#warships

Imperial German Navy warships in action during the Battle of Jutland. 31st May - 1st June, 1916 by Claus Bergen.

100 years ago today drew to a close the key naval clash of the First World War. 

World Warships….

NORTH ARABIAN SEA (November 17, 2020) – Warships from the Royal Australian Navy,Indian Navy,United States Navyand Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sail in formation during an allied training exercise.

The training exercise was called Malabar 2020.…an annual event since 2002. Here’s more of the group….as we zoom-out from the top photo. (If you look closely, you’ll see the tip of a submarine’s conning tower poking above the water, and leaving a wake, to the far left of the third photo above.)

Over a dozens ships, a submarine, multiple aircraft, and other naval assets from the four allied navies participated in the two-week-long event.

This alliance of Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean powers projects a unified maritime encirclement of China as the Communist regime continues its aggressive, and sometimes hostile, encroachment on vast regions of the Indian OceanandWestern Pacific Ocean.

                                        *          *          *          * 

Serving as lead ships for the four participating navies (top photo….from top to bottom) and the insignia for each naval force working together in Malabar 2020:

>>Australia….HMASBallarat (FFH 155)–frigate

             *          *          *          *

>>India….INSVikramaditya–aircraft carrier; Indian Navy flagship

            *          *          *          *

>>United States….USSNimitz (CVN 68) – nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

            *          *          *          *

>>Japan….JSMurasame (DD 101)–destroyer

                                         ________________________

>>CLICK on the photos for a closer look at this impressive naval force….

>>Top photo: Mass Communication Specialist3rd Class Keenan Daniels, USN; photos #2 & 3: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elliot Schaud, USN

King of the world….

BLACK SEA (September 24, 2020) – LT Timothy D. Grant, USN, watches the sun set from the starboard bridge wing aboard United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyerUSSRoosevelt (DDG 80).

If you ZOOM-IN on the photo above, you’ll notice the letters “OOD” on the back of his ballcap. That mean he is the Officer of the Deck. He’s in charge of the operation of the ship for the duration of his watch (4-6 hours)….and answers directly to the Commanding Officer (the Captain).

                                        USS Roosevelt (DDG 80)

                                           *          *          *          *

During my years as a warship OOD, the sunrise and sunset bridge watches were my favorites. When operational tempo permitted, it was always a spiritual experience to step out onto the bridge wing, like LT Grant above, and take in the wonders of Mother Nature – the sea, the sky, the fresh ocean air, the Sun – for a few moments.

Made me feel, if ever so briefly, like I was “King of the world”! And it also tended to keep me centered….in the enormity of it all out there.

The mighty steel warship humming and throbbing beneath my feet, as if alive, plowing a path through the mighty ocean….under my direction and control….the universe surrounding….headed for someplace really interesting….albeit very far from back home….on the other side of the planet….

….like in the photo up at the top of this post.

                                           _____________________

>>ZOOM-IN on the photo….and enjoy the spiritual moment….

>>Top photo: Mass Communication SpecialistSeaman Austin G. Collins, USN

>>After note: Some of you may be wondering what that dolphin-like shape is next to LT Grant in the top photo. Just a piece of (or combination of) mounted bridge equipment that is best kept covered from the harsh ocean elements when not in use.

But, yeah, it adds an interesting feeling to the scene….

Introducing….

     ….the USS Constellation (FFG 62)-class guided-missile frigate….

          …..with up to 20 versatile warships planned….

               …..by the United States Navy and Congress….

TheUSS Constellation(FFG-62)-classfrigate program, previously known as the FFG(X) program, is a Navy initiative to build a class of 20 guided-missile frigates (FFGs).

TheUnited States Congress funded the procurement of the first FFG-62 class ship in FY2020 at a cost of $1.3 billion. The Navy’s proposed FY2021 budget requests $1.1 billion for the procurement of the second FFG-62 class ship. The Navy estimates that subsequent ships in the class will cost roughly $940 million each.

The versatile frigates will be able to operate independently or as part of an aircraft carrier strike group. It’s a multi-mission small surface combatant designed to conduct anti-air warfare (AAW),anti-surface warfare (ASUW),anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and electromagnetic warfare (EMW)operations.

The ships are expected to begin entering the active Fleet in the late 2020s….and throughout the 2030s. These small, but very capable, warships will fill an important gap as the somewhat star-crossed Independence-classandFreedom-classlittoral combat ships are phased out from Fleet service.

                                            ____________________

>>Top image: artist’s conception

If ships could fly….

PACIFIC OCEAN (October 15, 2020) – United States Navy amphibious assault ship USSMakin Island (LHD 8) appears to emerge from the cloud layer for a smooth landing on the ocean surface….

                                           _______________________

>>Photo:Cpl. Patrick Crosley, USMC

A new day dawning….

PACIFIC OCEAN (October 24, 2020) – United States NavyArleigh Burke-classguided missiledestroyerUSSHalsey (DDG 97) on patrol thousands of miles from home….on the other side of the planet….

….at the start of another day for the proud warship carrying the name of one of the Nation’s most distinguished military leaders….

….Fleet AdmiralWilliam Frederick “Bull” Halsey Jr.….who played a huge role in leading American and Allied forces to victory in the Pacific theater of World War II….

….and another hard-working day on the same high seas for the nearly 300 21st-century American men and women who make her a fightingship.

                                           USS Halsey (DDG 97)

With a little luck, those Sailors hope to be back in their homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the early part of 2021….

     Meanwhile….USS Halsey (DDG 97) sails for new horizons….

                                         _____________________

>>Top three photos: Mass Communication Specialist3rd Class Andrew Langholf, USN

NATO OPERATION 

30.01.2016  petra, lesbos/greece. this photo shows about 150 refugees waiting for getting out of the harbor area to get on busses bringing them to camp moria. they have been picked up by a greek navy vessel which is part of the frontex mission. the european union just decided to deploy a group of nato navy war-vessels to this part of the agean sea, officially to help the fight against the organized criminals that do the human trafficking. this is very obvious a false flag operation, because it is not even possible to get to these people on the water, since they are never in the boats. most of the times the boats are piloted by the refugees itself, or some poor dude making a little bit of cash. so this way there will be no chance to get to the real smugglers doing the business. the real reason will be to scare the refugees off, because they normally don´t start when they see a coastguard or navy vessel around. also, since turkey is part of the nato, this way the vessels are there for monitoring the area and pass their infos directly to the turkish side. the frontex and the turkish coastguard is actually restricted by law to do that, even if this is most likely ignored. the whole mission of the nato vessels is pretty much a task to close the boarder, which would be only legal for them in a case of defense, according to the law, which was not declared so far. this start to look like a war on refugees.