite being 1700 tonnes, built for the Danish Navy in 1961-1963. They were the first post-WW2 large vessels of the Danish Navy to be ordered. Their … Read more
Belgian Naval Component, 1976-2008 Wielingen, Westdiep, Wandelaar, Westhinder F910-913. The Wielingen class were the largest and most modern ships in service with the Belgian Navy in the Cold War. This was a class of four multi-functional frigates operated by the Belgian Naval Component from 1976 to 2008. In 2004, three were sold to Bulgaria and … Read more
MEKO 200NH: F-452 Hydra, F-453 Spetsai, F-454 Psara, F-455 Salamis (Ordered 1989, 1992-today) Hydra (F 452), Meko 200 Mk.3 The Hydra class are four frigates in service with the Hellenic Navy, designed in Germany as part of the MEKO 200 series, authorised in 1988 and partially paid for with FMS aid with at first six … Read more
Indian Aircraft Carrier 1961-1997 The first Indian Aircraft Carrier was the former light fleet carrier HMS Hercules (Majestic class) ordered in 1942, laid down in October 1943, launched 22 September 1945 and construction suspended in May 1946, 75% complete. Purchased in January 1957 by India, towed to Belfast for completion and modernization by Harland and … Read more
Operations, ships, organization – 1965-1975 The longest conflict of the cold war USS Intrepid, south China sea 1965 The war in south-east Asia was indeed the longest war of the Century. It started in 1945 as a war of independence for the Vietnamese people against French colonial rule, embedded in the context of resistance to … Read more
World’s navies (1863 to today) As these lines are written, the world would remember medical personal and nurses involved in the present COVID19 pandemic. But ships dedicated to the care of the wounded existed almost since the red cross was invented: By Swiss businessman Henri Dunant, horrified to see casualties at the battle of Solférino … Read more
