Ahoy mates and welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Let’s see what going on today.



On Display – “...rassing operations commencing!”
MSW Crew-mate Peter Fulgoney (peterf) unveils his latest build, a most imaginative and creative dio featuring the HMS Biter, and the “O” class destroyer HMS Obdurate.
On Display


Review - Norfolk Naval Operating Base
Join Mark Smith (Gunny) for the first in a series of reviews of Still Motions Photographics, photo reference CD's, from Ray D. Bean.
Review



Revell Germany Sneak Peek
At a recent model exhibition in Germany, Revell Germany gave the modeler a sneak peek at the upcoming models of the yacht Sunseeker and the 1/144 Fletcher Class Destroyer.








This Day in U.S. Naval History

1861 - Union landing party from USS Massachusetts takes possession of Ship Island south of New Orleans. This was the headquarters for Adm. David Farragut's Gulf Coast Blockading Squadron.
1895 - Battleship Maine commissioned.
1902 - Detachment of Sailors and Marines land from cruiser Cincinnati (C 7) to protect American property at Colon, Panama.
1944 - Navy Task Force lands Army troops on Angaur, Palau Islands, supported by Navy carrier aircraft and shore bombardment.


U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard Capture Drug-Running Semi-Submersible

Sailors from USS McInerney FFG 8 and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 404 (LEDET) intercepted a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) carrying seven tons of cocaine Sept. 13.




Sailors intercepted the 59-foot SPSS in a nighttime interdiction 350 miles off the coast of Guatemala, capturing four suspected narcotics smugglers from Colombia and the large cargo of cocaine before the SPSS could be scuttled.



An SPSS is capable of carrying 3-5 metric tons of cocaine and has no maritime use other than the covert transport of narcotics or other illegal goods. An SPSS is between 25-65 feet long, travel at speeds up to 13 knots, carry 4-5 crew members, and can travel up to 2,500 nautical miles without refueling. An SPSS is dangerous to capture since it is designed with valves that smugglers can use to quickly flood and sink the vessel, posing a risk to boarding teams attempting to capture it.



McInerney, homeported in Mayport, Fla., and the embarked LEDET 404 are currently deployed under operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet (NAVSO/4th FLT) conducting counter illicit trafficking operations for Joint Interagency Task Force-South in the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of focus.

As the Naval Component Command of USSOUTHCOM, NAVSO's mission is to direct U.S. Naval Forces operating in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions and interact with partner nation navies within the maritime environment. Various operations include counter-illicit trafficking, theater security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, military-to-military interaction and bilateral and multinational training.


Victory Not For Sale

HMS Victory will remain part of the Royal Navy. We will not be giving her away or decommissioning the ship. It is currently run by the Navy and retired Navy personnel show the public around the ship.
The consultation is designed to produce a relationship between the RN and any of the options below which secures the necessary funding and the long term good health of the vessel, without the Royal Navy and the public losing control of the ship.



We are committed to securing her future and want to make sure that she is as well looked after as possible in her old age. That is why we are looking at a range of funding options for the continued support and ongoing maintenance of the ship.

Considerable expenditure will be required over the coming years to maintain her material state, and we will consider options that will secure these funds. These will include: maintaining the current status quo; alternative public ownership by another Government Department or Non Departmental Public Body; a new independent Charitable Organisation, either a company limited by guarantee or a charitable trust; or an existing Charitable Organisation.

In her 243rd year, HMS VICTORY is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and as such has numerous and complex maintenance requirements. The review will seek an arrangement which guarantees this future material support. Contributing to the development of Naval Heritage in Portsmouth , continuing access for the public and maintaining her status as flagship to the Second Sea Lord are all important conditions of all the options under review.

Defence Minister Baroness Ann Taylor said:
“HMS Victory will remain part of the Royal Navy. Nothing will change in that respect. The objective for this study is the sustainability of HMS VICTORY as a museum ship and commissioned Royal Navy warship. Continued access depends on extensive works being carried out over the coming years. An examination of the full range of options will seek to ensure that HMS VICTORY is preserved in a sound condition in her home port of Portsmouth for generations to come.”

Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Alan Massey said:
“The review will openly and equally examine all the options available to us to ensure that HMS Victory continues her distinguished Naval career in the best possible state. We are consulting across the full spectrum of stakeholders and interested parties and their views will play an important part in the recommendations that flow from the review.

“A veteran of the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS VICTORY is a vital part of our heritage, not only for the Navy and the people of Portsmouth but to the country as a whole and the MOD is committed to securing her future. The review will be aim to identify the option that best secures the long term material, financial and cultural viability of this much-loved ship.”


57 mines in eleven days evacuated

With boats and mine divers from eight nations seeking multinational Mari Never Volume OPEN SPIRIT 2008, after mines and ammunition in the Latvian Baltic Sea coast. Within eleven days 57 mines have already been discovered and destroyed. It was a 24 square mile area in the large Irbe Strait abgesucht.

Commander of the association is the German frigate captain Christof Rebing (43) from Kiel. He was with the interim results satisfied. Rebing says: "I'm excited how well the communication and cooperation between units from different countries working and that we share so much for the security in the Baltic can do." Reßing leads the 445-strong Association of German Tender RIDE.

Germans exercise command of the Mari Never Volume for the eleventh time. "Until Friday, we continue to mine hunting," says Rebing. On Saturday the maneuver ends with a final conference in Riga.


Photo of the Day



Flight deck personnel aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) observe flight operations.

Bonus Photos of the Day

The US Navy has posted their Maritime Strategy Posters Photo Gallery. The awesome photos with captions are downloadable for printing purposes.
http://www.navy.mil/view_gallery.asp?category_id=104

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