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Starboard view of the screw sloop HMS Torch at anchor. A ship connected to New Zealand

 

Starboard view of the screw sloop HMS Torch at anchor.

HMS Torch 1905. 

Australia Station flagship HMS EURYALUS with HMS TORCH

The 12,000 ton Cressy Class armoured cruiser HMS EURYALUS, last of her class, served as the flagship of the Australia Station’s Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Fanshawe in 1904-1905, having relieved HMS ROYAL ARTHUR.

 

Seen in foreground here is the 960 ton steel screw sloop HMS TORCH built at Sheerness Dockyard and completed in October 1895. She joined the Australia Station squadron in February 1897 and was one of the RN ships still present when the new Royal Australian Navy fleet squadron made its ceremonial entry into Sydney Harbour on October 4, 1913.

 

In 1917 she was handed over to the New Zealand Government and re-named FIREBRAND. Eventually sold into trade she became a refrigeration vessel named RAMA for a fishing fleet operating off the Chatham Islands, and was lost there when she struck an uncharted rock on Nov. 17, 1924. No lives were lost.

Torch was launched at Sheerness dockyard on 28 December 1895, completed in October 1895 and sailed to join the Australian Station in February 1897. In 1898 and 1899 she served in New Zealand waters. In 1901 she formed part of the naval escort during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Australian and New Zealand. In 1910-1911, after many years of patrol work around the Pacific Islands, she was refitted in Sydney and it is probable there were some changes to her rigging and armament. By the time the First Australian Fleet Unit arrived in Sydney in 1913 she was paid off. In 1917 she was handed over to the New Zealand government and renamed Firebrand. She was sold and fitted out with refrigeration for the Chatham Island fishing trade and renamed Rama. On 17 November 1924 she was holed by an uncharted rock approaching the harbour of the Chatham Islands, beached and abandoned.

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HMS A1 was accidentally run down by mail steamer SS Berwick Castle on 18 March 1904 with the loss of all her crew.

HMS A1 was accidentally run down by mail steamer SS Berwick Castle on 18 March 1904 with the loss of all her crew.

HMS A1 was the Royal Navy‘s first British-designed submarine, and their first to suffer fatal casualties.

She was the lead ship of the first British A-class submarines and the only one to have a single bow torpedo tube. She was actually sunk twice: first in 1904 when she became the first submarine casualty, with the loss of all hands; however, she was recovered, but sank again in 1911, this time when she was unmanned. The wreck was discovered in 1989 and was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act in 1998.[2] The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A1

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HMAS Paluma (A 01) is the lead ship of the Paluma-class survey motor launches operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

 

HMAS Paluma (IV) (A01)

A coastal survey ship commissioned by the Royal Australian Navy in 1989. The ship was designed for hydrographic surveys in northern Australia’s shallow waters. It is named after the town of Paluma in North Queensland.

September 2021 Retired

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RNZN ship of the day – HMNZS Hawea (P3571)

 

HMNZS Hawea entering Otago Harbour in 2009
HMNZS HAWEA guiding Queen Mary II into Waitangi. 2007

HMNZS HAWEA and Queen Mary II

 Navy Open Day at Devonport, New Zealand.

A fleet of seven ships enters Auckland Harbour. New Zealand Navy Ships, HMNZS CANTERBURY, ENDEAVOUR, TE KAHA, HAWEA and TAUPO


HMNZS Hawea is a Lake-class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Hawea was constructed between 2004 and 2007, and commissioned on 1 May 2009.[1] She performs border and fisheries protection patrols.

Hawea is the third ship of this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and is named after Lake Hāwea. Both of the Lake-class were sold to the Irish Naval Service in 2023 being delivered in May 2023. They are due in service sometime in 2024 after commission works are completed. Both are planned to be based on the east coast of Ireland where sea conditions suit their capabilities.

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HMNZS Aotearoa Suffers $10M Damage: Contaminated Diesel and Corrosion Issues Unveiled New Zealand’s HMNZS Aotearoa faces severe challenges with contaminated diesel and corrosion less than four years post-launch, prompting urgent repairs.

It was supposed to be a shining beacon of naval prowess, yet HMNZS Aotearoa, New Zealand’s largest naval vessel, has found itself in murky waters less than four years post-launch. An internal investigation uncovers nearly $10m in damages due to contaminated diesel, with additional concerns over coating and corrosion now coming to light. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered in 2020, the ship’s woes underscore significant challenges ahead.

Contamination Crisis Unfolds

April 2023 marked the onset of the contamination debacle when routine sampling revealed the presence of damaging fungi in the ship’s diesel. Assistant Chief of Navy Captain Simon Rooke highlighted the severity of the issue, noting the potential equipment and machinery damage posed by such microbiological threats. Although the exact cause of contamination remains under scrutiny, the incident prompts a broader inquiry into fuel management and maintenance protocols within naval operations. Remediation efforts promptly initiated in Singapore underscore the urgency of addressing this unforeseen complication.

Corrosion Concerns Compound Challenges

In tandem with the fuel contamination saga, HMNZS Aotearoa grapples with coating and corrosion issues detected since its mid-2020 delivery. These findings necessitate a comprehensive study to gauge the extent of required repairs, with a plan and costing to follow. Expected to conclude by mid-2024, these efforts aim to restore the vessel’s integrity. However, this situation illustrates the broader maintenance hurdles facing naval assets, particularly those of significant scale and complexity.

Navigating a Retention Crisis

The backdrop to these technical troubles is a broader retention crisis within the Navy, with a notable departure of marine propulsion technicians. This personnel challenge adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing maintenance and operational readiness of HMNZS Aotearoa, reflecting wider staffing issues within the defense sector. As the Navy endeavors to rectify the current predicaments, the intersection of technical and personnel issues will likely influence strategic priorities and resource allocation moving forward.

As HMNZS Aotearoa confronts these multifaceted challenges, the implications extend beyond immediate repair needs, hinting at broader considerations for naval asset management, personnel retention, and the ongoing viability of such significant military investments. The unfolding situation underscores the essential balance between operational capability and the maintenance imperative, with a keen eye on the future of naval defense readiness.

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USS George Washington: The U.S. Navy’s First Ballistic Missile Submarine

USS George Washington SSBN Submarine
March 2, 2024  Topic: Security  Region: Americas  Blog Brand: The Buzz  Tags: SSBNUSS George WashingtonSubmarineMilitary

USS George Washington: The U.S. Navy’s First Ballistic Missile Submarine

The USS George Washington (SSBN-598) marked a pivotal advancement in naval capabilities as the U.S. Navy’s first ballistic missile submarine launched in the late 1950s

by Maya Carlin Follow Mayarcarlin on Twitter

Summary: The USS George Washington (SSBN-598) marked a pivotal advancement in naval capabilities as the U.S. Navy’s first ballistic missile submarine launched in the late 1950s. Part of the innovative Skipjack class, it featured a high-speed hull design and was constructed using HY-80 steel. This submarine made history in 1960 by successfully launching the Polaris missile, showcasing its strategic nuclear capabilities. Despite a collision with a Japanese freighter in 1981 and changes in its operational role following the SALT II treaty, USS George Washington demonstrated significant naval prowess until its decommissioning and recycling in 1986.

USS George Washington (SSBN-598): The Submarine That Changed Naval Warfare

Named to honor the commander in chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States, USS George Washington (SSBN-598) became the Navy’s first-ever ballistic missile vessel when introduced more than six decades ago.

Initially, she was laid down as the attack submarine USS Scorpion (SSN-589). Ultimately, however, her longer length due to incorporating a ballistic missile section pushed her out of the class.

Another attack submarine under construction received the original hull number and name instead.

Introducing U.S. Navy Submarine USS George Washington SSBN

George Washington’s keel, was laid down at Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in 1958. She was launched one year later. As mentioned previously, Scorpion became George Washington during her construction phase. Notably, a plaque bearing her original name remained in the submarine’s forward escape hatch while in service.

She measured roughly 381 feet with a beam length of 33 feet and a draught of 29 feet. George Washington displaced 6,055 tons when surfaced and 6,815 tons submerged.

In 1960, George Washington loaded two solid propellant Polaris missiles and successfully launched the first Polaris from a submerged submarine. The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage, solid-fueled, nuclear-armed, submarine-launched ballistic missile that served the U.S. Navy for nearly twenty years.

When the formidable weapon was launched underwater from a moving platform, it became invulnerable to counterattack. The Polaris eventually formed the backbone of the service’s nuclear force. Down the line, this missile was gradually replaced by more advanced SSBNS, notably the Trident I.

Following a brief stint at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where she successfully launched Polaris missiles, George Washington sailed for Naval Submarine Base New London at New London, Connecticut. Following a decade-long departure from Groton, George Washington returned to South Carolina for refueling, having cruised some 100,000 nautical miles out at sea.

Collision with Nissho Maru

In 1981, a Japanese freighter collided with the George Washington in the East China Sea, causing the cargo ship to sink.

While thirteen of the Japanese ships’ crew members were rescued from rafts, the captain and his first officer were killed. Japanese officials accused the Navy of waiting 36 hours before informing its government or armed forces of the incident.

According to a statement released by the Navy, George Washington and its ballistic missiles/nuclear reactor onboard were undamaged. Survivors disputed the Navy’s account of the incident.

As detailed by The New York Times, “Survivors also said the submarine surfaced briefly after the collision but then submerged a few minutes later. The United States Navy, however, said in its statement that the George Washington surfaced immediately after the collision to offer assistance but that the freighter had disappeared from sight in fog and rain. ”The submarine was unable to observe personnel casualties or damage to the Japanese vessel before it disappeared from view,” the Navy said.”

Final Deployments

Following the Nissho Maru incident, George Washington returned to Pearl Harbor for her last missile patrol. Her missiles were unloaded in compliance with the SALT II treaty in 1981. George Washington deployed to Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal in her new role as an attack submarine.

She later participated in the 24th UNITAS exercise, representing the U.S. Navy’s sole submarine. Following these exercises, George Washington escorted John F. Kennedy in a deployment that circumnavigated South America in 1984.

USS George Washington was officially stricken from the Naval Vessel Registry in 1986 and was subsequently disposed of through the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

About the Author: Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

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RNZN Ship of the Day – HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) Loch-class frigate of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), which had formerly served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Loch Katrine at the end of World War II.

 

The RNZN has supported the meteorological and radio stations on Raoul   Island which provided New Zealand with weather forecasting, shipping and   aviation data every three hours. This image shows Loch Class Frigate  HMNZS Rotoiti’s crew  unloading government personnel via cane baskets at  Fishing Rock, Raoul  Island, November 1949.

HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) 1949

Loch Class Frigate HMNZS Rotoiti (Ex HMS Loch Katrine) pictured at HMNB Devonport in 1949.
H.M.N.Z.S.Rotoiti New Plymouth 1960
HMNZS Rotoiti in Dunedin

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Great series of photos of the brand new Balao-class diesel-electric fleet submarine USS Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island Navy Yard on 2 March 1944, USN photos # 1434-44 through 1436-44. Commissioned just nine weeks prior, she is pictured here just after her post-shakedown maintenance before departing for points West to get in the war.

Broadside view of the Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island on 2 March 1944. USN photos # 1434-44 through1436-44, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. Via Navsource

A past Warship Wednesday alum, Tilefish gave hard service under the U.S. flag, earning five battle stars across six war patrols during WWII and another star for her Korean service. Given a Fleet Snorkel upgrade post-war, she was decommissioned and transferred to then-U.S. ally Venuzela in 1960 with 16 years on her hull. Her second career, as ARV Carite (S-11), would ironically stretch out another 16 years.

Of interest, Tilefish was a bit of a movie star, appearing in Glen Ford’s Torpedo Run as well as James Gardner’s Up Periscope while in the USN and, in Venuzlan service, as a curiously dazzle-camo’d German U-boat in 1971’s Murphy’s War, which starred Peter O’Toole as the eponymous Murphy.

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