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



On Display - HMS King George V

MSW Crew member Colin Swager offers for view his build of Tamiya 1/350 HMS King George V.




US State Department ignores Russia's concerns over USS Monterey entering Black Sea
Source: RIA Novosti

US State Department considers the Sea Breeze 2011 exercise a display of close cooperation between the US and Ukraine, and welcomes Moscow to hold by its own opinion, said Mark Toner, spokesman for US State Department at the briefing on June 13.

Russian Foreign Ministry earlier stated that Aegis-carrying missile cruiser USS Monterey entering the Black Sea to attend the Sea Breeze 2011 Ukrainian-American naval exercise had aroused a number of questions. As for the foreign policy authority, those steps indicate the US still ignores Russia's concerns and demonstratively shapes the kind of missile defense configuration opposed by Moscow. USS Monterey was dispatched to European waters under "phased adaptive approach" of the US Administration in order to shape European segment of global missile defense.

"They [Russians] are entitled to their opinion. I'm not going to parse the words of the Russian Foreign Ministry, and I'll have to get more details about this exercise... But we have a strong bilateral relationship with Ukraine, and it's in keeping with that kind of partnership that these exercises take place", Toner said.


Vietnam officially confirmed procurement of 6 Russian Kilo subs
Source: Vzglyad

Hanoi will purchase six Kilo class Russian submarines with the view to "protect the country". Experts evaluate the sale as $3 bln, report Western news agencies referring to Vietnamese defense minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh.

The minister made this statement earlier in Singapore as Hanoi's official reaction on the incident happened on May 26 with three Chinese vessels belonging to State Oceanic Administration. Chinese ships "pursued" Vietnamese oil-and-seismic exploration vessel of Petro Vietnam oil and gas company. As a result, survey cable of the Vietnamese ship was torn, writes Defense News.

Reportedly, the incident occurred within Vietnamese exclusive economic zone. It aroused indignation in Vietnam, provoked protest actions opposite Chinese embassy building in Hanoi, and hacker attacks upon Chinese governmental websites.

This incident causes "serious concern over maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea", said Vietnamese national security minister.

Key features of Kilo class submarines are high silence, optimal automation of all control processes, and powerful missile/torpedo/mine armament.




PacificWrecks.com

Today’s website is Pacific Wrecks.com. Enjoy.


This Day in U.S. Naval History

1898 - U.S. squadron bombards Santiago, Cuba.
1965 - Navy Department schedules reactivation of hospital ship Repose (AH 16), first hospital ship activated for Vietnam conflict.


Diorama Idea of the Day



The guided-missile frigate USS Boone (FFG 28) anchors outside Punta Arenas, Chile, during a heavy storm preventing the ship from mooring pierside. To see the original high resolution photo, click here.

Gator