Your weekly dose of defence news, biased opinions and poorly curated content. You’re welcome.
TOP STORY THIS WEEK
Yeah I thought that as well, but the base in blue thing the foreground.
For the first time since 1066, the Royal Navy is planning to open a new base in the UK. Well, not totally new, because there is talk of repurposing the Naval Reserve training centre in Gateshead. Either way, this 'new' base will be central to the Royal Navy’s surveillance ops…provided it actually opens.
IN OTHER NEWS
Russian turtle shed tank
The Russians are getting increasingly imaginative in their counter-drone measures. This week they’ve unveiled a remote controlled shed with spinning cable arms that swat drones out the sky. Honestly, I’m not sure why this footage ended up on state television, but it does show how World War Two designs - like the mine flail - might still be decent during this increasingly rudimentary conflict.
Hypersonic(a) black hole in Europe
Ally.
The British-German startup - Hypersonica - has set its sights on improving European hypersonic strike capability. There is a lot of talk in this space, but these guys have just gone and done it - hitting Mach 6 and covering 300km in their first successful test flight over Norway. We talk more about missiles below.
IN THE MEDIA
Blackbeard: the cheapskate’s hypersonic
Our friends at Megaprojects have done a good in-depth look at the USA’s knock down price hypersonic - Blackbeard - and what the implications are. It’s good.
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
Big events from the past, covered in brief and probably inaccurately.
12th February 1988: The Black Sea Bumping
You can’t park there
On 12th February 1988, things got a bit choppy in the Black Sea. The American cruiser USS Yorktown and destroyer USS Caron were exercising their God given right of 'innocent passage' through Soviet waters when they were rudely intercepted by two Soviet frigates.
After a brief radio exchange, the Soviet ships 'bumped' - read rammed - the American vessels to push them out. It remains one of the most famous examples of Cold War 'shoulder-barging' at the end of the Soviet era.
JOB SPOTLIGHT
Changing things up? This is where we briefly look at career options from across the civvy world - everything goes here so expect some absolute drivel. Sometimes Forces Assist can help place you, sometimes we can’t. Either way we can offer advice.
Life on the Road
Running a big ol’ explainer series on the ‘gram about getting into driving. Which makes sense because we’re a business for drivers. Give us a follow and get involved:
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Yeah, get your mucker to sign up for this…
Bored of asking - they’ll love Despatches and we’ll love them.
Cheers,
Team Forces Assist