Warships Pod

In part two of a discussion by Mark Grove and Dr Gary Blackburn with host Iain Ballantyne, the tasty and varied menu includes naval aspects of the Ukraine War and whether or not a new Battle of the Atlantic is shaping up as Russia seeks to win its so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine it has sought to establish stronger links with China, so this begs the question, which Iain puts out there: what does Moscow have to offer Beijing? Does the answer possibly lie in naval technology? After also touching on Russia reinforcing its submarine forces in the Pacific, the chat turns to the Ukraine War itself. Among the topics touched on are Moscow effort’s to impose a distant blockade in the Black Sea and the use of drones, plus implications for the Royal Navy as it struggles to achieve critical mass in aerial capabilities. The discussion turns to the new contest in the Atlantic between Russia and the West. Bearing in mind this is the 80 th anniversary year of the Allies gaining a decisive upper hand in the WW2 struggle for that vast and strategically vital ocean, does naval history offer anything relevant to where we are now? Would convoys of merchant vessels need to make a comeback if the 21 st Century Atlantic contest turns hot? And, as a worthwhile digression, what about the importance of safeguarding seabed infrastructure - especially in the wake of the Nord Stream sabotage attack - and how to avoid dangerous escalation? The expert analysis and commentary of Mark and Gary on all the above subjects is well worth a listen. Also touched on in this episode is China seeking to exert sea control in oceans off its shores, via land-based ballistic missiles, but why? The conundrum of prioritising UK army or naval expenditure is mentioned, along with the folly of the UK’s notorious 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Mark Grove is a Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies specialising in Maritime Strategy, Warfare, and Security at the University of Lincoln’s Maritime Studies Centre at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, where he has taught for 24 years, originally working directly for the Ministry of Defence. Mark has written on amphibious warfare, the naval history of the Second World War, and the Falklands. Over the last decade or more has spent most of his research time examining the threats posed by the Russian and Chinese navies, on which he has provided briefings for several UK and NATO Headquarters and Government Departments. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJGrove Dr Gary Blackburn is an honorary fellow of the Centre for Security Studies at the University of Hull, which seeks to enhance understanding on the nature of war and strategy while also providing guidance on best practice in war and strategy to professional stakeholders. Gary has taught Security Studies and Military History at the Universities of Leeds and Hull, respectively - and has written for Defence Studies and The Critic, and for the latter about aspects of the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review of Defence and Security. Follow him on Twitter @gjb70 • For more on Warships IFR magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR • Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of Warships IFR. He is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, with his most recent books being ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ and ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron’ (new editions for Canelo History). For more details on Iain and his books visit the websites http://iainballantyne.com and https://www.bismarckbattle.com/ Follow him on Twitter @IBallantyn

In part one of a two-part special, guests Dr Gary Blackburn and Mark Grove discuss an array of hot topics with host Iain Ballantyne. Iain asks Gary and Mark to give their perspectives on submarine aspects of the Australia- United Kingdom-USA (AUKUS) defence pact following the recent big announcement on the way ahead in San Diego. They consider the implications, along with the scale and nature of the challenge, both industrially and strategically. The UK’s Integrated Review 23 Refresh’ (IR23) comes under scrutiny to assess what we know so far and what may be to come, including naval cuts/or reshaping that will be revealed in the forthcoming Command Paper. How the UK might weight its defence forces is considered. Britain’s much-vaunted Pacific Tilt in relation to China v. West tensions is also discussed, along with the prospect of a retreat from major naval commitments in Indo-Pacific - under a possible new Labour Government - as the Army lobbies for a return to a focus on a new ‘Central Front’ on land against Russia. • Part two will look at naval aspects of the Ukraine-Russia War and what a future Battle of the Atlantic may be like. It is an apt topic in the 80th anniversary year of the culmination in the WW2 struggle for the Atlantic. Mark Grove is a Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies specialising in Maritime Strategy, Warfare, and Security at the University of Lincoln’s Maritime Studies Centre at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, where he has taught for 24 years, originally working directly for the Ministry of Defence. Mark has written on amphibious warfare, the naval history of the Second World War, and the Falklands. Over the last decade or more has spent most of his research time examining the threats posed by the Russian and Chinese navies, on which he has provided briefings for several UK and NATO Headquarters and Government Departments. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJGrove Dr Gary Blackburn is an honorary fellow of the Centre for Security Studies at the University of Hull, which seeks to enhance understanding on the nature of war and strategy while also providing guidance on best practice in war and strategy to professional stakeholders. Gary has taught Security Studies and Military History at the Universities of Leeds and Hull, respectively - and has written for Defence Studies and The Critic, and for the latter about aspects of the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review of Defence and Security. Follow him on Twitter @gjb70 • For more on Warships IFR magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag  Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR • Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of Warships IFR. He is also the author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade’ (Weidenfeld &  Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, with his most recent books being ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ and ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron’ (new editions for Canelo History). For more details on Iain and his books visit the web sites http://iainballantyne.com and https://www.bismarckbattle.com/ Follow him on Twitter @IBallantyn

Michael G. Welham is our guest, talking to host Iain Ballantyne about the mysterious world of undersea warriors known as ‘combat divers’. Michael has been involved with diving, both military and civilian, for some 40 years. He was a Royal Marines Commando, with skills in diving, canoeing, and parachuting. Mike was also a member of 21 Special Air Service Regiment and of 95 Commando Naval Gunfire Support Royal Artillery, both British elite Reserve units.  To start things off, Iain asks Mike to provide a definition of a combat diver. Who can be described as such? What is it that attracts a certain kind of person to what is a highly demanding and very dangerous job, even within the risk-taking world of Special Forces? The origins of combat diving - WW2’s Italian and British ‘frogmen’ - are discussed, including the legendary Lieutenant Commander Lionel ‘Buster’ Crabb and also the exploits of the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment, the famed ‘Cockleshell Heroes’. The often overlooked role of Royal Marine specialists and other Allied frogmen in enabling troops to get ashore in Normandy on D-Day 6 June are mentioned, as are the origins of the famous US Navy SEALS during WW2 and their evolution in the Vietnam War.  The activities of Russian combat divers and submersibles in Scandinavian waters during the Cold War - along with recent suspected intrusions into Swedish and Norwegian waters - are discussed, along with last year’s Nord Stream gas pipeline sabotage act. Bringing things right up to date is some expert analysis by Mike of the possible role of Ukrainian combat divers in the sinking of the Russian Navy landing ship RFS Saratov, in the occupied port of Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azov.  He also provides insights into the role of Ukrainian combat divers, including their use of Swimmer Delivery Vehicles during the fight for Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) in the northwest Black Sea. Mike reveals how, during a daring operation across the River Dnieper, they also saved the lives of hundreds of civilians by enabling their escape from Russian oppression. •‘Combat Divers’ by Michael G. Welham, is published by Osprey, at £35.00 hardback. In addition to Mike’s expert analysis it is packed with photos and other illustrations. It is available from online retailers and via book shops. • For more on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR  On Facebook @WarshipsIFR • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of Warships IFR magazine. He is also the author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’, ‘The Deadly Trade’ and ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’. For more details on Iain and his books visit his web sites http://iainballantyne.com and https://www.bismarckbattle.com/ Follow him on Twitter @IBallantyn

In this podcast our guest is a legend of the Submarine Service. He is Doug Littlejohns, who had a remarkable career in the Royal Navy, both as a submarine captain and in command of an intelligence-gathering warship during the Cold War. Across a fascinating podcast discussion with our host Iain Ballantyne, we hear from Doug about his exciting time on the famed Perisher submarine command course; daring surveillance missions against Russian naval vessels in the diesel submarine HMS Osiris; how he brought the badly damaged nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Sceptre (and that boat’s crew) back to fighting efficiency. Doug also relates how, after reading Tom Clancy’s novel ‘The Hunt for Red October’ during a visit to the USA, he met the blockbuster author and ended up inspiring a character in the master story-teller's next bestseller, ‘Red Storm Rising’. Revealed also are Doug’s adventures in command of the Type 22 frigate HMS London, which included forcing a Russian submarine to surface and staging a mock funeral to prank a shadowing Soviet surface ship (both in the Baltic). Doug and HMS London also went eyeball-to-eyeball with the Iranians in the Arabian Gulf during the Tanker War. Doug reveals how he introduced a special premiere of the Hollywood movie of the ‘Hunt for Red October’ in London and, after leaving the Navy, worked with Clancy. They founded the famous computer games firm Red Storm Entertainment, becoming pioneers of strategy and also tactical-shooter genres, via ‘Rainbow Six’ and others. For more on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag  Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of this magazine. He is also the author of the books ‘Hunter Killers’ and ‘HMS London’ which, among other things, tell the story of Doug Littlejohns’ exploits as an undersea warrior and also as a surface warship captain. For more details on Iain and his books visit his websites http://iainballantyne.com and https://www.bismarckbattle.com/ Follow him on Twitter @IBallantyn

In this episode host Iain Ballantyne talks to Andy Benford, a Cold War undersea warrior who saw service in diesel ‘dirty boats’ of the British and Australian navies and aboard nuclear submarines, not only in hunter-killers but also the UK’s Polaris deterrent force. Aside from Andy’s brush with death during a notorious 1972 hovercraft accident in the Solent, they also discuss what inspired him to join the Royal Navy and become a submariner. Starting with service aboard the HMS Finwhale in 1970 - operating out of Singapore, including an exciting encounter with the Special Boat Service (SBS) - by 1977 Andy had graduated to the nuclear navy. As a young officer in HMS Sovereign, he played a key role in Operation Agile Eagle in the late 1970s. This was reputedly the longest trail of a Soviet Submarine in the Cold War, with nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine HMS Sovereign stealthily following a Yankee Class ballistic missile submarine for weeks in the Atlantic.  After that, in 1980 came the famed, and ruthless, Perisher submarine command course - also discussed - after which Andy was posted ashore to work in a nuclear blast-proof bunker at the Fleet HQ of the Royal Navy. Next Andy commands the Australian diesel submarine HMAS Oxley, with his exploits including taking part in a Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise off Hawaii in 1984, during which his boat ‘sank’ a US Navy carrier. After all that excitement in diesels and attack submarines, Andy became second-in-command of a Polaris missile submarine, deploying in HMS Revenge for five nuclear deterrent patrols between 1986 and 1990. Overall Andy provides a deeply fascinating insight into the life in a steel tube packed with cutting-edge tech and weapons. In addition, our guest has distinguished himself in recent times by devising a board game inspired by his life under the sea, called ‘They Come Unseen’, prototypes of which were ‘road-tested’ under the sea on submarine patrol. • Andy Benford is on Twitter @Perisher80 • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review  magazine. He can be found on Twitter @IBallantyn • For more details on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR

In this episode of the Warships Pod, host Iain Ballantyne is joined by two long-time and highly valued contributors to Warships IFR magazine and also to the “Guide to the US Navy.” They are Dr Robert Farley, who currently teaches at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky and David Axe, a journalist, author and filmmaker based in South Carolina. Topics discussed include: the general ‘State of the US Navy’ today and if it is still able to enforce Pax Americana; whether the USN is adequately coping with the here and now while getting ready for the future; the nature of threat (and level of competition) it faces from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China and Vladimir Putin’s maritime forces (especially in light of the Russian Navy’s performance in the Ukraine War). Other topics touched on include: the strange saga of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS); confusion over the future of the so-called Gator Navy (the amphibious warfare forces of the USN and the US Marine Corps); whether or not the new Constellation Class frigate will plug the surface combatant gap; the plus and minus points of the modern American fighting fleet. For more details on WARSHIPS IFR magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on https://www.facebook.com/WarshipsIFR/ To buy the ‘Guide to the US Navy 2023’ https://bit.ly/gusn2023 • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of Warships IFR magazine and the author of numerous naval and military history books, including ‘HMS London’, ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ and ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron.’ He also contributes commentaries on naval and Defence topics to various media outlets. Twitter @IBallantyn • In addition to teaching at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, Robert Farley writes extensively about an array of Defence issues. They include airpower, sea power and military innovation. He is a Senior Editor of ‘Lawyers, Guns and Money’ and manager of the LGM podcast. Twitter @drfarls • David Axe writes for ‘Forbes’, ‘The Daily Beast’ and ‘Rolling Stone.’ His most recent book is ‘Drone War: Vietnam’ (Pen & Sword Military). Twitter @daxe

Our guest for this episode of the Warships Pod is Dr. Philip Weir, a much esteemed naval historian who specialises in the history of the Royal Navy in the first half of the 20th Century. His most recent book is ‘Dunkirk and the Little Ships’.  Discussing that famous event is the major topic during his chat with podcast host Iain Ballantyne. In looking at the ‘miracle of Dunkirk’ of May and June 1940 - a story that still grips peoples’ imaginations even more than 80 years later – Iain asks Phil if it is just another example of the British turning a military disaster into some kind of triumph? Or a bona fide victory in the face of impossible odds? Iain also asks if the role of the famed ‘little ships’, in what was called Operation Dynamo, is misunderstood. What impact did they really have on the evacuation effort? And what exactly were ‘the Little Ships’? Also, has the Royal Navy’s major contribution to (and sacrifice in) Operation Dynamo been overlooked? Among the other things Iain and Phil discuss is the greater role of the Royal Navy in that so-called ‘Spitfire summer’ of 1940. Has the Royal Navy’s major part, in deterring a cross-Channel invasion by the Germans while fighting the U-boats in the Atlantic, been unjustly consigned to the shadows of our collective memory? The career of the remarkable Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay - the man who commanded Operation Dynamo - is also discussed. Aside from also chatting about notable movie depictions of the Dunkirk evacuation Iain asks Phil if he was given the chance to save and preserve any warship from the past, which vessel would it be and why? The answer may be a surprise… •For more details on Phil Weir’s book about the heroic Dunkirk evacuation https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dunkirk-and-the-little-ships-9781784423759/ Follow him on Twitter @navalhistorian • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine. For more details on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR Iain Ballantyne can be found on Twitter @IBallantyn

In this special episode, as the United Kingdom and the world says farewell to Her Majesty The Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, host Iain Ballantyne talks to long-time WARSHIPS IFR contributor Richard Johnstone-Bryden. Richard is the author of several books that highlight the strong connection between the Royal Navy and The Queen. When writing ‘The Royal Yacht Britannia - The Official History,’ Richard worked under the close direction of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen’s late husband, and also interviewed members of the Royal Family. During the podcast, Iain and Richard consider links between the Royal Navy and the monarchy, especially via special connections to various notable vessels and events. In addition to discussing the role of the Royal Navy in the state funeral of Her Majesty in London, Iain and Richard talk about how the Royal Family will carry on its close relationship with the Navy, in which some of its members have at various times seen combat service. • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine. For reports and features on global navies, including the naval side of events connected to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II get the November edition of WARSHIPS IFR, due out on 21.10.22. Check out the website http://bit.ly/wifrmag Also, follow the magazine on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR • Among other books written by Richard Johnstone Bryden are: ‘Britain’s Greatest Warship - HMS Ark Royal (IV)’; ‘HMS Illustrious (V) 1982 – 2014’; ‘HMS Ocean (VI) 1998-2018’, ‘HMS Bulwark (VII) 2005-2017’, ‘HMS Prince of Wales (VI) 2019’, ‘HMS Belfast Cruiser 1939’; and ‘HMS Cavalier Destroyer 1944’. For more information on his work visit: https://www.richardjohnstone-bryden.co.uk

We have as our guest this time David Larter, a noted commentator on US Navy matters and also global naval developments. First up for discussion will be the naval side of Ukraine War, with David giving his perspective on the Russian blockade, plus growing realisation of the global impact of Ukrainian grain shipments being blocked. Podcast host Iain Ballantyne asks what can be done. Can it be broken by force? If so, who would do it? Iain and David discuss the ‘War by Hunger’ that is potentially about to inflict starvation on some of the world’s poorest countries. Their chat also touches on echoes of what happened when the British imposed a sea blockade on Germany in WW1 and were themselves victims of U-boat attacks against maritime trade.  The overall Russian strategy today - and how it is driven by President Vladimir Putin’s urge to ensure Russia is not cut off from the sea - along with his desire to emulate Tsar Peter the Great in establishing his nation as a great imperial power, is also a topic of discussion. Turning to other aspects of the Ukraine War at sea, and indeed the entire conflict, Iain suggests that the most important battle on land and sea is in fact for possession of Odessa… Iain asks if David agrees that, if the Ukrainians get cut off from the sea and lose Odessa, it is ‘game over’? The USA of course is deeply involved in leading the West’s effort on Ukraine, but it also has a world of troubles to look out for, not least the rise of an aggressive China. And so in the vanguard of all that is the US Navy, with Iain asking David: How mighty is the USN these days? Is it being pushed to its limits and beyond by the world of troubles? WARSHIPS POD likes to also touch on history and culture in addition to current naval topics and geopolitics, which sees the discussion segue to an ancient movie history artifact - namely ‘Top Gun’ and its sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Spoiler alert for this section of the podcast! Iain and David reveal they have both seen it and so discuss their reactions to ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Does it fly or crash and burn?  • In addition to being a well-established Navy reporter David Larter is a US Navy veteran, - now working in the aerospace industry in Los Angeles, but who still engages on naval issues. His comment on the podcast are in a personal capacity as a navalist and not reflective of any organisation’s opinions. David can be found on Twitter @DavidLarter  • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine. For more details on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR Iain Ballantyne can be found on Twitter @IBallantyn 

Host Iain Ballantyne is joined by two of the UK’s big thinkers on naval strategy, namely Dr Gary Blackburn and Mark Grove, for a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion of hot topics. The subjects they tackle include who is winning the Ukraine War at sea, plus its implications for navies long and short term, not least a worrying lack of lethality in British warships and the mystifying absence of urgency in doing anything about it. The chat also looks at the lessons provided by the Falklands War of 1982 and how they remain ultra-relevant to today.  Whether or not the UK is maximising the potential of its new aircraft carriers is discussed. Are split priorities between maritime defence needs and the RAF’s land-based air aims undermining the carriers’ ability to act as a proper deterrent to Russian aggression?  Then there’s the matter of whether or not British politicians who are bogged down in Westminster Village squabbling - over the so-called cakegate, beergate and currygate scandals - are paying attention to threats like the long reach of Russia’s cruise missile-armed submarines.  The expanding fire power of the Chinese Navy is touched upon in the podcast too, while the discussion also weighs up where we are in the new Cold War - and asks if the West has the luxury of time to hang around in bolstering its defences. • Dr Gary Blackburn is an honorary fellow of the Centre for Security Studies at the University of Hull, which seeks to enhance understanding on the nature of war and strategy while also providing guidance on best practice in war and strategy to professional stakeholders.  Gary has taught Security Studies and Military History at the Universities of Leeds and Hull, respectively. He has written for ‘Defence Studies’ and ‘The Critic’, and for the latter about aspects of the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review of Defence and Security. He can be found on Twitter @gjb70 • Mark Grove is Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies specialising in Maritime Strategy, Warfare, and Security at the University of Lincoln’s Maritime Studies Centre at the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, where he has taught for 24 years, originally working directly for the Ministry of Defence. Mark has written on amphibious warfare, the naval history of the Second World War and the Falklands War. Over the last decade or more he has spent most of his research time examining the threats posed by the Russian and Chinese navies, on which he has provided briefings for several UK and NATO Headquarters and Government Departments. Mark is also on Twitter @MarkJGrove • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine and the author of numerous naval history books. These include ‘Hunter Killers’ and ‘The Deadly Trade’, both of which include chapters on the Cold War, Falklands War and naval operations today.  • For more details on WARSHIPS IFR magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag   Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on Facebook @WarshipsIFR