A Naval Vessel

[Anmer]

This is in The Bristol Channel, just to the west of Lundy.  Been around for a good few days.

Distance from me is about 40 miles.

I think it's a Type 23 frigate.  But I'm not into **ips.

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[corsa]

Mike

I don't think you'll ever find out what's going on there.......

But it's a really good picture considering the distance, well done..........

Tom

[mhm]

Exercise Tom

Been happening until 22.04.2016

[mhm]

Today has saw a large amphibious assault on Castlemartin range from HMS Ocean and the French frigate Cassard
2x Chinook, have been ferrying supplies into the beach head, supported by 2x Apaches.A Wildcat has been in over watch and 5x Merlins are on Templeton airfield as troop support. Hawks have been simulating Fast jet top cover.

Exert from fighter control

[Anmer]

Thanks Mike.  Very helpful.

Castlemartin is not too far away.  Looking at my pic, it's not the French "jobbie" nor is it HMS Ocean which, according to the Royal Navy website, is supposed to be deployed on Joint Warrior in Scotland!

Not seen any of the air movements.

The CAA says Griffin Strike operates from 11th to 22nd April.  It's the first "outing" of the UK/French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF).

None of the vessels mentioned below match my pic, which I still think is a Type 23 frigate.

As for exercise Griffin Strike, a UK-French headquarters will be planning and executing major land, sea and air activity to test the Combined UK and French Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF).

The CJEF has been developed since 2010 as a product of the bilateral Lancaster House Treaty and will enable the UK and France to deploy forces rapidly to conflict zones ahead of a wider NATO or coalition operation, or to meet peace-keeping, disaster relief or humanitarian assistance requirements.

This exercise will demonstrate the sending of a tri-service force into an area of operations. Aircraft including Typhoon and Rafale jets will operate from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, while at sea warships including HMS Ocean, Bulwark and Duncan will work off the south and west coast of England with French ships including FS Dixmude, FS Cassard and FF La Motte Piquet. On Salisbury Plain elements of the Army's 3(UK) Division and French 7th Mechanised Brigade including paratroopers, armored units and infantrymen, will work together.

http://navaltoday.com/2016/04/11/uk-france-kick-off-exercise-griffin-strike/

[corsa]

Thanks Gents

Very Informative indeed

Tom

[Anmer]

Just spotted HMS Ocean sailing east towards Bristol with HMS Bulwark is to the west dispensing landing craft and in between is the French frigate La Motte Piquet.  And a Puma has just flown up the Taf Valley.  How exciting 

[Anmer]

A bit hazy today so best I can do.  Vessels are about 25 miles away.

In order, I think they are:

FS Dixmude with landing craft nearby.

HMS Bulwark with landing craft nearby.

HMS Ocean (much further away)



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[mhm]

You should get some good comms from where you are Mike

[Anmer]

You should get some good comms from where you are Mike

If I had a radio. 

[corsa]

Are you not into comms radio Mike ?

[Anmer]

Are you not into comms radio Mike ?

Nope.  I used to enjoy listening to civil airband on my Waltham in the early 70s.  Then we moved to near Peterborough and couldn't pick up ground transmissions.  So gave up.  Then I discovered the SBS-1. 

My Waltham looked a bit like this.  Got it from a Freemans catalogue. 

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[IanH]

I used to listen to civil airband (Heathrow Approach) as a lad using one of these
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/gauer_gauers_vhf_6221.html
And still got it (a bit the worse for wear after years of travelling in a saddlebag) although not powered up in decades. A memento of my youth 

[Anmer]

I assume this is related to the Griffin Strike exercise.  Took about 5 attempts, and circuits, before I managed to eyeball ZZ664, the RAF's Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint.

Thanks to FlightAware MLAT.

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