Russia warships pass through English Channel

[Jimbuna]

So four Russian warships transit the English Channel (the last time this happened we sent out a Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dragon to act as an escort and to monitor the situation)....this time we send out HMS Tyne, a River-class offshore patrol vessel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Tyne_%28P281%29

A squadron of Russian warships has passed through the English Channel in what the Royal Navy described as a "routine" movement.

Nato dismissed reports by Russian media saying the flotilla was there to conduct military exercises.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the ships had been escorted out of UK waters by Royal Navy warship HMS Tyne.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30248305

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

this time we send out HMS Tyne, a River-class offshore patrol vessel

I can understand the Type 45 being sent out as it's capable of dealing with any acts of aggression by the Russian, but what's HMS Tyne supposed to do, give them a dirty look?

[Betonov]

I can't understand why waste money and fuel following some ships in transit. Send a drone or a young recruit with a Landy and binoculars

[Oberon]

Better than when we sent out a load of Swordfish and hardly any of them came back...

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Tango589

I can understand the Type 45 being sent out as it's capable of dealing with any acts of aggression by the Russian, but what's HMS Tyne supposed to do, give them a dirty look?

Probably do a two-way swap on some duty frees

[Catfish]

Maybe the NATO warheads want to humiliate the Russians, like "look what a threat your ships are, to us"

[Skybird]

Its nothing so unusual at all, the Russians have repeatedly send ships to that place offshore France and waited there for some storm to wear down. Since several decades. The landmasses serve as a natural protection from the gale. That ships in weather-imposed wait, maybe even anchoring, run drills aboard and exercises of routine, also is not unusual, but common military routine. NATO says it does not see them conducting extraordinary military manouvers in the region.

Nothing is happening on that part of the sea.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I agree with Sky, they do transit through, just as Bears and Co approach UK airspace Only approach though, unless correct flight-plan filed (although when the Black Knights visited Scampton in the late '80s they took an unofficial detour over Coningsby).

Nothing to get excited about. Other some countries escort our stuff through seas and airspace.

[Oberon]

Maybe they heard it was Black Friday and wanted to see if there was an electronic store near Dover that they could get some deals at.

[mapuc]

Here's a question I suppose none of us know the real truth off I even don't think our military expert knows

What is the real reason to all this Putins "aggressive" forwarding his military forces ?

Markus

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Here's a question I suppose none of us know the real truth off I even don't think our military expert knows

What is the real reason to all this Putins "aggressive" forwarding his military forces ?

Markus

Probably just trying to re-assert his status as 'Comrade Big Bananas'.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Here's a question I suppose none of us know the real truth off I even don't think our military expert knows

What is the real reason to all this Putins "aggressive" forwarding his military forces ?

Markus

It's not that aggressive, it's been a lot worse before, back in the Cold War. It's just surprising to us because we've had twenty years of Russia being relatively docile, now Russia is back asserting its power on the world stage.

It's no worse than what we have done and probably still do with spyplanes and submarines. Heck, sometimes I think there were more NATO submarines off Murmansk than Soviet ones.

It's probably worth pointing out that if the Russian navy actually intended to do anything aggressive, the Channel is about the least sensible place to do it.

[Otto Harkaman]

I have no idea what Putin is up to. First thing that comes to mind is that all the posturing might be to grab our attention so that he can do something unnoticed and more important elsewhere.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Otto Harkaman

I have no idea what Putin is up to. First thing that comes to mind is that all the posturing might be to grab our attention so that he can do something unnoticed and more important elsewhere.

As mentioned before this is nothing new, as well as NATO ships crusing around everywhere. Posturing indeed.

What is new though, is that our western media make such a hubbub of russian ships, i bet they do not mention the US and englisch warships in the Baltic. Let alone NATO subs close or within swedish territorial waters.

Why do the media do it ? Because our local media anchormen are good friends (on a loan list) of the US. See "Transatlantikbruecke".
NATO tries to paint a dark russsian picture since 1990, but frankly after Gorbatchev it has been the NATO acting aggressively.
Probably because the NATO urgently needs a reason (read: enemy) to justify its own existence, after 1990.