HMS NOTTINGHAM RETURNS TO PORTSMOUTH AFTER 6 MONTH DEPLOYMENT

HMS Nottingham returns to her home port of Portsmouth on Friday (25/4) after a six-month operational deployment patrolling the South Atlantic conducting maritime security operations.

The Type 42 destroyer provided a maritime presence to protect the UK’s interests in the region, helping maintain British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Highlights of the trip included visits to South Georgia where the crew enjoyed the wildlife and scenery in one of Britain’s most remote territories, and Rio de Janeiro where Nottingham helped commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Portuguese Royal Court’s evacuation to Brazil.

During the deployment Nottingham covered more than 25,000 miles, visited five different countries and three continents. She carried out a wide range of training including exercises with UK armed forces in the region and foreign navies.

The ship’s Commanding Officer, Commander Andy Price, said: “HMS Nottingham and her people have done magnificently well in the wide range of operations they have been asked to do over the last six months. They are a credit to the Royal Navy.”

Queen's thanks as last post sounds for Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

The Queen thanked the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS) as it disbanded after more than 30 years of support to the Royal Navy – an occasion marked by a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base (on March 31).

Royal Marines buglers sounded the Last Post as RMAS flags were lowered simultaneously in the salvage vessel Moorhen and on the base’s South Railway Jetty where she was berthed.

Last year, Serco Denholm won a new, 15-year contract to manage all Marine Services for the Royal Navy from today (April 1), which meant the end of an era for the RMAS.

It was born in 1976 out of the merger of a number of separate support organisations which operated the large fleet of harbour support vessels. Since 1996, following a commercial tender put out by the Ministry of Defence, Marine Services have been managed by Serco Denholm.

The ceremony at Portsmouth was attended by present and former members of the RMAS and by the Naval Base Commander, Commodore David Steel, who read the Queen’s message in response to a letter sent by Captain John Wills RN on behalf of the 266 personnel still serving in the organisation.

Her Majesty wrote: “I send my sincere thanks to you and the members of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service for your kind message of loyal greetings sent on the occasion of the disbandment of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service after thirty-seven and a half years in support of the Armed Forces.

“I much appreciate the sentiments expressed in your message and send my warmest good wishes and gratitude to you all.”

In his address, Commodore Steel said that despite the changes, the dedication and loyalty of those who had worked for the RMAS and its predecessors had not changed.

He said: “My passion for this Naval Base is underpinned by the pride I have in the people who man our tugs, lighters, barges and all other service vessels, a pride I know is shared equally by my colleagues in each of the other Naval Bases.

“While this is a sad day as we say farewell to the RMAS, I know that the Royal Navy remains in good hands because those who today work with us will provide the same excellent service in a different guise.”

He said that the RMAS flag that had been lowered in the Base – a Blue Ensign defaced by a yellow Admiralty anchor – will be displayed in a presentation case in Semaphore Tower, currently the Base headquarters but which later this year is destined to become home to the new Joint Naval Base Waterfront and Support Division after the Base HQ moves to the newly refurbished Victory Building.

“I hope that this will be a fitting tribute to those who have given so much to the RMAS and will remind those of us in the Royal Navy of the part the RMAS has played in supporting the Navy over so many years.”

Flying start for HMS Liverpool's Atlantic odyssey

A seven-month deployment to the South Atlantic will get off to a flying start for the warship HMS Liverpool when an RAF Tornado jet gives her a dramatic send-off from her Portsmouth base tomorrow (Wednesday, April 2).

The Tornado, from Liverpool’s affiliated RAF Squadron – No. 12 – will provide the parting salute during a routine training flight from its base at Lossiemouth, Scotland.

Liverpool, a Type 42 destroyer, will fulfil multiple roles as she patrols as far south as the Falkland Islands and as far north as the coast of West Africa. As well as providing the maritime security that ensures world trade, she will form the maritime element in defence of the Falkland Islands and further north will contribute to the fight against international drugs smuggling.

Her mission to help make the world a safer place will also include the Royal Navy’s traditional readiness to provide humanitarian aid to people in trouble, particularly in the face of the natural disasters that bedevil the globe.

And as an extension of Britain’s diplomacy in the region she will demonstrate the Royal Navy’s global reach, flying the flag during visits across three continents, including ports in Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, Angola, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

The ship’s Commanding Officer, Commander Craig Wood, said today: “HMS Liverpool is deploying to the Atlantic region to safeguard British interests by conducting maritime security, reassurance and deterrence of illegal activity.

“Liverpool and her ship’s company are fully trained, well prepared and utterly capable to carry such a diverse and important mission.”

HMS Victory Virtual Tour for physically less able

People who up to now have found it difficult or impossible to tour HMS Victory due to physical disabilities can now enjoy a new virtual tour of the iconic ship via a special DVD.

From Monday (March 10) those visitors to the ship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard who are physically less able can take the new, 35-minute tour without going beyond the ship’s more easily accessible lower gun deck, where the DVD will be shown.

The new DVD, made on the lines of a TV documentary by the Clanfield (Hampshire) based firm ATS Heritage, replaces an older, out-of-date video cassette version. It includes moving images from all places on the tour taken by more physically able visitors.

The first stage of the project will be shown to an invited audience at 4.00 pm on Monday (March 10) in the Royal Naval Museum’s Princess Royal Gallery. Guests will include the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth (Cllr Mike Blake and Mrs Susie Sanderson); Portsmouth Naval Base Commander (Commodore David Steel); and representatives from local disability forum groups,

MENCAP and Treloars College for disabled children at Alton.
The second stage of the project will include the addition of subtitles for the hard of hearing as well as a signed version.

The DVD is an integral part of Victory’s and the Historic Dockyard’s access policy for all.

Navy mission brings father and daughter together

A major Royal Navy deployment East of Suez has by chance brought together a Portsmouth father and daughter who had not seen each other for over three months.

Penny Edney (20), an able seaman specialising in logistics, is serving on board the Portsmouth-based aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious which is leading a multi-national maritime task group operating under the title Orion 08.

Also part of the 13-vessel task group is the Royal Fleet Auxiliary replenishment ship RFA Fort Austin in which Penny’s father Gary Edney is serving as an RFA senior rating – a chief petty officer stores accountant.

When the carrier was conveniently near Fort Austin, Illustrious’s commanding officer (Captain Steve Chick RN) was able to arrange a family reunion by including Penny on a planned boat transfer to the supply vessel.

“It was great to see my Dad again,” said Penny. “We’ve just got over the half-way point in the deployment and it’s been brilliant to catch up and have lunch together.”

“It’s never easy to be away from your family,” said Gary, who has served for 32 years at sea. “When Penny popped over for a spot of lunch, it really made my day.”

Commanding Officer of Fort Austin, Captain Dale Worthington RFA, said the visit was a real morale booster. “Re-uniting family members on deployment is always a great occasion. We all enjoyed seeing Gary and Penny looking so happy.”

The Edney family have a strong relationship with the sea and the Royal Navy. Gary’s wife Sadie served in the Navy as a stores accountant, and Gary’s older daughter, Sian, is serving on board Illustrious’s sister-ship, HMS Ark Royal.

Penny joined the Service three years ago and in that short time has already travelled the world on board the Portsmouth-based frigate HMS Westminster and the destroyer HMS Southampton, as well as Illustrious.

“The thing I most love about the Navy has to be the travel,” she said. “I’ve been so lucky to have seen so many great places and make loads of friends as well.”

Illustrious continues to lead the task group on patrol in the Indian Ocean. The Orion force involves 2,500 personnel from Britain, France, Spain and the US, as well as Harrier jets and Merlin and Lynx helicopters.

The deployment is demonstrating the UK’s commitment to peace and stability in the region by working with a number of other navies. During the deployment ships of the group are visiting ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia and the Far East.

Under the command of Commodore Tom Cunningham RN, the task group is contributing towards the international effort to promote maritime security. The force is also exercising its ability to deploy globally, and is conducting a wide range of training activities, including anti-submarine warfare and ground attack support by Harrier aircraft.

Embarked in Illustrious, depending on the ship’s role, is a mix of GR7 and GR9 aircraft from the Joint Harrier Force, Sea King airborne surveillance and control aircraft and RAF Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.

HMS Illustrious leads ORION 08 deployment

The aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious departs Portsmouth on Monday 21st January 2008 to lead a multi-national Task Group to the Indian Ocean region for exercises over the next four months. The Task Group incorporates more than 2,500 personnel, 13 ships, a nuclear powered submarine and fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.

ORION 08 is an element of the UK's continued commitment to boosting peace and stability in the area by exercising with a number of navies in the region. During its deployment the Task Group will be visiting 20 ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle East, South Asia and the Far East.

The deployment is part of the RN's regular operating pattern, repeating a similar deployment to the Indian Ocean in 2006. It will exercise deploying a maritime strike force for a prolonged period away from the home base and working with allies.

During the deployment, the ship will carry Ground Attack Harriers flown by Royal Navy and RAF pilots from the Naval Strike Wing and No 1 (Fighter) Squadron Royal Air Force, both part of the UK's Joint Force Harrier. Also on board will be Merlin Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron.

Units in the group include the Air Defence Destroyer HMS Edinburgh, the multi-role Frigate HMS Westminster, the nuclear powered submarine HMS Trafalgar, and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Wave Knight, Fort Austin, Diligence and Bayleaf (carrying fuel, ammunition, stores and food). Also working with the Task Group are USS Cole (an American Arleigh Burke Destroyer), SNS Mendez Nunez (Spanish F100 class Aegis Frigate), FS Jean Bart (French air defence destroyer), supported by UK Mine Countermeasures Vessels HM Ships Chiddingfold and Atherstone.

HMS Exeter Stars at London Boat Show

Portsmouth-based warship HMS Exeter is to take on a starring role at this year’s London Boat Show.

The Type 42 destroyer - a veteran of the Falklands conflict of 1982 – will host several high-profile receptions, lunches and dinners on behalf of show organisers during the ten-day event at ExCel which starts on Friday (Jan 11).

And the vessel is also open daily to visitors – more than 25,000 are expected to go on board over the ten days to learn about the role of the modern Royal Navy and how it fits in with the UK maritime community.

Royal Navy frigates have been popular attractions at the show since 2004 but this year is the first time a destroyer has been involved.

Exeter’s Commanding Officer, Commander Paul Brown, said: “I am delighted and extremely proud that HMS Exeter has been given the opportunity to represent the Royal Navy at one of the country’s most important maritime events.

“The RN is as relevant today as any point in its history and it is fitting that we are at the show as an integral part of the UK’s maritime community.”

He added: “I hope that we will be able to give the public a flavour of life on board a warship and some idea of what the RN does when we are out of sight over the horizon.”

HMS Gloucester returns to Portsmouth after £6 million upgrade

The air defence destroyer HMS Gloucester returns to her Portsmouth base on Wednesday (December 19) after a six-month, £6 million upgrade which has made her one of Britain’s most potent defence assets.

The Type 42 destroyer has emerged from a refit by Babcock Engineering Services at Rosyth with the latest maritime communications and sensor systems. They enhance her ability to interact with ease with other elements of the UK and other NATO Armed Forces.

In addition to her warfare systems, Gloucester has received a package of major work on her mechanical systems and services including the replacement of oil boilers with state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly water-making facilities.

Her hull has been overhauled and her superstructure has been fully repainted. Propellers have been refurbished and a novel addition to her hull – a ‘transom flap’ – has been fitted to improve stability and fuel efficiency.

Following highly successful sea trials, her return to Portsmouth heralds her availability as part of Britain’s Joint Rapid Reaction Force.

Her Commanding Officer, Commander Mike Paterson, said members of the ship’s company were delighted to be returning to sea to regenerate full operational capability. “Having taken delivery of a major improvement to our already significant air warfare capabilities, Gloucester will form a central element of the Royal Navy’s order of battle for years to come.

“I am extremely grateful to all who have worked so hard to ensure that the ship has left Rosyth on time, ready and fighting fit to re-join the Fleet.”

During the period she was in dockyard hands, the 287-strong ship’s company was able to make a valuable contribution to flood relief work in the Gloucester area last summer – particularly appropriate considering the ship’s 20-year affiliation with the city. The sailors were particularly successful in helping to prevent the Walham electricity sub-station being paralysed by flood water.

On a lighter note, the ship’s company also took part in Gloucester Carnival, an event that highlighted the city’s ability to overcome the disaster. Commander Paterson said: “This level of assistance to the community demonstrates the enduring flexibility, resourcefulness and relevance of the Royal Navy and its people.

“It was a great honour to be able to help our friends in Gloucestershire in their hour of need, and we were proud to share in their celebration of triumph over adversity.”

HMS Richmond returns from the Gulf

Portsmouth-based warship HMS Richmond returns home on Wednesday (Dec 19) from an eventful seven-month security mission in the Arabian Gulf.

The Type 23 frigate patrolled the northern Gulf as part of the UK’s contribution to security and stability in the region.

Richmond helped protect Iraqi offshore oil rigs and oil terminals - vital to that country’s economic development – and policed busy shipping lanes to protect and boost confidence in maritime trading and help to counter smuggling and piracy.

Her boarding team comprising RN and Royal Marines personnel carried out patrols and boarding operations to foster relations with merchant mariners and local fishermen. Training was given to Iraqi Marines and Naval staff in boarding and command and control operations, allowing them to carry out security duties in the future.

In September Oman was struck by Cyclone Gonu and Richmond was able to help the disaster relief effort by providing 7,000 bottles of drinking water.

After handing the reins to her sister ship HMS Argyll last month she paid a formal visit to Ras Al Khaimah when they hosted Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi – the first visit to the Emirate by a Royal Navy warship in two years.

But Richmond’s busy deployment was not over. She worked closely with the Yemeni Coastguard to arrest 13 suspected people smugglers, covertly tracking two suspicious dhows as they headed towards Somalia and coordinating their interception and seizure.

Her Commanding Officer, Commander Piers Hurrell, said: “I am delighted to bring HMS Richmond safely home after a demanding seven-month operational tour. During this time Richmond has contributed much to the maritime stability of the Middle East and thoroughly enjoyed training and working with the fledgling Iraqi Navy and Marine forces.”

Richmond covered 25,000 nautical miles during the deployment and her Merlin helicopter flew 104 sorties in the Gulf, spending a total of 250 hours in the air. The ship’s galley prepared 155,600 meals and cooked 35,680 sausages, 2,024 kg of bacon and 13,600kg of potatoes.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary - Drug Busters of the Caribbean!

British naval forces have notched up another counter-drugs success in the Caribbean with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship RFA Largs Bay intercepting over half a tonne of cocaine on her first ever operational patrol.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned force which supports the Royal Navy Fleet. RFA Largs Bay is currently tasked to provide support to UK Overseas Territories and to assist in the joint international effort in disrupting the flow of narcotics from South America to Europe and the USA.

The Royal Navy and RFA have had a series of successful operations to foil the drug smuggling cartels.
In the latest swoop, RFA Largs Bay tasked her Royal Navy Lynx helicopter - from 815 Naval Air Squadron based at Yeovilton in Somerset - to investigate a small fishing boat that was stopped in the water eight miles ahead of the ship and some 390 miles north-east of Barbados.

As the 16,000-tonne Largs Bay and the Lynx approached the fishing vessel, the aircrew witnessed the fishermen hastily dumping their dubious cargo into the sea. The Lynx, tasked to hover over the bales to mark their position in the rapidly diminishing light, simultaneously managed to track the fleeing smugglers.

RFA Largs Bay’s sea boat was then launched. Despite the bales of cocaine being weighted - and the difficult twilight conditions - the crew managed to recover some 575 kg of cocaine before being forced to leave as darkness approached. There was also a need to catch up with the suspect vessel as it attempting a sharp getaway.

Meanwhile, the Lynx rapidly refuelled and was re-launched in hot pursuit. RFA Largs Bay once again intercepted the drug smugglers, who were now motoring without lights and clearly had no desire to communicate. Flag state approval was sought to despatch elements of the embarked US Coastguard Law Enforcement Detachment to question the rogue skipper; this was eventually received and the fishing boat subsequently boarded.

RFA Largs Bay is now escorting the Venezuelan fishing boat Astromelia and her crew to a rendezvous with a Venezuelan naval vessel for hand over and due process.

Commanding Officer of RFA Largs Bay, Captain Ian Johnson, said: “RFA Largs Bay is at the cutting edge of the International fight, against drug smuggling. I am delighted that we have successfully secured a significant amount of cocaine, with a European street value estimated at some £20 million and once more dealt a significant blow to the drug cartels. It is particularly satisfying given that this is the ship’s first operational deployment after commissioning, and demonstrates the Government and MOD’s ongoing commitment to keep narcotics off our streets”

Secretary of State, Des Browne, said:
“The Navy and RFA have once again struck a major blow against the blight of drug dealers. I would like to thank them for this valuable contribution to keeping our country safe.”

Spanish fly with Illustrious.

HMS Illustrious returns to her Portsmouth base today after scoring another first by embarking both Spanish and Italian Harrier strike aircraft for a NATO training exercise in the Adriatic.

The carrier’s 25th year in service has seen her breaking new ground at almost every turn. Spending the majority of this year at sea, she has been involved in several important multi-national exercises, including a joint task force exercise off the eastern coast of the USA. She worked closely there with the US Marine Corps, embarking a squadron of their Harriers for two weeks and operating with an Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

In the Adriatic exercise, codenamed Noble Midas and hosted by Croatia, the Spanish and Italian Harrier AV8Bs were embarked in the carrier for almost three weeks, strengthening the understanding between the NATO colleagues.

When the 9th Spanish Squadron returned to Illustrious for a Spanish exercise last in November, they immediately fitted back into life on board as if they had always been a part of the ship.

HMS Illustrious’s new Commanding Officer, Captain Steve Chick, said today: “The ship’s achievements over the past year have been very impressive, with nearly 2,000 aircraft movements on an off the deck involving 28 types of aircraft from eight different countries. I look forward to continuing this excellent record during my time in command.”

In the New Year, Illustrious promises to fulfil that prediction when she leads a multi-national, maritime task group of 14 vessels and 2,500 personnel from four navies in a major maritime security deployment to promote peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region.

Codenamed Orion 08, deployment will include Royal Navy, French, Spanish and US warships – including a submarine – and 20 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The force will be under the operational control of the RN and will visit 20 ports in the Mediterranean, in Africa, the Middle East, southern Asia and the Far East.

Under the command of Commodore Tom Cunningham RN, the task group will undertake a wide range of maritime security activities, including counter-terrorism, and anti-mining operations. It will work with at least ten other navies and exercise high-intensity anti-submarine warfare and ground attack support using embarked Harriers.

Landing ship Sir Galahad joins the Brazilian Navy.

Brazil will formally welcome the former Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) landing ship Sir Galahad into her Navy at Portsmouth Naval Base on Tuesday (December 4).

Sir Galahad (8,750 tonnes), which in 1988 replaced the ship of the same name lost in the Falklands War, will be commissioned into the Brazilian navy as the Garcia D’Avila – the name of a distinguished captain and Brazilian war hero who served from 1913 until 1945.

Representing the British Armed Forces at the commissioning ceremony will be Portsmouth Naval Base Commander, Commodore David Steel. He said today: “Sir Galahad has seen long and distinguished service with the RFA, and while it is always sad to bid farewell to one of our ships, all of us in the Naval Service are delighted and heartened that Sir Galahad, as the Garcia D’Avila, will be a valued and very capable addition to the Brazilian fleet.”

Sir Galahad and her five sister ships began entering service from the mid-1960s, but from 2001 were replaced by four much larger and more capable vessels of 16,000 tonnes – RFAs Largs Bay, Lyme Bay, Mounts Bay and Cardigan Bay – each of which are equipped with landing craft and can accommodate 356 troops and up to 150 trucks or 24 Challenger battle tanks.

The present Sir Galahad was built by Swan Hunter at Tyne and Wear and has served in both Iraq wars. She is unique in the RFA as having won two Wilkinson Swords of Peace for humanitarian aid – to Angola in 1995 and Iraq in 2003.

In July last year she made her last journey under the RFA flag when she sailed from Marchwood port, the Armed Forces’ Sea Mounting Centre on Southampton Water, to Portsmouth where she has been refitted for Brazilian service.

Ice patrol ship leaves for her longest mission.

The Royal Navy’s Antarctic patrol ship HMS Endurance leaves her Portsmouth base on Wednesday (November 28) for the longest mission in her history.

She heads for the South Atlantic to fulfil her usual task of survey work and support for scientific research throughout the Antarctic summer. With the completion of that season’s work, she will not return home but will be employed to reinforce Britain’s maritime security operations in the warmer areas of the Atlantic during the Antarctic winter.

Endurance, under her Commanding Officer (Captain Bob Tarrant RN), will return to her more traditional duties during the Antarctic summer of 2008-09 before finally returning home to Portsmouth 18 months after her departure.

During her odyssey, members of her ship’s company will be rotated so that they will not be away from home for more than a few months at a time.

When she reaches the Antarctic, Endurance will continue to support the vital work done by the British Antarctic Survey, breaking ice with her specially designed bow to take them and their supplies to remote areas that can only be reached by ships or helicopters.

More information about HMS Endurance can be found on the website http://www.visitandlearn.co.uk/.