The Royal Navy responded quickly when the Russian submarine Novorossiysk was spotted in British waters, deploying specialist units to escort it.
Specialist forces from the Royal Navy were deployed to shadow the Russian submarine Novorossiysk as it passed through British waters. The operation involved the patrol ship HMS Mersey, a Wildcat helicopter (from 815 Squadron) and a specialist Merlin anti-submarine aircraft (from 824 Squadron).
Express writes about this.
The warship and helicopters monitored “every move” of the Russian Kilo-class submarine and tugboat Yakov Grebelsky.
“The British warship and helicopters used powerful sensors and systems to monitor every movement of the Kilo-class boat and the Goryn-class tug Yakov Grebelskiy during their voyage,” a Royal Navy spokesman said.
After the Russian vessels left British waters, the monitoring was handed over to NATO allies. HMS Mersey’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Dan Wardle, stressed the importance of the operation: “This operation is another clear demonstration of the Royal Navy’s unwavering commitment to protecting the UK’s maritime interests.”
He added that monitoring the transit of military vessels through the UK's area of responsibility remains a fundamental task to ensure situational awareness and rapid response.
It was HMS Mersey's sixth such task in the last three months.
The Kilo-class submarines pose a significant threat because they can launch Russian Kalibr cruise missiles, use torpedoes, and lay mines. Russia has more than 60 of these submarines, which can reach speeds of 17 knots on the surface and 20 knots underwater. They have been used extensively to attack Ukraine from the Black Sea.
Recall that Great Britain is buying a squadron of American F-35A fighters, capable of carrying American-made tactical nuclear bombs. This will allow the country to have the ability to launch nuclear weapons from the air for the first time since the late 1990s.
