Posted on 01/11/2014 3:41:26 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
MOSCOW, January 10 (RIA Novosti) – A naval task force led by Russia’s largest warship has passed through the English Channel on its way to the Mediterranean, a Russian military official said on Friday.
The group carried out naval aviation exercises while passing close to UK territorial waters, Captain 2nd Class Yevgeny Kirillov said.
The group of ships, consisting of the Russian Navy’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and five escort vessels from Russia’s Northern Fleet, had days earlier anchored in the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland due to inclement weather, the UK Defense Ministry confirmed on its website on Friday.
The Royal Navy dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender from Portsmouth on December 19 to escort the Russian task force. Goodwill messages were exchanged between the Russian and British ships on New Year’s Eve, the UK Defense Ministry added.
The Russian carrier group left port on December 17 for the deployment.
In August, Russian news agencies quoted a military source saying a long-distance sea deployment by Russian warships including the Admiral Kuznetsov would call at Russia’s only Mediterranean naval facility located in the Syrian port city of Tartus.
A task force led by the Admiral Kuznetsov made a port call at Tartus two years ago.
The Kuznetsov has an air group including Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker-D fighter jets and antisubmarine helicopters.
They only have 1 carrier, and it can only stay out 45 days? What? They didn’t steal any of our carrier technology?
When my cat detects another cat transiting the yard she goes out and keeps a respectful distance but close enough to be seen and smelled. She lets it go as soon as it passes into the next yard.
I wonder if these destroyers get to pee on buoys.
If it was the French aircraft carrier, it would have tugboats instead of destroyers, for escort ships.
I wonder if the Admiral got pinged from a sub?
“anchored in the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland due to inclement weather”
The Russians get their money’s worth out of their anchors. Even once they get to the MED they’ll anchor up 75% of the time.
Wonder how close this is to Holy Loch ?
And from what I read the Soviets would tow each other around a lot as well.
Saving fuel? Poor maintenance?
It was built in Ukraine in one of the formerly closed cities. Ukrainians don’t build nuclear powered ships.
Opposite side of the island. But the U.S. base has been closed for 20 years.
The De Gaulle is on a long-term deployment with the Truman in the Indian Ocean. Link
Do they lie about the maximum speed of their carriers too?
Is there nothing at HL today ?
Are the Brits using it for anything ?
Only once...
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