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Photos – USS Texas (BB-35) is a museum ship and former United States Navy New York-class battleship. She was launched on 18 May 1912 and commissioned on 12 March 1914.

USS Texas

USS Texas – 1930’s

Texas served in Mexican waters following the “Tampico Incident” but saw no action there, and made numerous sorties into the North Sea during World War I without engaging the enemy, though she did fire in anger for the first time when shooting medium-caliber guns at supposed submarines (no evidence exists that suggests these were anything more than waves). In World War II, Texas escorted war convoys across the Atlantic and later shelled Vichy French forces in the North African Landings and German-held beaches in the Normandy Landings before being transferred to the Pacific Theater late in 1944 to provide naval gunfire support during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She was the only Allied battleship that took part in all four of these amphibious landings. Texas was decommissioned in 1948, having earned a total of five battle stars for service in World War II.

Texas was also a technological testbed: the first U.S. battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns, the first U.S. warship to control gunfire with directors and range-keepers, the first U.S. battleship to launch an aircraft,[6][7] and one of the first U.S. Navy warships to receive production radar. She was the first battleship in the world to be outfitted with 14-inch guns.[A 1]

Texas was the first U.S. battleship to become a permanent museum ship. Although the USS Alabama museum was opened on 9 January 1965 [A 2][6] In 1976 she became the first battleship to be declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark,[8] and is the only remaining World War I era dreadnought battleship. She is also one of the eight remaining ships and the only remaining capital ship to have served in both World Wars.[9][A 3] Texas is owned by the people of Texas and is officially under the jurisdiction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Everyday operations and maintenance of Texas have been handled by the non-profit organization Battleship Texas Foundation since August 2020.[10][11] At the end of August 2022 she was moved to a dry dock in Galveston, Texas, to undergo a $35 million repair project. As of August 2023, the repair project is still underway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35)

All-out war with Russia a possibility within the next 20 years, senior Nato official warns

19th January 2024 at 11:35am

F-35B Lightning jet taking off from HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Norway (Picture: Royal Navy).
If Admiral Rob Bauer’s predictions are correct, British F-35B Lightnings could see themselves in combat (Picture: Royal Navy)

All-out war with Russia is a possibility within the next 20 years, a top Nato military official has warned.

Speaking after a meeting of Nato defence chiefs, Admiral Rob Bauer told reporters private citizens need to ready themselves for a potential conflict that would change their lives.

The Dutch naval officer, who is chairman of Nato’s Military Committee, warned that large groups of people would need to mobilise in the event of war and authorities must ensure systems are in place to manage it.

He praised Sweden for its move in asking all residents to brace themselves for war ahead of the nation joining the alliance.

https://www.forces.net/nato/all-out-war-russia-possibility-within-next-20-years-senior-nato-official-warns?utm_source=Forces+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0a832fb466-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_01_19_05_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0a832fb466-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

The UK is expected to send 20,000 military personnel to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 – one of Nato’s largest military exercises in Europe since the Cold War.

During the first half of 2024, personnel from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force will deploy across Europe alongside 31 Nato allies and Sweden as the alliance practises repelling an invasion by Russian forces.

The video above explains what is known about the numbers and equipment being sent.

USS Tuscaloosa (LST-1187) was the ninth of the Newport-class tank landing ships of the United States Navy, which replaced the traditional bow door-design tank landing ships (LSTs).

A port bow view of the tank landing ship USS TUSCALOOSA (LST 1187) anchored off the Silver Strand, San Diego, California.
140712-N-GO855-085..PEARL HARBOR (July 12, 2014) Ex-USS Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) is towed in preparation for a sink exercise (SINKEX) as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles E. White/Released)

The vessel was constructed by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California and was launched in 1969 and commissioned in 1970 and the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The LST participated in the Vietnam War and was decommissioned in 1994. The ship was laid up until being sunk as a target ship during a sinking exercise in 2014.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tuscaloosa_(LST-1187)

HMS Adamant was a World War II submarine depot ship.

HMS Adamant

HMS Adamant with submarines in Falmouth Bay

Completed in 1942, she served in the Eastern Fleet (Colombo/Trincomalee) with the 4th Submarine Flotilla (comprising nine T-class boats) from April 1943 until April 1945 and then moved with her flotilla to Fremantle, Australia. In 1950, she returned to England, where she remained until 1954 as flagship of the Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet, Portsmouth. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[2]

In October 1954, she was commissioned as depot ship to the 3rd Submarine Squadron at Rothesay, where she was based until October 1957. She then moved further up the Clyde to Faslane on Gare Loch (1959 – 1962), ending the permanent RN presence at Rothesay. In early 1963, she moved to the 2nd Submarine Squadron at Devonport. In March 1966 she was listed for disposal. In September 1970 she arrived at Inverkeithing to be broken up.

Adamant was capable of servicing up to nine submarines at a time while accommodating their crews. Her on-board facilities included a foundry, light and heavy machine shops, electrical and torpedo repair shops, and equipment to support fitters, patternmakers, coppersmiths and shipwrights. After the war, the increased technical sophistication of submarines, and the concomitant increase in the number of technical staff required to service them, reduced her support capacity to six submarines at a time.

In 1963, all her original guns were removed and replaced by two quadruple and two twin Bofors 40 mm gun mounts.[3] Her design included one-inch torpedo bulkhead 10 feet (3.0 m) inboard, and two-inch steel armour to protect her middle deck.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Adamant_(A164)

USNS Neptune (ARC-2), was the lead ship in her class of cable repair ships in U.S. Naval service. The ship was built by Pusey & Jones Corp. of Wilmington, Delaware, Hull Number 1108, as the USACS William H. G. Bullard named for Rear Adm. William H. G. Bullard. She was the first of two Maritime Commission type S3-S2-BP1 ships built for the US Army Signal Corps near the end of World War II. The other ship was the Albert J. Myer, which later joined her sister ship in naval service as the USNS Albert J. Myer (T-ARC-6). The ship was built by Pusey & Jones Corp. of Wilmington, Delaware as Hull Number 1108.

The ship was built by Pusey & Jones Corp. of Wilmington, Delaware, Hull Number 1108, as the USACS William H. G. Bullard named for Rear Adm. William H. G. Bullard. She was the first of two Maritime Commission type S3-S2-BP1 ships built for the US Army Signal Corps near the end of World War II. The other ship was the Albert J. Myer, which later joined her sister ship in naval service as the USNS Albert J. Myer (T-ARC-6). The ship was built by Pusey & Jones Corp. of Wilmington, Delaware as Hull Number 1108.[1][2]

The ship was assigned to and largely worked on installation of the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) under its unclassified name for installation, Project Caesar.

Neptune performed cable repair duties all over the world until 1991, when she’d been in service for some 38 years. During her career, she received a Navy E ribbon in 1988.

Inactivated in 1991, the same year in which the SOSUS mission was declassified, she was placed in the James River reserve fleet near Ft. Eustis, VA on 24 September 1991. The ex-Neptune was removed from the fleet 6 December 1994 to stripped. The ship was dismantled and recycled by International Shipbreaking Ltd. of Brownsville, TX in late 2005.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Neptune_(ARC-2)

HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the eleventh ship of the class to join the fleet since 1989.

HMS Somerset

She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the River Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Admiral Sir Michael Layard. She entered service in 1996. Lady Layard is the ship’s sponsor. She is named after the Dukedom of Somerset.

The fourth Somerset to serve in the Royal Navy, she has inherited four battle honours from previous ships of the name; Vigo Bay (1702), Velez Malaga (1704), Louisburg (1758) and Quebec (1759). The previous ships all served during the 18th century and ensured that the name Somerset played a significant part in that period of naval history.

Somerset’s home port is HMNB Devonport. The ship has the Freedom of the City of Wells and is also affiliated with the County of Somerset, the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the 2nd and 4th Battalions of The Rifles (inherited from affiliation with the Royal Green Jackets), TS Weston and TS Queen Elizabeth Sea Cadet Units, Downside, Baytree and Helles Schools, Bridgwater College and the Somerset Legion House of The Royal British Legion. The 19th Duke of Somerset takes a keen interest in the ship and is a regular visitor, and the ship also hosted Harry Patch, Simon Weston (in place of Johnson Beharry) and Marcus Trescothick whilst docked at Avonmouth for a remembrance service to launch the 2008 British Legion Poppy Appeal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Somerset_(F82)

Keeping the connection going

Thinking about joining the NZ Naval Reserve Force? Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Otto would wholeheartedly encourage it.

Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Otto wears a RNZN uniform and smiles at the camera. Behind him are models and pictures of ships in a wooden cabinet.

18 JANUARY, 2024

For him, it’s getting to do something a bit different from his full-time role, with a different set of challenges. He’s the Cyber Security Operations Manager for Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency and the Executive Officer of Navy Reserve Force unit HMNZS Olphert, based in Lower Hutt.

He came to Waka Kotahi over two years ago, transitioning to the Royal New Zealand Navy Reserves after a career as a Weapons Engineer and cyber defence specialist in the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Growing up in Howick, Auckland, he attended Santa Maria and Macleans Colleges before completing a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Electrical).

“I joined the Navy in 2013, starting as a marine engineer officer. I saw a lot of possibilities in the Navy, to do that next step of development beyond a degree. And I felt I had more to learn, as well as becoming a people leader.

“I had a number of really interesting roles in the regular force which led to my specialisation in cyber defence, including as an engineering manager in defence digital, establishing the Navy’s cyber team and in the cyber security and support capability programme.”

He left the Navy feeling great about the experience – which included overseas deployments in frigates – and feeling he’d tackled everything he could do in the defence cyber security role. But he was keen to keep contributing to the Defence Force.

Since joining Olphert, he’s been the Initial Training Officer and now the Executive Officer. “Both roles have given me some great opportunities to broaden my skills and contribute to the unit.

“One of the biggest perks in my view is the sense of comradeship and the culture of working with Navy people which is a difficult concept to explain to those who haven’t experienced it.”

“Another fantastic benefit from being at Olphert is that we have the Reserve Small Arms Training Team attached to the unit, and as such I’ve never been at risk of falling out of date for my Annual Weapons Qualification!”

As well as his specialisation, his officer training has provided a useful skillset in the civilian sector.

“The Navy teaches you about being a leader and looking after a team, particularly during operations. It’s about having a calm, collective approach, when you’re under pressure.

“The Navy Reserves give you some really unique opportunities to both develop new skills, meet like-minded people, contribute to protecting New Zealand’s interests, and get paid to do it.”