Joint Warrior 13-1

Iroquois-class destroyers

The Iroquois-class destroyers are a class of four helicopter-carrying, guided missile destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy. Launched in the 1970s, they were originally fitted out for anti-submarine warfare, but a major upgrade programme in the 1990s overhauled them for area-wide anti-aircraft defence. HMCS Huron was paid off and later sunk in a live-fire exercise, leaving three ships in the class.

The replacement for the Iroquois class is now known to Canadian naval observers as the Single Class Surface Combatant Project and this project has been included in the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, announced in October 2011. The new vessels will replace both the Iroquois-class and the Halifax-class beginning in the late 2010s. Under the NSPS, the federal government has awarded the combat vessel package to Irving Shipbuilding and includes construction of 15 warships.

Hmcs Iroquois is seen below arriving at Leith on Thursday 11^th April to participate in Joint Warrior 13-1.

Joint Warrior 13-1

Absalon Class Flexible Support Ship

HDMS Absalon (L16) and her sister ship HDMS Esbern Snare (L17) are the biggest ships ever to serve in the Royal Danish Navy and are the two members of the Absalon class flexible support ships. The two ships in the Absalon class, named after Danish archbishop and statesman Absalon, received full operational status in 2007.

The ships are the first in a series of Navy vessels tasked with carrying out new types of missions, and are to form the backbone of the international operations that the Navy is increasingly focusing on.  The Absalon-class ships are primarily designed for command and support roles, with a large ro-ro deck,

Absalon is seen here arriving in awful weather at HMNB Clyde (Faslane) on Friday 12^th April to participate in Joint Warrior 13-1.

 

 

Joint Warrior 13-1

Bremen Class Frigates

Fgs Bremen and Fgs Emden

The German Navy has eight Bremen Class frigates designed and built by Bremer Vulkan in the 1980s. The eight F122 Bremen class frigates of the German Navy were commissioned between 1982 and 1990 (Bremen F207 in 1982) and Emden (F210 in 1983).  The design is similar to the Dutch Kortenaer class but uses a different hull and propulsion system. The ship's primary role is for operation within the NATO and German task forces. The ship is designed primarily for anti-surface warfare missions with strong anti-air and anti-submarine warfare capability.

The first of class, Bremen (F207) was commissioned in 1982 and Emden (F 210) in 1983

All eight Bremen-class frigates will be replaced by the planned F125 class frigates, starting probably around 2016. Until then, the Bremen class serves as the backbone of the German Navy.

Bremen and Emden are seen here arriving in awful weather at HMNB Clyde (Faslane) on Friday 12^th April to participate in Joint Warrior 13-1.

Fgs Emden

Fgs Bremen

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS (R06)

Fresh from her final visit to Liverpool in February and deck landing practice in the Irish Sea with Chinooks and Sea King helicopters, the nation’s on-call helicopter carrier, HMS Illustrious, is seen here taking on provisions at the Glen Douglas Armament depot at Loch Long in Scotland. 

‘Lusty’ is due to retire from active service in 2014 but before her retirement she has a very busy schedule planned with various foreign and British port visit and a major naval exercise next month she is far from taking her final months easy.

HMS Illustrious is seen here alongside at the Armaments depot on the 2nd March before heading back out to sea.

KV Sortland

The Norwegian Coastguard vessel KV Sortland returned to Leith between 22nd - 25th February to offload the Nato Submarine vessel.

She was previously in the port at the begining of last week click HERE for photos of her arriving

She is seen here alongside on the 23rd February.

HMS Portland F79

Hms Portland is a type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy she is one of the youngest in her class having been commissioned in 2001.

Portland completed a major 50 week upkeep period at Babcock’s Rosyth dockyard in 2012.  However a few problems came to light during her post refit trials including problems with her gyros which resulted in an emergency dry docking at the Rosyth yard at the end of January. 

She is seen here departing (again) on the 15^th February 2013 having completed her emergency repairs.

HMS Portland will undertake a further three months of sea trials before returning to Fleet and operational duties in early spring of 2013.

More information and further photos of Hms Portland can be seen here