Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.



Poll - Cammetts Feedback Wanted!

Ahoy mates,
With the interest here of late in the new update sets, Robin Carpenter from Cammetts thinks there is great scope for a collaboration between this forum and himself to identify items that would improve the overall build.

He has asked if he can get feedback on what new items for the S100 would be desirable by modelers, and he will then see if they can be produced. Its his intention to make an ongoing range of updates for the kit.
Poll




PRINZ EUGEN.com

Today’s website is PRINZ EUGEN.com which chronicles the ships weapons and men of the Kriegsmarine. Enjoy.
Website




This Day in U.S. Naval History

1864 - The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley sinks USS Housatonic.
1942 - The 1st Construction Battalion (Seabees) arrives at Bora Bora.
1944 - U.S. carrier aircraft strike the Japanese fleet at Truk, sinking ships and destroying aircraft.


Russian Navy must be present in all crucial world oceans
Source: Russian Navy

The main goal underpinning the actions of the Russian Navy is to provide strategic deterrence in order to make sure no country threatens Russia and its allies, said Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy, the commander of the Russian Navy.

“The basic form of use of the Navy in peacetime is its presence in extremely important regions to carry out tasks related to military-naval activities,” Admiral Vysotskiy told Krasnaya Zvezda, a military publication, in an interview published on Wednesday.

He stressed that to realize and defend its interests in world oceans, Russia is prepared to use its navy in three instances: In peacetime, during crises, when there are threats, and in times of war.

“The Russian Navy is present in strategically important parts of world's oceans and the continental areas abutting them that are not under the national jurisdiction to create favorable conditions to realize the priorities of its foreign, economic, and other activities,” the admiral said.

When crises arise, the strategic goals that underpin the use of the navy remain topical. “In wartime, the strategic goal of the Navy is to be involved in the actions of Russian armed forces and those of its allies, including with the use of nonstrategic and strategic nuclear arms,” Vysotskiy said.

In the technical upgrading and development of the Russian Navy, the focus is on strategic missile submarines, multipurpose submarines, universal surface battleships, reconnaissance and target-location systems, tactical control, and navigation,” Vysotskiy added.

Today the Russian Navy is focusing on the development of new-generation strategic submarines of the Yuri Dolgoruky type, the modernization and upgrading of the ships already in its possession, on outfitting them with a new generation of missiles, on multipurpose submarines of the Severomorsk type, and surface ships with high capabilities equipped with high-precision missiles and antisubmarine weapons, and the mastering of world oceans as a possible theater of war through the creation and development of a joint information-gathering system on the situation in world oceans.

“Based on the mission of the Russian Navy, I note that in peacetime it is used primarily as a standby force, in patrols, and in the realization of separate and special tasks,” Vysotskiy said.

Therefore, the year 2009 will be no less tense than the year 2008 for the Russian Navy, Vysotskiy added.

"When the ships and crews of the Russian Navy carried out missions in various parts of world oceans, they officially and unofficially visited ports in many countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua, Syria, Portugal, Norway, Turkey, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea. The Russian Navy will for the first time be engaged in international exercises, in missions to distant seas, and Fleet exercises,” the admiral said.


HMS Iron Duke Prepares for Deployment
Source: Royal Navy

With the warmth of the Caribbean and wonderful sights of South Georgia now distant memories, HMS Iron Duke’s 2009 started in mid January after some well earned leave following her 7 month deployment in 2008. 2009 promises to be as busy and challenging as last year and with some significant changes in the Ship’s Company there is a lot to do to ensure the Ship remains amongst the elite of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigates.

Returning home in time for Christmas, the first big change came a day after arriving back in the UK with the new Commanding Officer joining the ship. Commander Andrew Stacey is now settled in onboard and getting to grips with the forthcoming challenge. Arriving from the Joint Services Staff College at Shrivenham, HMS Iron Duke will be Commander Stacey’s third Command. He has previously served in HMS Dumbarton Castle and HMS Chiddingfold as Captain.

Commenting shortly after joining Commander Stacey said “Arriving in HMS Iron Duke as Captain is without doubt the highlight of my naval career to date. The job brings with it a lot of responsibility but to have the opportunity to lead a Ship and Ship’s Company who have performed so well over the course of their last deployment is a real privilege. 2009 promises to be just as busy for Iron Duke as we prepare for our next deployment later this year.”

And whilst the dust is only now settling on 2008, preparations for the next deployment are already underway, with the ship completing a 4 week maintenance period prior to sailing in late February to complete safety training and a number of sea trials. The first few months of 2009 will be spent providing support to Royal Navy training establishments who will use the ship as a platform for junior Warfare Officers to hone and ultimately prove their navigation and war fighting skills.

Whilst this training is taking the place, the Ship’s Company will be readying themselves for the 8 weeks of intensive training which the ship will receive when it completes Basic Operational Sea Training in the middle of 2009. This will ensure that Iron Duke’s Ship Company sails for her next deployment with the necessary skills to ensure that the ship continues to deliver to the highest possible level.


Photo of the Day



A P-3C Orion from the "Mad Foxes" of Patrol Squadron Five (VP) 5 patrols as the Seawolf-class submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) participates in an under sea warfare exercise involving the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Gator