ROYAL SEA DAY
THE QUEEN and Duke of Edinburgh are to have a Sea Day with the Royal Navy in the English Channel on June 25. Seven or eight ships are to take part, and the Queen and Duke are expected to embark In one of the warships at Portsmouth. Princess Anne is to make an Informal visit to HMS Amazon at Plymouth on February 12. The Princess launched the frigate at Southampton In 1911.
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FEBRUARY 1982 lOp
O1 'T GUN!
That's the word on shore base closures
THE "Way Ahead" studies seeking to establish training and manpower needs for the slimmed-down Navy are due to reach some conclusions during the next few weeks, it is believed.
This could lead to news in the spring of the future outline of facilities and training. Until the pattern becomes clearer, talk of individual establishment closures or moves remains speculation, Navy News was assured.
The exception is HMS Pembroke, whose closure was confirmed last year. Many other establishments in different parts of the country have been named in talk among Service personnel and civilians in the naval centres. But the general message is that it would still be unwise to put much money on any particular establishment for closure, with the options open and final decisions still to come. It is, however, known that there is a wish to clarify the position as soon as possible in the interests of all those involved.
Hospitals
Some of the reports which have been appearing about the future of UK establishments concern RN Hospitals. A reduction of 60 beds in Haslar was agreed as part of a tn-Service review before last summer's White Paper. Meanwhile, the general review of medical services includes RN Hospital Plymouth. There have also been reports that another look is being taken at scheduled disposal dates of some of the Navy's larger ships, with the possibility of keeping them longer than planned. Official reaction in late January, however, was that there was no known change in the plan to dispose of the assault ships HMS Intrepid and Fearless as they become due for refit.
Invincible The Intrepid returned to Portsmouth late last year, and is planned for disposal this year. The Fearless is due to go in 1984. Speculation has continued too about the future of HMS Invincible. MOD comment is that consultations have been continuing
with the Australian Government. HMS London, the "last broadside" ship, which returned to the UK in December at the end of her RN career, is to be sold to Pakistan. Three Ton-class ships which have been attached to the RNR - HM ships Laleston, Lewiston and Crofton - are due to leave, although the Crofton will remain until at least the end of the year.
Orders It is planned to replace them with two Ton-class transferring from the RN, with a decision concerning a third later. Their places in the RN are being taken by the new Castle-class ships. Answering a question from Mr. Keith Speed in the Commons at the end of January, the Defence Secretary (Mr. John Nott) said more MCM vessels were urgently needed for the RNR. He hoped to start placing orders in the next financial year.
Renown first with Chevco-iwline
WITH
Chevaline due to become operational before the end of the year, HMS Renown will be the first submarine to deploy the new system, it is understood. Chevallne is the warhead development which updates the Royal Navy's Polaris missiles. The Renown featured In a MOD announcement in January saying she was visiting the United States that month and was to fire unarmed Polaris missiles down the Atlantic test range.
She embarked her missiles at Coulport before leaving the United Kingdom. The Renown's Starboard crew (under Cdr. D. P. B. Ryan) were operating the boat from the time of leaving Faslane until take-over by the Port crew (under Cdr. D. L. P. Evam). In the US the Renown was berthing at Port Canaveral. Meanwhile a programme is under way to replace the motors of the Polaris missiles over a period of years and at a cost put at "several hundred million
pounds." Preliminary work has already taken place. These motors were known to have a "finite life," it was stated, and replacement will take place as the end of their life is reached.
FOR TRAINING " A Poseidon navigation system (C3) has been Installed and formally opened at the RN Polaris School. It is representative of the latest Polaris navigation
sub-system being fitted Into British Polaris submarines. HM submarine Revenge is at present completing the conversion, and will be followed by the other Polaris boats at their next refits. The school will retain the original Polaris A3 navigation sub-system for training until all the Polaris vessels have been modified. Opening of the new system was carried out by Rear-Admiral J. S. Grove (Chief Strategic Systems Executive).