Tyler Durden
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The national security monitor and publication Strategic Sentinel confirms that Britain is to dispatch the HMS Echo, a UK Royal Navy survey vessel and monitoring ship to the Black Sea following the Russia-Ukraine incident near the Kerch Strait.
But crucially there are already calls from top British commanders to send a much more powerful and capable Type 45 destroyer, or guided missile warship, into the Black Sea amid escalating tensions and after the UK condemned Russia for seizing Ukrainian ships and their crew off the coast of Crimea, which the Russian Navy said were “maneuvering dangerously”.
There’s concern that should the situation escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the Royal Navy would need more serious military hardware in the vicinity.
The growing calls from the top echelons of the military establishment means we could soon witness a major build-up of forces in the Black Sea, and greater potential for outbreak of war.
According to the UK Plymouth Live newspaper:
Britain’s former top sailor has raised concerns over the decision to send a Plymouth Royal Navy ship out to the Black Sea as tensions escalate between Russia and Ukraine.
Admiral Lord West warned that sending HMS Echo – a vessel that specialises in survey exercises – and not a more advanced Type 45 destroyer that can ‘look after itself’ is not a good idea following troublesome sea clashes.
The criticism comes as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced he would send the hydrographic survey ship HMS to the area, and perhaps more significantly would commit more troops to Ukraine following Sunday’s incident. It’s hugely significant that the former commander of the UK Navy would issue such strong and biting criticism of the decision to send a less muscular, less aggressive ship.
In a formal statement the UK Ministry of Defence said the monitory vessel’s mission is to “demonstrate the UK’s support to ensuring freedom of navigation”.
Admiral Lord West said after the Russia-Ukraine flare up in the Kerch Strait: “The minister will be aware that it has been stated that we are sending a warship to Black Sea. That warship as I understand it is actually a survey ship.”
And West made the call for more advanced warships to be deployed: “If things are hotting up in the Black Sea to send a ship in harm’s way that is not really capable of looking after itself is not a clever idea,” he said.
“Should this reviewed and perhaps we should send a ship like the (Type) 45 that is able to look after itself in these circumstances,” he concluded.
The former highest ranking Naval commander is further likely voicing the sentiment of active high ranking members of the UK military.
The Royal Navy touts its Type 45 destroyers as “the most advanced warships the nation has ever built” — of which there are six in operation. They are designed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare and are equipped with long-range radars.
Deployment of the Type 45 would likely put Russian forces on high alert that a potential confrontation with the West in the Black Sea could be on the horizon, but it appears for now the Ministry of Defence is resisting such calls and cooler minds are prevailing.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
How pathetic. Does Britain only choose village idiots for leadership roles? As if porkosheckle’s provocation wasn’t enough. Somebody needs a war to cover their impossible debt.
Pig-ratShenko needs baked beans on toast!! What a sad joke. Russia must be wetting itself laughing.
Here is an interesting look at recent comments from Vladimir Putin about the eventuality of nuclear war:
https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2018/10/nuclear-brinkmanship-and-march-toward.html
One can’t help but be concerned that one wrong move by either Russia and the United States could create an end of the world scenario in this period of nuclear brinksmanship.
Russian people have fought many wars against belligerent and aggressive foes and won.
Tis better to fight and die rather than spend the remainder of your life in chains.
FUKUS nations will be dealt a blow that is likely to totally destroy the fantasy that they are all powerful if they attack Russia.
The US would also be a wasteland after a nuclear exchange, so that’s a bonus 🙂
They’re just going to the Black Sea to “survey” the situation and determine yet another way to provoke the Russians by not minding their own business.
So UK wants a Tonkin of its own, but fails to realize that its sailors are at real serious risk.
They don’t care about even their own sailors. As soon as you sign up, you’re worm food.
Sea of AZOV. BRITANNIA NO LONGER RULES THE WAVES–nor anything else of significance.
SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP YOU LITTLE LIMEY BAST…..s
Well spoken m8 !
Lord West’s remarks are foolish in the extreme.
There is no naval vessel in existence that could “look after itself” in the Black Sea, should Russia wish to destroy it. Even if a whole US carrier task group could get into the Black Sea, it could not defend itself.
Just the military beating it’s chest again and being extremely childish at that.You are correct of course.The bigger the ships the bigger the targets.
Senility and alcoholism at work in ols blighty 🙂
Why bother calling him lord?
I think it’s about time that Russia, China and Iran should send a joint naval task force to the English Channel to investigate the UK’s strange and abhorrent annexation of the “Channel Islands”. By their geographical position they are clearly part of France, yet the UK claims them.
Also, of course, the Islas Malvinas (which the British obnoxiously call “the Falkland Islands”). They obviously belong to Argentina, by far the closest nation, while they are 8,000 miles away from the UK. That’s a whole third of the Earth’s circumference!
The Islas Malvinas were so named because French fishermen from St. Malo had established a small colony there. The French called the islands the Malouines (from St. Malo), which translated to the Spanish “Malvinas”. The islands changed hands between the Spanish and British, ending with the British claiming ownership. At the time, Argentina as a country did not exist so the islands cannot possibly “belong to Argentina”. Not only that, but the islands were uninhabited when first the French, and then the Spaniards and British arrived, so no “Argentinians” were displaced. “The islands were uninhabited when discovered by Europeans. France… Read more »
‘The Royal Navy touts its Type 45 destroyers as “the most advanced warships the nation has ever built”…’
That depends on what they mean by “advanced”, doesn’t it? Like the F-35, I am sure they are very expensive and contain all kinds of fancy gadgets.
On the other hand, I don’t think it makes the slightest difference to a Bastion or Kindzhal how advanced the little tin and plastic boat it hits might be. They will just go up in flames, break in half, and sink without trace.
Type 45, meet Onyx, or Granat! Not even a need to fire a Zircon.
It’s been downhill since Henry VIII for poor old England. What wimps. What cowards. What a pathetic excuse for what once was.
I think it would be a good idea to re-enact the Donald Cook event should the UK want to flex it’s flabby muscle.
There used to be a song ” rule Britania ,Britania rules the waves tra la la” Never heard this song in decades. I guess that Britania ain’t much any more.
Try Last Night Of The Proms…. 🙂
West is off his rocker. The U.K. is no longer in the big navy league. One warship would be blown out of the water. West ran the Falklands fiasco, which was against a quite minor regional military. And they only just pulled it off with US. help. West should go back to golf or whatever and enjoy his retirement. I also doubt he’s any kind of seaman. Probably decades since he ran a watch at sea.
I notice so many grammatical errors in these articles, I wonder if The Duran has heard of proof reading yet.