Asian Defence News

One of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines was forced into a 2,000-mile detour when it was mysteriously refused entry into the United Arab Emirates.
HMS Tireless spent a week in international waters while it sought permission to dock before deciding to divert to Goa in India.Ministry of Defence officials have not revealed the reason for the snub but insist there was never any safety issue.


The diversion meant heartbreak for a handful of families who had travelled to the Arabian Gulf hoping to see crew members for the first time in months.A planned change of crew also had to be postponed as the Trafalgar-class sub made its way to India.Some families are understood to be seeking compensation for the cost of flights and a week of accommodation while in the UAE.

‘A small number of families did travel to the region at their own expense in anticipation of the visit.
‘They were kept informed of the situation by local Royal Navy personnel ashore.’The Foreign and Commonwealth Office denied there were any diplomatic issues between the UK and the UAE.
A spokesman said: ‘The UK has a long history of co-operation and friendship with the UAE.
‘We maintain regular contact at the most senior levels and work together on shared interests and security challenges across the region.’

HMS Tireless was due to be decommissioned last year but it was reportedly spotted surfacing off the coast of Gibraltar last August amid tensions between Spain and Britain over fishing rights.
The 30-year-old vessel also suffered a leak in its reactor in February of last year and had to return to its Devonport, Plymouth, HQ for repairs.MoD officials say the sub remains on active service but is due to be replaced by a new Astute class submarine.The hunter-killer craft has a crew of 130 plus 18 officers and a top speed is 32 knots or 36.8 mph.

‘A small number of families did travel to the region at their own expense in anticipation of the visit.
‘They were kept informed of the situation by local Royal Navy personnel ashore.’The Foreign and Commonwealth Office denied there were any diplomatic issues between the UK and the UAE.
A spokesman said: ‘The UK has a long history of co-operation and friendship with the UAE.
‘We maintain regular contact at the most senior levels and work together on shared interests and security challenges across the region.’

HMS Tireless was due to be decommissioned last year but it was reportedly spotted surfacing off the coast of Gibraltar last August amid tensions between Spain and Britain over fishing rights.
The 30-year-old vessel also suffered a leak in its reactor in February of last year and had to return to its Devonport, Plymouth, HQ for repairs.MoD officials say the sub remains on active service but is due to be replaced by a new Astute class submarine.The hunter-killer craft has a crew of 130 plus 18 officers and a top speed is 32 knots or 36.8 mph.