Warships Pod

    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

Special guest for this episode is defence and international affairs analyst Dr. James Bosbotinis who is a regular contributor to WARSHIPS IFR magazine. He possesses deep insights into Russia’s naval capabilities, along with the maritime strategy and long-range strike capabilities of Moscow’s surface warships and submarines. Topics discussed with podcast host Iain Ballantyne include the purpose of Russia deploying task groups to seas off Ireland, in the Mediterranean, and elsewhere as the Ukraine Crisis simmers; the capabilities of missiles in Russia’s ships and submarines at sea; whether or not the Russian Navy of today can sustain its global presence at the current pace; how Russia is creating a potent mix of new submarines and vessels alongside regenerated Cold War-era units. Also touched on: what may or may not happen in the Black Sea should President Vladimir Putin decide on war with Ukraine; how Russia’s naval forces would contribute via sea-based cruise missile attacks; Russia’s wider use of its naval forces to challenge the West; NATO’ s response to Moscow’s moves at sea, including the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group of the US Navy in the Mediterranean. The purpose of Russia assembling an amphibious assault fleet in the Black Sea is weighed up. Is it just a distraction while the Kremlin acts elsewhere, or is it actually to stage an attack from the sea against Odessa and or in the Sea of Azov? Iain and James also ponder how NATO will need to respond to Russia beyond the Ukraine Crisis, in what is shaping up as a new Cold War at sea. • 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

This episode sees WARSHIPS IFR Editor Iain Ballantyne and intelligence affairs specialist Chris Carr looking at naval aspects of the Ukraine Crisis. They ponder the prospect of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and the associated moves at sea by both Moscow’s and NATO’s task groups. The topics include: plans for live-firing exercises by Russian warships off Ireland that may be an end in themselves - to assist the Kremlin’s diplomatic efforts - or a prelude to long-range cruise missiles strikes on Ukraine; whether or not the real objective off Ireland is to destroy the West’s undersea Internet cables; the likely purpose of a Russian amphibious warfare task group sailing across the Mediterranean and headed for the Black Sea. The discussion touches on: China’s perspective on what is happening and whose side Beijing probably favours; how today’s situation compares to the Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960s; a possible new ‘Iron Curtain.’  Iain also tells us how, as a young journalist, he sailed into the Barents Sea at the end of the Cold War while ‘embedded’ in the British intelligence-gathering warship HMS London. It was a historic voyage that even saw the frigate sail downriver to Murmansk, into the lair of the Russian Bear. • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine.  For more details on the magazine  http://bit.ly/wifrmag • Chris Carr is a London-based film director and producer who hosts his own podcast, called “Secrets & Spies” on which he interviews authors and former spies about the world of intelligence. He is also the producer of the WARSHIPS POD. For more information on Chris and his work visit https://www.chriscarr.co.uk

In this episode of WARSHIPS POD host, Iain Ballantyne chats with Jack Lowe, who connects with the sea while working as a documentarist ‘using photography, audio, film, and words to shine a light on the greatness of others’ (as Jack himself puts it). Jack’s main pursuit in recent times has been The Lifeboat Station Project, which he describes as a mission to ‘photograph all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations on glass.’  Since 2014 he has traveled in Neena, an ambulance converted into a mobile darkroom in which he weaves his magic with glass plates. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jack had managed to visit 150 of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stations around the coast of the United Kingdom plus Ireland and hopes to resume his photographic odyssey later this year. In this podcast episode, Iain discusses with Jack how his RNLI work has brought him into contact with an amazing Dunkirk ‘little ship’ that in the summer of 1940 - as the Second World War raged - took part in the Operation Dynamo evacuation of British and allied troops from France.  Among other topics, Iain and Jack touch on during their lively conversation are movies about the Dunkirk evacuation; interlinked aspects of the RNLI and Royal Navy; H.M. Coast Guard’s SAR helicopters; the enduring seafaring character of Britons, whether in the RNLI or RN, along with things in common of how the two organizations train to tackle their demanding missions.  • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine.  For more details on the magazine  http://bit.ly/wifrmag • To learn more about Jack and his work visit The Lifeboat Station Project here https://lifeboatstationproject.com or follow it on Twitter https://twitter.com/ProjectLifeboat

"Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom" is the epic true story of the Royal Navy’s pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck during WW2, a production that is having its world premiere on a major TV channel in the UK this weekend. Broadcast date: October 30th Time: 6.55pm Channel 4 In this podcast special, we talk to the author of the book the television programme is based on - none other than WARSHIPS International Fleet Review Editor Iain Ballantyne. Chatting with guest host Chris Carr enables Iain to give the inside story of both the book and documentary. During the discussion, Iain introduces us to Royal Navy war veterans who saw the battle up close, and whom he interviewed on camera over several years. Their remarkable eyewitness testimony is at the heart of the powerful and spectacular production, which also features top-class CGI and dramatized scenes. During the podcast, Iain and Chris touch on various fascinating aspects of the famous Bismarck Action of May 1941 - one of the most dramatic episodes in naval warfare - not least the loss of HMS Hood and how the Bismarck was lost by her pursuers for 31 hours. They also discuss how one-time foes would after the war become firm friends. There will be an article on the creation of ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ - both the book and the TV documentary (which was produced by Screen Story) - in the forthcoming December 2021 edition of WARSHIPS IFR magazine (out on November 19th). • For more details on the book "Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom" (Agora Books) https://www.bismarckbattle.com/bismarck-24-hours-to-doom-2/

On the second episode of WARSHIPS POD host, Iain Ballantyne welcomes two guests who have been regular contributors to WARSHIPS International Fleet Review magazine over the years.  Commander Rob Forsyth commanded the diesel boat HMS Alliance during the Cold War, was XO of a Polaris nuclear deterrent missile submarine in the 1970s and also CO of the hunter-killer HMS Sceptre. He was, during his long career as an undersea warrior, ‘Teacher’ on the Royal Navy’s famed Perisher submarine command course.   Dr James Bosbotinis is a highly respected defence expert with a vast knowledge of weapons systems and their part in shaping modern geopolitics along with being the books editor of the Naval Review, the professional journal of Royal Navy officers.  During the lively chat subjects discussed include the new Australia-UK-USA (AUKUS) defence alliance and its naval implications; whether or not the UK should replace its Trident deterrent; the advent of hypersonic weapons and Anti-ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs) at sea; how long aircraft carriers will remain relevant; the oceans becoming ‘transparent’ and threatening to make submarines redundant; the rise of air and sea drones that may rule over the seven seas; the human element in future drone warfare; and naval superspy Commander James Bond.

Welcome to the first voyage of the WARSHIPS International Fleet Review podcast hosted by its Editor Iain Ballantyne and with the magazine’s Associate Editor Peter Hore as a special guest. They enjoy a lively discussion that ranges from UFOs buzzing warships to whether or not Britain should build a new Royal Yacht and the naval women behind the scenes who helped win WW2.    Subjects touched on across Iain and Peter’s wide-ranging conversation include naval interactions with UFOs; the wisdom or otherwise of building a New Royal Yacht for the UK; whether or not getting rid of the Trident nuclear deterrent would see funds poured into expanding the British fleet; the important role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the British navy (and the danger of confusing those vessels fully-fledged warships); Danish warship designs for the Royal Navy; UK patrol vessels being sent into high threat areas; naval risks and being one step away from a maritime conflict; the Russian-UK-US (RUKUS) confidence-building efforts of the Cold War; the valiant unsung work of the British naval women who intercepted, translated and analyzed naval signals traffic in WW2 and assisted Allied victory; today’s Russian threat in the Baltic and other topics covered in the latest edition of WARSHIPS IFR. Alongside touching on content in the August and September 2021 editions of the monthly magazine, Iain and Peter reference elements of the recently published WARSHIPS IFR ‘Guide to the Royal Navy 2021’.