Warships Pod

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   

    Host Iain Ballantyne and guest Dr Robert Farley reconvene for another podcast chat, this time looking at the sinking of the Russian Navy cruiser Moskva.    In addition to unpicking the event - for example, was the Black Sea Fleet flagship hit by Ukrainian missiles, or was she destroyed by an accidental explosion? – They assess the incident’s impact on the Russian Navy’s campaign.    The discussion includes how the Moskva may have opened herself up to attack and other topics such as comparisons with missile attacks in the 1982 Falklands War on British warships and in the 1991 Gulf War against an American battleship off Kuwait damage control (or lack of it) aboard the Russian warship; the sheer shock to the system for a Russian Navy lacking experience in high-intensity warfare.    Also, did the Moskva go down carrying nuclear weapons, creating a ‘broken arrow’ incident?   The arc of the wider conflict is considered. With the launch of the Kremlin’s bid to conquer the Donbas is the war nearing its end? Beyond the Black Sea is a major confrontation between the NATO and Russian naval forces shaping up, with the advent of a new Battle of the Atlantic? Aspects of naval history in the Black Sea are touched upon, including the strange (but true) stories of Tsarist battleships that became capital vessels of the Bolsheviks in 1917 before ending up in surprising places (and ownership).   Also discussed is the human cost of the Moskva’s destruction and how the aftermath bears similarities to the tragic loss of the submarine Kursk more than 20 years ago, at the beginning of Vladimir Putin’s reign as Russian leader.    • 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 • In addition to teaching at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, Rob Farley writes extensively about an array of defense 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. He's available on Twitter at @drfarls

In this episode host, Iain Ballantyne talks to Dr Robert Farley, a long-time US-based contributor to WARSHIPS IFR magazine, who currently teaches at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky. They begin with a survey of the Russia-Ukraine War, looking at how the West has handled a major conflict in Europe both diplomatically and military, including aspects of the struggle at sea. Iain and Rob go on to discuss the following: the practicality of a NATO No-Fly Zone; how such a move could see a clash at sea between Russia and Ukraine; the Russian-imposed Black Sea blockade of Ukraine; the prevention of wheat shipments; a possible amphibious assault on Odessa by Moscow’s naval forces (and its viability). Among other things Iain and Rob talk about is how the West can best assist Ukraine if it is confronted with a long struggle. They also weigh up whether or not, beyond its current military blunders, the Kremlin has a long game. Might Vladimir Putin be playing ‘11th-dimensional chess’? In addition to touching on the continuing spectre of nuclear weapons use by Moscow, Iain and Rob discuss whether or not there are useful parallels between the 1982 Falklands War and today’s conflict in Ukraine. They also chat about the possibility of China invading Taiwan and whether Beijing would be able to achieve an element of surprise. In addition to considering where the US Navy stands today in terms of handling its global commitments - and its recent missteps in warship building programmes - the discourse includes how the Russia-China strategic partnership may or may not evolve. Adding a dash of naval history, Iain and Rob nominate some noteworthy battleships, namely Japan’s Kongo Class (Rob) and the UK’s Warspite and Rodney (Iain). Finally, Rob gives his view on how the new Cold War between East and West may evolve in years to come. • 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 • In addition to teaching at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, Rob 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. He's available on Twitter at @drfarls

Host Iain Ballantyne and returning special guest James Bosbotinis, who has deep insight into Russia’s strike capabilities and strategy, in this episode discuss the naval side of the Ukraine conflict and attempt to clear away some of the fog of war. In a wide-ranging chat they look at how things have unfolded so far, with attention paid to the following aspects: the shape of the overall offensive on land and from the sea; missile-firings by Russian warships and submarines from the Black Sea against targets in Ukraine; the Snake Island episode in which Russian warships bombarded a Ukrainian garrison that showed heroic defiance; merchant vessels being hit by missiles; the likely amphibious assaults by Russian forces and a looming blockade of Ukrainian ports. Iain and James compare the scale of Russia’s land-attack missile firings to those by the US Navy and allies in previous wars. They also discuss the capacity of Russian missile-firing vessels compared to American warships.  Among the other topics covered are: the urgent need for European NATO nations to close the land-attack missile gap with Moscow’s naval strike forces; Russia’s ‘aircraft carriers’ in Syria and the Kaliningrad enclave; the thorny subject of the Turkish Straits and whether or not they should be closed to Russian warships. Iain and James also talk about the risk of tensions between the Kremlin and NATO escalating into the use of tactical nuclear weapons (or even other kinds of attacks). There are also reflections on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 when the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war plus today’s risk of a miscalculation at sea in the heat of the moment.  • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine.  For more details on the magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Twitter: @WarshipsIFR Iain Ballantyne on Twitter: @IBallantyn • For more information about Dr. James Bosbotinis visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbosbotinis  Twitter: @JamesBosbotinis