John Bulkeley

Naval history and politics. Nothing complicated here, just straight, simple, facts with some opinions. Take what you wish, leave the rest.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@RuthlessPodcast This is something extremely important that I think your show should cover and it could have a big bearing on the upcoming election.

[Frontline Leaks @Frontlineleaks]

Holy Crap!

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/PEQdwvAV4G The future of naval warfare.

[Naval News @navalnewscom]

The French Defense Procurement Agency (@DGA) has rapidly developed the low-cost SMOKERS kamikaze USV, moving from concept to sea trials in just six months 🇫🇷🚤💥

Reconciling multi-year defense programs with agile, rapid-cycle developments to keep pace with accelerating technology is a primary challenge for the DGA. Its objective is to deliver “sufficiently mature” products to French sailors quickly.

The SMOKERS family of loitering munitions, an acronym for “Scalable Maritime Operational Kamikaze System, Developed under Sovereign Control”, exemplifies this effort. Transitioning from initial concept to a product mature enough for recent French Navy exercises took just six months. This initiative draws directly from operational lessons learned in Ukraine and the Arabian Gulf.

By @Marsattaqueblog

https://t.co/eY3Cp0VEG4

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/Or2crByTJ7 At the rate the New Zealand Navy is disappearing, soon the only thing they will have left of their Navy are pictures. The Navy keeps getting reduced mostly because of the lack of personnel and their two old frigates need to be replaced. Who knows if they will be.

[Michele Florio @FlMichele69]

Frigates

FFH #HMNZSWellington F69 (1982-2000)
ex #HMSBacchante F69 Leander Class

📷 @NZNavyMuseum

@NZNavy 🇭🇲

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@tspooky @kebie19 Tyrants were defeated 250 years ago and they will be defeated again today. Never underestimate the strength or the will of the American people when it comes to defending their liberty and freedom. The communists and socialists don’t have a clue as to what they’re up against.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@tspooky @kebie19 Tyrants were defeated 250 years ago and they will be defeated again today. Never underestimate the strength or the will of the American people when it comes to defending their liberty and freedom. The communists and socialists don’t have a clue as to what they’re up against.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

Keep them coming. The U.S. Navy needs as many as it can get.

[USMaritimeAction @USAMaritimeX]

The last keel block being knocked out under the bulbous bow of one of the navy’s new auxiliary fleet replenishments oiler, T-AO-212.

Removing the keel blocks begins about 8-10 hours before the launch and they are located underneath about 2/3 of the ship length.

The anchor above us weighs around 10 tons and is held in place at sea by approximately 20 tons of chain.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@jeromestarkey @ian_blewett @NavyLookout And if members of NATO are noticing this, don’t think the Russians or Chinese are not noticing it either. This could be a disaster for both the UK and NATO if there is a war with Russia.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@jeromestarkey @ian_blewett @NavyLookout And if members of NATO are noticing this, don’t think the Russians or Chinese are not noticing it either. This could be a disaster for both the UK and NATO if there is a war with Russia.

[Fuerza Naval @fuerza_naval]

La Royal Navy 🇬🇧 apenas es capaz de poner en la mar entre 3 y 4 fragatas y un submarino. Y la situación podría ser aún peor en 2030. Todo esto con uno de los mayores presupuestos de defensa de Europa🔱

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

Looking good. Fine ships and we could use more of them, especially if there is a war in the Pacific with China.

[୧⃛(๑⃙⃘•ω•๑⃙⃘)୨⃛🤸‍♂️す～りあ ☀︎.° 🧘‍♀️ @NShJFYnuFVMAX29]

桟橋を挟んで並ぶ

サン・アントニオ級ドック型輸送揚陸艦～🇺🇸

USS ANCHORAGE（LPD-23）

USS JOHN P. MURTHA（LPD-26）

同級艦が並ぶ姿は迫力がありますね～🚢✨️

UW2 (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

Don’t even think about it. The last time the U.S. Navy bought a foreign design was with the Constellation class frigate. And that was such a “magical” success with the entire program being canceled and billions lost in the process. If the Navy is determined to build a ship that is over budget and way behind schedule, at least let it be an American design.

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

Latest news article:

Babcock pitches Type 31 for 🇺🇸US Navy frigate programme

https://t.co/xa6HcVJeeB

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

@CostaLefty65147 That is true and there is nothing really wrong with that, but then you need a much bigger US Coast Guard. They keep squeezing out new missions for the Coast Guard but never increasing the number of large cutters or personnel.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/henj4sP3FL Maybe somebody could explain why the US Coast Guard is helping to train with Japan or the Philippines. Seems like the US Coast Guard should be defending the US coast, not Japan or the Philippines. That job should go to the US Navy. And if the Coast Guard ships from Japan and the Philippines want US Coast Guard training, they can always come here. The US Coast Guard has few ships as it is to do their domestic duties without having to send them all over the world on missions that have nothing to do with the US coastline.

[防衛省統合幕僚監部 @jointstaffpa]

自衛隊は、「自由で開かれたインド太平洋」を支える地域及び国際的協力を強化する共同のコミットメントを示すに当たり、日米比３か国による海上協同活動（Maritime Cooperative Activity）として、米沿岸警備隊、フィリピン海空軍及びフィリピン沿岸警備隊と下記のとおり共同訓練を実施しました。
海上協同活動は、航行の自由及び上空飛行の自由を支持するとともに、国連海洋法条約（UNCLOS）に反映された国際法上の海上におけるその他の権利を尊重する活動です。

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/VyiZjDYWk7

[m.s.o @MSOGoeikan]

2026.10.26
アメリカ海軍🇺🇸
ワスプ級強襲揚陸艦 Makin Island(LHD-8)
回転翼機、固定翼機を載せ横須賀基地に寄港しました。

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/vMQw9LHdjH On April 19, 1949, the British frigate HMS Amethyst was sailing up the Yangtze River to Nanjing to protect the British embassy. PLA (Mao's communist) artillery opened fire on the ship near Rose Island, killing or wounding a large portion of the crew—including the captain, Lieutenant Commander Bernard Skinner—and causing the ship to run aground on a mudbank.

British warships sent to assist or rescue the ship—including HMS Consort, HMS London, and HMS Black Swan—were beaten back by heavy PLA shellfire with further casualties. An RAF Sunderland flying boat also delivered a doctor and medical supplies under fire.

Lieutenant Commander John Kerans took command of the stranded HMS Amethyst. The ship was held under guard for three months while Kerans negotiated with Communist forces. On July 30–31, 1949, running low on supplies and facing a stalemate, Kerans ordered a covert night-time escape. HMS Amethyst slipped its anchor under cover of darkness, ran past shore batteries and river obstacles, and safely rejoined the British Far East Fleet. The incident cost the lives of 22 men on HMS Amethyst (with 31 wounded), plus additional casualties on some of the rescue ships.

[hw97karbine @hw97karbine]

British County-class heavy cruiser HMS London moored in Hong Kong after being damaged by Chinese PLA artillery during the Amethyst incident on the Yangtze River on April 21st 1949

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/NjT5EplqgA The Saudis buy expensive warships like they buy Rolex watches, as baubles to show that they have them. They don't actually use their Navy to do anything, like escort tankers in the Red Sea or help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, a waterway they need to conduct trade. And if their plan is to bypass the Strait by switching to overland pipelines, then they really don't need much of a navy. So, save the money on expensive and advanced warships and just buy yourselves some more Rolls Royce's you don't need.

[WarshipCam @WarshipCam]

Future Royal Saudi Naval Forces Avante 2200-class multi-mission corvette HMS Neom (804) launched at the Navantia Cádiz facilities - October 25, 2026 SRC: YT- NavantiaOficial

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

From their lips to God’s ears. Hopefully this isn’t just wishful thinking but a serious proposal. The Royal Navy desperately needs the ships. What the article didn’t mention was they’re going to need a lot more personnel to crew and maintain these ships. Is the Government ready to expand the number of personnel in the Royal Navy too?

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

From their lips to God’s ears. Hopefully this isn’t just wishful thinking but a serious proposal. The Royal Navy desperately needs the ships. What the article didn’t mention was they’re going to need a lot more personnel to crew and maintain these ships. Is the Government ready to expand the number of personnel in the Royal Navy too?

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

From their lips to God’s ears. Hopefully this isn’t just hot air but a serious proposal. The Royal Navy desperately needs the ships. What the article didn’t mention was they’re going to need a lot more personnel to crew and maintain these ships. Is the Government ready to do that too?

[UK Defence Journal @UKDefJournal]

The Liberal Democrats have proposed ordering six additional Royal Navy frigates and expanding British shipbuilding capacity as part of a defence package aimed at responding to the threat from Russia. Click image for more.
https://t.co/4TP6gLsjX0

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

https://t.co/5LleIeas8l

[Michele Florio @FlMichele69]

Aircraft carrier

#USSSaratoga CV60 (1956-1994)
Forrestal Class

📷 12 December 1985 #DiegoGarcia with #USSScott DDG995 and #USSMonongahela AO178

@USNavy 🇺🇸

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

And I sincerely feel bad about it because of my admiration for the Royal Navy and my desire to always see it succeed. I guess I'm always so tough in my comments because I find it so distressing for a once great institution to be collapsing so rapidly. I certainly hope one day somebody wakes up in the UK and restores the RN to one of the largest and most advanced fighting forces in the world. As it should be.

[John Bulkeley @bulkeley_john]

In the Third Punic War between Rome and Carthage, Rome had decided to finally end the threat from Carthage once and for all. A country that attacked Rome repeatedly in the past was about to get the final lesson from Rome. So, the Romans laid siege to Carthage and then entered the city, totally destroyed it, executed all of the men, and sold the women and children into slavery. They then salted the earth so that nothing would ever grow in Carthage again. They ended the threat from Carthage once and for all. There is a lesson in there somewhere on how to deal with generational enemies.