Second RN ship in harbour
HMS Atherstone is visiting Malta between today and Sunday, joining the frigate HMS Lancaster, which arrived yesterday.
HMS Atherstone is a Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessel. It was commissioned in 1986 and remains, along with the rest of her class, the largest warship in the world made of glass reinforced plastic.
The ship is on its way home after being deployed in the Arabian Gulf for 27 months where it completed warm water mine warfare training and conducted maritime security operations to deter illegal activity on the high seas.
On its way to Malta, the ship supported anti-piracy and anti-terrorist operations in the Indian Ocean and NATO’s Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean. The ship also conducted exercises with the Royal Navy of Oman.
The ship will not be open to the public during its stay.
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18 Comments
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Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 17:51
I wish the crew of HMS Atherstone a nice stay on the islands.
mario delicata
May 12th 2010, 14:53
@ JFarrugia - I'm no graffiti member. I'm in my 70's and have been in places of war you probably do not know exist. As much as these ships attract the eye and bring revenue, they are and remain WARSHIPS and yes even if they come for a couple of days they are a threat, an attraction to terrorists and I repeat, against our constitution. It seems also that many of you do not know that in 2003 the UK revealed nuclear weapons accidents and Malta is also mentioned. http://www.banthebomb.org/archives/news/980628.htm
Accidents do happen and than we will see who says how marvellous these vessels are.
jfarrugia
May 12th 2010, 15:57
I've done my service and seen some pretty interesting stuff in my life but i'm not here to speak about me.
Warships do not attract terrorists, you can find them in nearly every port in the world, If a terrorist wants to attack us or a country symbol on foreign soil there are many easier ways to do it.
Give these sailors a break they have been doing a great job all over the world and all they want is to be welcomed especially in a country that has such strong ties with them.
Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 16:01
Thank you for the link, Mr. Mario Delicata. Very interesting indeed. I will never stop saying, "IT ONLY TAKES ONE ACCIDENTAL EVENT TO TRIGGER IT ALL OFF"......
M.Bezzina
May 12th 2010, 17:03
Sadly today there was a crash who lead to 104 passengers dead!!I will never travel by air anymore now because planes do crash!!Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime buddie!!You can be even killed by weapons for mass destruction if for eg:Iran decides to do so!!
fredrik gambin
May 12th 2010, 13:59
what's the use of reading the constitution when one cannot find work were he desires. Its a pity that the Royal Navy does not take recruits as it used to do in the old days. Today there are plenty of high rank carriers with the Navy. A person seeking adventure can have a carrier before him. Do not tell me that joining the Navy means going to war. Death can come to you crossing the street. Today work at sea carrier in Malta has become extinct. When there was the RFA recruitment in Malta, for instance, there was job opportunities for many persons seeking work. After all not all the students are nerds.
Michela Briffa
May 14th 2010, 09:09
I fully agree with you Mr Gambin. In my case, my aim is to join the Royal Navy as a Marine Engineering Officer. I never think of other careers except that one. To be eligible to join I have to spend at least 3 years living in the UK since I've never lived there. Like you said, many people want join the Navy to see the world, and also because they wouldn't want usual 9 to 5 jobs. A lot of people ask me why wouldn't I join the AFM, and the reason is the that AFM and the Royal navy can never be compared. It's a pity really that for us the Maltese citizens who are interested in such jobs can't join the navy before those 3 years.
Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 12:49
At least "IT" is made out of plastic, just like many undetectable land mines, which occupy perfectly arable uncultivated lands and fields in the "non maritime environment" somewhere on this same globe but in the world of the third type.
mario delicata
May 12th 2010, 12:08
To all those who have Malta and its citizens at heart read Chapter I of the Constitution of Malta act, 1964.
M.Bezzina
May 12th 2010, 12:50
I can assume that you dont like military here eh!!This is stupidity for me!!What about the revenue they leave behind these ships??handling service in Grand H, catering, crew visiting museums, bars, taxis etc etc.In my opinion we cannot afford looking back at our constitution!!Then we pretend that Italy help us, UK help us , USA help us(esp in illegal immigration) and we dont accept their machines here!!Does not make sense to refuse them!!
S Camilleri
May 12th 2010, 12:51
Take a break...
Peter Vella
May 12th 2010, 12:56
@Mario Delicata
Enjoy reading the constitution (and interpreting it to suit your cold war mentality) while the rest of us enjoy having the RN back in Malta.
Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 13:09
M.Bezzina, your revenue argument excites my intervention here. The need for military equipment rotates between the concepts of the "defensive" and the "offensive" type. A world of its own really. Please consider my own previous comment here, namely land mines which hinder the further developement of certain countries, for example. To add further "value added" to my argument, apparently military technology can also be very environmentally freindly. !!! Eh......., am I missing something ?
jfarrugia
May 12th 2010, 13:43
Give us a break, i suggest you and your graffiti friends go smoke some crap somewhere and sing cumbaja around a log fire, this has always solved the worlds issues. NOT.
B.Borg ex-pat UK
May 12th 2010, 13:53
To me looking at these fantastic ships is like a breath of fresh air, i'm an ex-RN Radio Operator mine sweeper type _UK, and i recommend any young person looking for a worth while carrer to think about the Royal Navy, i just love the sea, the ships and all the friends on board plus doing a worth while job looking after our interestS and a safe country to live in. All the ports and exotic places one can experience of a life time fro free. WELCOME TO THE ROYAL NAVY IN MALTA AND WELCOME ALL THE LADS ON BOARD THESE SHIPS.
Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 14:30
Peter Vella, you certainly do not speak on my behalf. Qalb ta qalbi !! Interesting, are you still the "emotional property" of someone else's ex-empire ?
Jesmond Micallef
May 12th 2010, 14:46
Jfarrugia, leave Grafitti out of this. Playmobil produce some nice toys made out of plastic !!
J.Borg
May 12th 2010, 15:15
Al Qeada called a war against Europe and all Christianity. Enjoy reading Chapter 1 of the constitution of Malta when a terrorist attack is cried out in Malta. The neutrality in Malta needs to be removed and start acting as a mature country. Neutrality does not protect us from anything it just makes us more vulnerable. Note military presence in Malta and sending Maltese troops abroad can also generate an income for us, make it by choice to sign up to such missions and give Maltese people who want to server abroad an opportunity to do so not server for another country like the UK. I know a lot of people signing up for the british army. Please remove the neutrality.