In The August 2008 Edition Of Warships IFR

Reports and pictures of naval activities around the world, from South Africa to Norwegian waters and from the Pacific to the Baltic and Med.
Pictured: HMAS Waller leaves for RIMPAC 2008.
Photo: RAN.
KEEPING BAD GUYS OVER THE HORIZON

Iain Ballantyne concludes his reports from the British warship HMS Somerset, currently on patrol in the Mediterranean as part of a NATO counter-terrorist group, with a profile of the Duke Class (Type 23) frigate’s ship’s flight.
Pictured: The embarked Lynx returns to HMS Somerset after a boarding operation in the Mediterranean.
Photo: Lt Cdr Steve Quantrill/HMS Somerset.
MYSTERIES OF HMS EXETER SOLVED

The discovery of the wreck of the famous British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, along with one of her two destroyer escorts, HMS Encounter, has been ‘officially’ revealed for the first time, after a successful diving expedition to the wreck sites. We report on how it clears up two of the enduring mysteries of WW2, namely whether or not Exeter was sunk entirely by enemy action and the exact location of the sunken warships.
Pictured: The cruiser HMS Exeter, steaming hard during WW2.
Photo: Strathdee Collection.
GERMAN FLEET'S MILESTONE MISSION CONCLUDES

We meet the men at the helm for an historic African circumnavigation by one of Europe’s leading navies.
Pictured: Left: The FGS Hamburg (foreground) and FGS Köln at sea during their recent deployment.
Photo: German Navy.

In the first of two reports, Dr Lee Willett, Head of the Maritime Studies Programme at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, discusses issues raised in his recently published paper ‘British Defence and Security Policy: the Maritime Contribution’ (RUSI Occasional Paper, June 2007).
Pictured: A Royal Navy Type 23 frigate on deployment, one of a diminishing number of major multi-role RN warships, as the British fleet tries to balance scarce resources with global commitments.
Photo: Iain Ballantyne.

Political Correspondent Francis Beaufort provides an ironic perspective on a recent key parliamentary debate in which a government minister confirmed there would only be six Daring Class (Type 45) destroyers, rather than the 12 needed for fleet defence.
Pictured: First of the six: HMS Daring.
Photo: Jonathan Eastland/AJAX

A news-in-brief survey of developments in the defence industry that supports the navies of the world.
Pictured: The new Royal Malaysian Navy submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman during her recent sea trials.
Photo: DCNS.

The ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ continues to exert a fascinating pull on the imagination of the book-buying public. Two new works examine the events of summer 1940 from a different perspective to just the exploits of the legendary ‘little ships’, reputed to have saved the British army and Allied troops from disaster. We begin our books special by interviewing the authors of the titles in question. Elsewhere we conclude our interview with one of America’s most distinguished admirals and take a look at a Royal Navy nuclear submarine.
Pictured: The British Cold War SSN HMS Courageous, which features in out Books Special.
Photo: Royal Navy.
NOTE: ANY IMAGE DISPLAYED ON THE WARSHIPS IFR WEB SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORMAT WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER/COPYRIGHT HOLDER IN QUESTION.