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Iain Ballantyne

@iainballantyne.bsky.social

1.2K followers 360 following 280 posts

Editor Warships IFR magazine and its associated guides to the US Navy and Royal Navy. Author of books, including 'Hunter Killers', 'The Deadly Trade', 'Killing the Bismarck', 'Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron' plus a forthcoming novel.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 19d

Video inspired by my 'Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron' @canelobooks.bsky.social using archive footage, caps & quotes from the book to tell the story in brief
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZBr...

#ww2 #history #arnhem #airborneforces #battleofarnhem #arnhem81

ARNHEM 80: INTO THE CAULDRON

YouTube video by Iain Ballantyne

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

H I Sutton @covertshores.bsky.social · 6h

Another ‘narco submarine’ found in the Solomon Islands, after it sailed all the way across the Pacific(!). This is the 3rd publicly reported example there.

Note that it’s empty and the outboard motors have been removed

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 3h

Here's a video of how a Norwegian frigate was sunk by a submarine-launched torpedo off Norway www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovdn... Caution: if you are prone to seasickness the up close angles of the finale may not be for you 🤢 More to come in Warships IFR magazine...

#maritime #news #weapons #naval

NORWEGIAN WARSHIP TORPEDOED

YouTube video by WARSHIPS IFR TV

www.youtube.com

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 9d

The Duke Class (Type 23) frigate HMS Somerset has conducted the first ever Royal Navy firing of a Naval Strike Missile (NSM), on the Andøya range off Norway. It was part of Aegir 25, an exercise that also saw missile firings using land-based launch systems. #hmssomerset #royalnavy #warship #naval

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Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

H I Sutton @covertshores.bsky.social · 17d

Although old, no longer amphibious (?), and not all active, the vintage Be-12 MAIL remains in active use for maritime patrol off Crimea, detecting Ukrainian small boat and USV operations

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 @militarynewsua.bsky.social · 17d

❗️🇺🇦Ukrainian kamikaze drones attack two 🇷🇺Russian Be-12 Chaika amphibious aircraft in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Another Mi-8 helicopter was also attacked.

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Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

Weird Bristol @weirdbristol.bsky.social · 17d

This telephone box in the heart of Sea Mills is the Sea Mills Museum.
Opened in 2019, it repurposed a disused 1936 K6 red telephone box (originally installed to celebrate the jubilee of George V).
Inside are historic photographs, artefacts and information about the area’s history.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 17d

Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Explorer at Portsmouth earlier in September, seemingly acting as drone mothership. Video by Stephen Jagger. For articles on the UK fleet's use of autonomous systems see the Warships IFR 'Guide to the Royal Navy 2026' sundialmedia.escosubs.co.uk/store/produc... #royalnavy

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 17d

Here's Russian Navy intel-gathering ship RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev, returning from the Norwegian Sea to Baltic Sea, after shadowing US Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. Also check out our next Warships IFR mag (in production). Photo: Michael Nitz, Naval Press Service. #russian #spyship

Here's the Russian Navy intel-gathering ship RFS Vasiliy Tatishchev, returning from the Norwegian Sea to Baltic Sea, after shadowing US Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. Check out our next Warships IFR mag (in production). Photo: Michael Nitz, Naval Press Service.

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 19d

an apple and an orange are next to each other on a red background

ALT: an apple and an orange are next to each other on a red background

media.tenor.com

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 19d

ARNHEM 80: INTO THE CAULDRON

YouTube video by Iain Ballantyne

www.youtube.com

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 19d

The Warships IFR team maintained a high speed of advance July - September to produce two mags while also turning out the latest 'Guide to the Royal Navy' special edition. BZ all.
Both are in UK shops & globally or direct warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/ or sundialmedia.escosubs.co.uk/store/produc...

The October 2025 edition of Warships IFR magazine (left) and the 'Warships IFR Guide to the Royal Navy', both published by Sundial.

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Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

hush @hush-ndb.bsky.social · 19d

I wonder what the names of SSN 1 and 2 were.

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Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

Prof Frank McDonough @fxmc1957.bsky.social · 21d

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Jimi Hendrix in Montagu Place, London. 📷 David Magnus (1967).

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Reposted by Iain Ballantyne

H I Sutton @covertshores.bsky.social · 21d

***New Analysis***

China’s New Giant Underwater Drone Increases Naval Mine Threat Around Taiwan

The AJX002's covert, almost deniable nature, increases the likelihood that China will use naval mines.

www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2...

China’s New Giant Underwater Drone Increases Naval Mine Threat Around Taiwan - Naval News

China unveiled its AJX002 underwater minelaying drone, signalling a significant expansion and modernization of its capabilities. The dedicated platform enhances blockade potential, particularly around...

www.navalnews.com

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 21d

Lt Jeff Noble, aged 20, Medium Machine Gun Platoon CO in the 156th Para Bn, has his 39 men split across two Dakotas for the 18.9.44 drop, but the aircraft turns back after the parachute on one of two containers underneath deploys. This sees an interesting attempt to ditch it...
#ww2 #history #Arnhem

Page (left) from Iain Ballantyne's 'Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron' as published by Canelo (2023). Left: paperback edition.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 28d

😃 Hopefully, the netting around the side would catch them...

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · 29d

Another 1st for the Royal Navy clocked up during the UK Carrier Strike Group 2025 deployment. A Malloy T-150 octo-copter flew ‘critical supplies...from ship to ship,’ said the RN. Here we see the drone flying between destroyer HMS Dauntless & carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Sep 5

We've reactivated the Warships IFR 'TV channel' after a fallow period, so if you want to dive into almost 100 videos of naval action take a look. And here's something on a recent rather large exercise off Australia www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbrb... Also covered in the magazine itself #warships #navies

A STORY IN THREE PARTS: TALISMAN SABRE 2025

YouTube video by WARSHIPS IFR TV

www.youtube.com

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Sep 3

#JVDay80 - oops. #VJDay80

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 30

A milestone for the UK's Type 31 frigate programme was installation of the first ship's mainmast by Babcock as seen in this video. Btw there's a feat on future Royal Navy frigates in our forthcoming 'Guide to the Royal Navy'. Pre-order sundialmedia.escosubs.co.uk/store/produc...

#royalnavy

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 15

As this is the official #VJDay 80 let's not forget the so-called 'Forgotten Fleet' & its part. Here's a photo of sailors of the British Pacific Fleet - led by & mainly Royal Navy units - on the flight-deck of one carrier studying a vista containing two others. #ww2 #history #navy #naval #JVDay80

Iain Ballantyne (Strathdee Collection) image of sailors aboard a British Pacific Fleet aircraft carrier in WW2 taking a break and studying a vista containing two other Royal Navy carriers.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 14

What can be done to save the Royal Navy? Lee Pilgrim recommends radical surgery of a Daring kind & some Astute decisions. 'Dr Lee' outlines excisions that may be be necessary in this latest Warships IFR #podcast chat pod.fo/e/312331 with myself. First of two doses from Mr Pilgrim. #defence #navy

The British attack submarine HMS Astute sails into Perth, Australia, in 2001, while helping to protect that year's UK Carrier Strike Group global deployment. Photo: ADF.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 12

To follow an earlier post - a video starting with HMS Prince of Wales, surrounded by vessels of the UK Carrier Strike Group (USK CSG) and those of US & Japanese groups, during an exercise in the Northern Philippine Sea. Next we see a UK F-35B land on JS Kaga and warships Yokosuka.
#japan #ukcsg25

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 12

The UK Carrier Strike Group has arrived at the naval support facility, Yokosuka, Japan. Seen here is the aircraft carrier (UK CSG flagship) HMS Prince of Wales sailing in to the base. Photo: Yoshiharu Fukushima for Warships IFR mag. #japan #ukcsg25 #aircraftcarrier #hmsprinceofwales #royalnavy #news

UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG) flagship and aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales sailing in to Yokosuka, Japan. Photo: Yoshiharu Fukushima.

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Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 9

Following on from the post of a Russian frigate contributor photo, here's two from Yoshiharu Fukushima in Japan, of Spanish frigate ESPS Méndez Núñez. Yoshiharu went aboard & has produced a report plus super pics for the Warships IFR edition after next (Oct, out Sept). Btw Sept ed out next week 😃

Iain Ballantyne @iainballantyne.bsky.social · Aug 9

Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich caught by Warships IFR magazine contributor Michael Nitz in the Baltic recently. A Krivak V type warship - one of the Black Sea Fleet exiles, unable to return home base due to war in the region causing closure of the Turkish Straits to vessels of combatants.

Russian frigate RFS Admiral Grigorovich caught by Warships IFR contributor Michael Nitz in the Baltic recently.