NATO Ships off Scottish coast

[Dogwatch]

Looks like the start of a NATO Ex off the Scottish coast


Ships involved:

HMS Bulwark - Albion Class Assault Ship

HMS Hurwoth - Hunt Class MCMV

HMS Daring - Type 45 DDG (on trials?)

IMANTA - Belgian MCMV

ORP Pulaski - Polish Oliver Hazard Class FFG

HMS Roebuck - UKRN Coastal Survey vessel - Poss. MCMV Support vessel

Weilheim - German MCMV

Primula - Belgian MCMV

USNS Big Horn - US Navy AOR

http://www.rnopsscotland.com/

[pmtts]

Looks like the start of a NATO Ex off the Scottish coast

Interesting to note the Hurworth on the AIS image map. I was always under the impression Naval vessel could not be located on AIS & only radar images.

The reason I say this as there is an AIS site for the Solent and no Naval vessels are ever on it, but click on the radar image site for the Solent and they are all visible?.

[Goldie fish]

I don't think naval vessels are required to carry AIS transponders. However it may be considered prudent to do so, given that some ill informed mariners are using AIS instead of Radar to navigate in poor visibility...

[DeV]

Part of Joint Maritime Course ??

[pmtts]

Part of Joint Maritime Course ??

The excercise is The Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1.

One of NATO’s two specialist mine countermeasures groups; it consists of the Command Ship HMS Roebuck (UK) and four other mine hunters from Belgium (BNS Primula), Germany (FGS Wielheim), Latvia (LVNS Imanta) and another from the UK (HMS Hurworth).

No idea why Bulwark and Daring are there too. It could be completly un-related.

[Goldie fish]

Daring is still on Sea Trials.

[gvg]

According to informationdissemination (including a list of ships) it's excersize Joint Warrior 2008 (formerly Neptune Warrior) and according to mt-milcom it wil run from 19 April-2 May.

But the Daring isn't mentioned as participating.
And the LPD's of the Dutch mentioned in the list are at home and aren't scheduled to sail this week or next week. Besides that the frigate mentioned (Van Speijk) should arive at ít's home base the 25th, so I don't know about this excersize.

[Dogwatch]

The Annual NATO Exercise 'Neptune Warrior' is due to start around now, which would explain HMS Bulwark and the Polish FFG.

[Dogwatch]

According to informationdissemination (including a list of ships) it's excersize Joint Warrior 2008 (formerly Neptune Warrior) and according to mt-milcom it wil run from 19 April-2 May.

Interesting to note all SNMG1 recently visited Ireland according to the website.

Another ship not listed is the US Submarine Support Ship Carolyn Chouest, seen here departing the Clyde.

[Rooster]

Joint Warrior?

[pmtts]

HMS Bulwark is making a planned visit to Belfast on 2-7 May.

Well worth a visit if anyone is in that locality and if it's open to the public.

[Rooster]

True, anyone interested can pm me as I have 60 guests so far.