One killed in HMS Astute nuclear submarine shooting

Donovan confesses to murder.

Hardly think the photo is appropriate considering he has confessed to murder and attempted murder. 🙁

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9258952.Sailor_admits_murder_on_nuclear_sub/

Glad this thread has come up because I’ve wanted a place to big up councilman Smith! Get that man a medal!!

The suspect is named as Ryan Donovan from Dartford, Kent.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8966322.Submarine_murder_accused_in_court/

How is this “naval aviation”?

1. HMS Astute is a naval vessel.

2. The gunman was tackled and disarmed by Southampton city councilman Royston Smith (part of a group of city officials touring the boat).

3. Mr. Royston Smith is a former RAF flight engineer on Nimrods… a maritime patrol aircraft.

Thus, naval aviation stopped further bloodshed.

And just why shouldn’t civilians be welcomed aboard? It is their taxes that have paid for HMS Astute.

Why exactly wouldn’t the civil police be involved? A murder has been committed.

Planemike

The concern was OPSEC…..Operational Security. That a civillian may come aboard with an agenda other than sightseeing. Its a legitimate concern, but, one we have been dealing with for a while. Who’s paid their taxes is irrelevent. Britains nuclear weapons were paid for by the taxpayer…..we dont let classes of primary school kids play with them.

A crime that happens on a naval vessel involving solely naval personnel is, generally, a matter for the RNP and SIB. On a naval base the MoD police would be involved. It actually seems that it was MoD Police, not the civvies, who were involved here. Thats a bit of a surprise as I’d, normally, have expected the civvy police to have been the fastest responders. Perhaps MoD had officers nearby because the vessel was open to visitors?. Routinely civvy police would have no jurisdiction over a crime on a naval vessel.

Besides the shooting I’m actually surprised that they already allow civil visitors onto that brand new and I’d say sensitive boat. “… eleven children … due to board the submarine”. I’m really not using that word a lot on the internet, but what about OPSEC?? Also the involvement on civil police is kinda strange.

And just why shouldn’t civilians be welcomed aboard? It is their taxes that have paid for HMS Astute.

Why exactly wouldn’t the civil police be involved? A murder has been committed.

Planemike

Well going on this news update I would say damage almost certainly was caused to the control room:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13020502

Unless damage is really minor she will probably have to go to HMNB Devonport for a look over and repairs. Lucky they are fairly close the the RN’s Nuclear Submarine service centre.

Any idea how much damage was done to the control room? I would have thought that a number of high velocity bullets could cause quite some problems to computers and the wiring.

Besides the shooting I’m actually surprised that they already allow civil visitors onto that brand new and I’d say sensitive boat. “… eleven children … due to board the submarine”. I’m really not using that word a lot on the internet, but what about OPSEC?? Also the involvement on civil police is kinda strange.

Not all of the submarine is sensitive. Even the areas that are sensitive, there’s not much to discover from simply looking aroud. Also, photography is probably prohibited, any the police take will likely need to be checked over before they will be allowed to use them.

Err – the new carrier isn’t going to be named Queen Elizabeth II. The name has been allocated twice before. The battleship Queen Elizabeth (1913-48) was named for Queen Elizabeth 1st.

FYI British Bombers (we don’t call them Boomers, as in english that has a rude conotation) all have ‘V’ names, Vanguard, Vigilant, Vengeance and Victorious. Our SSNs have ‘S’ names (out of service now), ‘T’ names (Trafalgar, Turbulent, Tireless, Torbay, Trenchant, Talent, and Triumph), and the new ‘A’ class (Astute, Ambush, Artful, Audacious, Agamemnon, Anson and Ajax). RN SSNs have no nuclear weapons on board.

May I just say that I’ve always loved the way the Royal Navy names (most) of its ships. Beats the hell out of naming them after cities or politicians. Queen Elizabeth excepted.

Besides the shooting I’m actually surprised that they already allow civil visitors onto that brand new and I’d say sensitive boat. “… eleven children … due to board the submarine”. I’m really not using that word a lot on the internet, but what about OPSEC?? Also the involvement on civil police is kinda strange.

Not really something thats ever been a big issue for us. I remember S-class boats being opened up to the general public on port visits in the mid-80’s. You put certain spaces off limits, let the civvies shin up and down the tower ladder, look through the search scope and jobs a good ‘un without compromising anything that you wont find in public source material anyway.

MoD police would have jurisdiction on a naval base. This incident occured tied alongside at a civillian facility though so the initial call would, properly, go to the civillian authorities as I understand it. Would put a sizeable bet on the fact that SIB were involved pretty quick though.

Sorry, I assumed it was a “Boomer”.

FYI British Bombers (we don’t call them Boomers, as in english that has a rude conotation) all have ‘V’ names, Vanguard, Vigilant, Vengeance and Victorious. Our SSNs have ‘S’ names (out of service now), ‘T’ names (Trafalgar, Turbulent, Tireless, Torbay, Trenchant, Talent, and Triumph), and the new ‘A’ class (Astute, Ambush, Artful, Audacious, Agamemnon, Anson and Ajax). RN SSNs have no nuclear weapons on board.

Besides the shooting I’m actually surprised that they already allow civil visitors onto that brand new and I’d say sensitive boat. “… eleven children … due to board the submarine”. I’m really not using that word a lot on the internet, but what about OPSEC?? Also the involvement on civil police is kinda strange.

Sorry, I assumed it was a “Boomer”.

Police update:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13020498

I guess that the next captain of HMS Astute will loose his job.

I would considered it very problematic that an armed employee of the state behave that way – but it is even more problematic that this happened on submarine with an very dangerous and risky propulsion.

Well thats to be seen! Certainly the officers of the vessel especially the captain would undergoe some very tough scrutiny. A break down of discipline that leads to a crew member shooting another is a serious business. Considering how close a submarine crew work it would be expected that any crewman going through emotional issues or a breakdown would be noticed.

I dread to think what the reaction in the admiralty was when the news broke! A PR disaster!

Well its long been an unspoken truth that we talk about all naval matters here! Ships, submarines and aircraft we all find it interesting.

I think the mods turn a blind eye considering flame wars are fairly rare in the naval aviation section.

How is this “naval aviation”?

This would also raise questions, why someone with obvious psychological problems was responsible to guard the boat. Actually it would have been necessary to watch the guard…