I looked out of my window one dismal morning recently just before a spell of really nasty weather hit us and lo and behold NATO was at it again. The Minch is obviously regarded as a good place to practice whatever it is they practice doing. I suspect that chasing submarines plays a big role. Apocryphally whenever these war games take place our cellphone and other communications all go haywire. It certainly happens but I'm sure it's just a coincidence!
The Marine Traffic app gave a good indication of what was going on. It only identifies one vessel at a time unfortunately but if it is assumed that all the vessels the same colour as the identified NATO warship are also NATO warships then there were a lot of them around.
Hello! What's this? HNLMS Trump? Surely he's not had a warship named after him already. No. Actually it's a Dutch frigate named after several Dutch 16th/17th century naval heroes.
Must be rather interesting at times to look out and see what is going on in the sea around you!
ReplyDeleteSerenata it is always fascinating: flat calm to violent storm, deserted to full of fishing boats (or warships) and sometimes very unusual vessels. Then there's the dolphins or the occasion when the bay was turned red with the blood of seals being slaughtered by a pod of Orcas.
DeleteHa Ha - I loved the idea of a Trump warship being named after him. I'm surprised the Dutch haven't renamed it.
ReplyDeleteCJ, he needs to be loved but is man enough not to be renamed Fart.
DeleteCJ / Adrian, I'm nonplussed.
DeleteInteresting that you can find the position of all these ships. The enemy will have no trouble finding them.
ReplyDeleteRed, only a Canadian warship would go to war with ASI active. This is sabre rattling.
DeleteRed, they are only playing. I suspect they will all switch off their ASI if the real thing comes.
DeleteI think your 'war games' must had extended all the way down here. We've been having a LOT of very low flying fighter planes over recently, plus a Chinook that nearly took out chimney off!
ReplyDeleteYes Cro. I was buzzed by a Eurofighter on the A9 recently too.
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ReplyDeleteI expect Trump has a fleet named after him. O'barmy was awarded a Nobel peace prize in the erroneous expectation that at some point he would justify it.
DeleteWell, Adrian, what can I say?
DeleteNowt would be wise.
DeleteAnd not all that long ago there were many people who truly believed their dream of the world being a better, more peaceful place (with less need for war games) would come true in their life time.
ReplyDeleteMeike, those of us who have lived in my and your generations and countries have been fortunate (so far) in never having had to fight for our countries. May that long continue.
DeleteWhat a super app for those of us who enjoy watching this sort of thing. We have seen the airplane one but it apparently requires a 'host' in the area to get the info downloaded and so we can't watch it here in SW France near Bergerac airport. I understand that there is a set delay in the info. so that we would be unable to launch our missiles with any accuracy, thank God!
ReplyDeleteYou can watch but it is only free in your area.
DeleteGreat images. That app is really useful. Must be interesting to observe in real life.
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
Mersad, it is great for local weather. If you want worldwide then it is available at a cost.
DeleteMersad it's an app that I use principally for three purposes: seeing what is outside my window; where my son's ship is; and where the ferries to the Outer Hebrides are (a very important thing to know).
DeleteThe thing with communications going haywire is probably a case of noticing normal hiccups more when there are exercises nearby, thereby setting up an endless loop of confirmation bias.
ReplyDeleteI like your grey ocean pictures, I always want to sit and look at a moody sea more than a sparkling one
Kylie you may well be correct about the communications. I don't mind the moody seas but, even though I don't suffer from seasickness, I prefer to travel on sparkling seas. Apart from anything else there are less likely to be travel disruptions.
DeleteWell, to be openly honest...I prefer that our Armed Forces are always preparing for what we all hope will never happen...but being prepared and capable sure beats the opposite in my book!
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more, Lee.
DeleteWell that is not something I see everyday... or any day for that matter. Interesting indeed.
ReplyDeleteLynda, as you say there are precious few ships in the plains of Australia (apart from 'ships of the desert' before anyone corrects me).
DeleteI wouldn't know whether to feel safe or worried... We had live war games going on in Sweden earlier this autumn, too - and mostly along the coasts. And quite a lot of media discussion about it as it also involved NATO even though we're not in NATO. Some think we should be. Others don't.)
ReplyDeleteMonica I'm certainly of the view that it's better to be prepared and, although I hope that our armed forces will never be needed 'in anger', their role as a deterrent will be fulfilled. There are, of course, other points of view.
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