Royal Navy tracks two Russian submarines in North Seaon July 22, 2022 at 4:52 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

HMS Portland shadowed the submarines after they surfaced separately off the coast of Norway.

British submarine hunter HMS Portland tracking Russian cruise missile submarine Severodvinsk in the North Sea, north west of Bergen, NorwayImage source, PA Media

A Royal Navy warship has tracked two Russian submarines in the North Sea.

British submarine hunter HMS Portland shadowed the vessels from Russia’s Northern Fleet after they surfaced separately, north west of Bergen, Norway.

The Navy said it tracked the pair as they travelled underwater south along the Norwegian coast from the Arctic.

It comes as the UK’s armed forces continue to train the Ukrainian military personnel.

HMS Portland reported on the movements of the Russian cruise missile submarine Severodvinsk and Akula-class attack submarine Vepr on Friday.

British submarine hunter HMS Portland (top) tracking Akula-class attack submarine Vepr in the North Sea, north west of Bergen, Norway

Image source, PA Media

The Navy Type 23 frigate and its specialist Merlin helicopter are both equipped with cutting-edge sonars, sensors and torpedoes for submarine-hunting operations.

One of the RAF’s new long-range maritime patrol aircraft, the P8 Poseidon, also worked closely with HMS Portland to “hunt and track” the submarines, said a Navy spokesman.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not usually comment publicly on specific submarine hunting exercises and it comes as Royal Navy sailors are training Ukrainian navy personnel in operating two Sandown-class minehunters which are to be sold to Ukraine.

Training is being provided by 1,000 UK service personnel for volunteer recruits with the aim of getting them ready for frontline combat.

Introduced into the Royal Navy in the late 80s, the Sandown-class minehunters specialise in finding and neutralising mines in deep waters.

Ukraine Deputy Defence Minister Volodymyr Havrylov and Defence minister James Heappey visit a Royal Navy Sandown Class mine hunter at sea off the coat of Scotland

Image source, PA Media

UK armed forces minister James Heappey and Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Volodymyr Havrylov have visited the soldiers and sailors training on them in Scotland, the Ministry of Defence said.

Mr Heappey said: “The intensity with which the Ukrainian soldiers and sailors are training is something to behold.

“They work with the focus of troops who know they’ll be fighting in a war in just a few short weeks’ time.”

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

From polite schoolboy to Wales’ main man – Biggar’s rise to the topon February 4, 2022 at 4:58 am

BBC Sport Wales charts the journey of Dan Biggar, who will become the 140th man to captain Wales when they face Ireland in the...

Surfers on Venice’s Grand Canal invoke mayor’s wrathon August 17, 2022 at 4:57 pm

Videos of two foil surfers whizzing along the city's busiest canal have sparked outrage online.Videos of two foil surfers whizzing along the city's busiest...

SAS killings: Former head of UK armed forces says he would order investigationon July 12, 2022 at 9:00 pm

General Lord Richards says he would order an investigation into alleged killings if he were still in charge.Image source, Getty ImagesThe former head of...

Period poverty: In Africa, women are being priced out of buying sanitary wareon August 10, 2023 at 11:27 pm

BBC research reveals that women in Africa spend up to 13% of their income on menstrual products.BBC research reveals that women in Africa spend...

Freedom Convoy: No plans to call in military, says Trudeauon February 4, 2022 at 2:05 am

Organisers say they plan to stay in Ottawa until Covid-19 health mandates are lifted nationwide.Image source, Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesCanada's prime minister has...