6 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2008
To Bulwark
the baton
AFTER 18 months in the
vanguard of Britain’s amphibious
forces, HMS Albion had handed
the fl agship ‘baton’ to her sister in
time for winter war games.
HMS Bulwark will lead the
RN’s involvement in Exercise
Armatura Borealis (not a species
of butterfly, but Latin for ‘armour
MASF
of the north wind’), NATO-led
war games in northern Norway.
Both sisters will deploy for the
exercises, alongside frigate HMS
change
Cornwall and Royal Marines of
3 Commando Brigade and 45
THE king is dead, long live the
Commando.
king.
The Commander of the
The former aviation support
Amphibious Task Group, Cdre
organisation for the RFA,
Phil Jones, made his home aboard
RFANSU (Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Albion with his staff and thanked
Naval Support Unit) is no more.
the ship’s company for playing a
It ceased to be on December
leading role in exercises off Africa
1... the very same day that the
and in the Baltic, as well as home
new Maritime Aviation Support
waters.
Force (MASF) stood up for the
“To the ship’s company of
first time.
HMS Albion, I would like to
It is the duty of the Culdrose-
say thank you for all your efforts
based organisation to ensure that
and support,” the commodore
any flight deploying to an RN
told sailors at a ceremonial
or RFA vessel, or to a forward
transfer of flagship duties and
operating base ashore, has all
responsibilities.
the kit and personnel support
“To HMS Bulwark, I would
needed.
like to say congratulations
● Fly Navy (but, sadly, it’s not ours)... An F/A 18 Hornet is launched by the USS Harry S Truman during operations in the Gulf
And that can be quite a large
on your successful return to
Pictures: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J Reyes USN
team: up to 50 personnel in cases
operational status.”
– meteorologists, PTIs, survival
Armatura Borealis runs
specialists, aircraft controllers,
throughout this month and into
March.
PWO is me
Sea Knights and
logisticians, engineers and
medics.
At present you’ll find men and
women from MASF – motto
auxilio ad alta, reaching the
heights with help – at (deep
– yet again
breath) Prestwick in Scotland
BUDDING warfare offi cers
joined frigate HMS Lancaster
for the fi rst seaborne test of their
Dusty Dog days
supporting HMS Gannet, the
Fleet Weather and Oceanographic
Centre at Northwood, FOST,
Yeovilton, RFA Fort Victoria, and
the Maritime Warfare School at
Collingwood.
skills. Further afield, teams are
Five students from HMS deployed with RFA Argus off
Collingwood had already
THE men and women of
American warship, let operations in the central Of course, keeping up with the Oman, HMS Illustrious bound
undergone several weeks of
HMS Manchester were
alone for an older British Gulf. Trumans isn’t easy. Not only is east of Suez, RFA Largs Bay in
intensive instruction at the
given the honour of ‘riding
destroyer,” said Cdr David Escorting the Truman she ten years younger than her the Caribbean and ashore in Iraq,
Fareham establishment, both Dominy, Manchester’s has afforded the British escort, she doesn’t guzzle Afghanistan and Oman.
on the simulator and in the shotgun’ for 100,000 tons Commanding Officer. Mancunians sights as much ‘gas’.
classroom.
of sovereign US ‘turf’ as
“As always, we rose rarely seen by the rest Actually, she doesn’t guzzle any
Nothing is better than the
real thing, of course, so trainees
their deployment with the
to the challenge and of the RN. ‘gas’, relying on nuclear propulsion
Gold Rover
and instructors joined the
Harry S Truman shifted to
did a great job as the The destroyer to power her through the oceans.
‘shotgun’ escort, as formed up with the That means she can maintain
Portsmouth-based Type 23 for the Gulf. well as conducting rest of the carrier high speeds pretty much
‘basic phase sea week’ – the first Oh, it also meant they were in flight safety fighter group for an historic constantly... whereas Manchester
saves da day
major hurdle in the long road charge of air defence for all naval control duties for photo opportunity. can’t without frequent trips to the
to becoming a principal warfare forces in the Arabian Gulf. all US aircraft, and Whilst helicopters filling station.
TANKER RFA Gold Rover broke
officer. And there was the small matter orchestrating our own air from the ‘Dusty Dogs’ To maintain the HST’s pace,
off from her usual refuelling
Students are tested in every of directing operations by the Busy operations using our Lynx.” squadron buzzed about the Busy Bee has been relying on
duties around the Falklands to
aspect of war at sea, including a Bee’s Lynx at the same time. This was the first time (so taking photographs, the Truman the American counterpart to the
ferry vital medical kit to one
‘Thursday War’ off Plymouth. So no pressure on the ops room the Manchester team tell us, launched a succession of aircraft RFA to keep her going.
of the world’s most remote
It’s the fourth time in the team, then. although there’s a good chance from her deck, chiefly Hornets and USNS Arctic is a constant
communities.
past year that the team at the After two months attached our correspondents might write an E2C airborne early warning companion, providing all the fuel
The South Atlantic island of
Maritime Warfare School have to Carrier Strike Group, led by otherwise – Ed) the RN has been plane. the destroyer requires.
Tristan da Cunha is home to just
used the Red Rose ship as their the Truman (or HST as she’s in charge of air defence for a US Not to be outdone, Manchester And when not RAS-ing
271 people – many of whom were
floating training platform. commonly known), the Busy Bee carrier battlegroup and one the dug out her largest, grandest alongside, Manchester has been
struck down at the end of 2007
“Lancaster’s a most excellent was asked by US Fifth Fleet – Brits performed with aplomb. ensign and raised it on her RAS-ing vertically, with Seahawks
by a virus which caused breathing
host to staff and students alike,” responsible for operations in the So much aplomb, in fact, mainmast. (We’d love to show from the Sea Knights (Helicopter
difficulties.
enthused Lt Cdr Marcus Butler Gulf – to take command of the that US Cdre Rick Williams is you the resulting image... but Sea Combat Squadron 22)
With medical supplies on the
RAN, one of the PWO assessors. skies. making the Type 42 his home the US Navy haven’t sent it yet, ferrying stores between the battle
volcanic British dependency
“The ship has come up with “This is a busy task for an as he commands Allied maritime unfortunately.) group ships.
running low, the island’s
the goods time and time again,
administrator David Morley sent
often at short notice.”
an ‘SOS’ to London.
The potential PWOs have
The outbreak was brought ● Arctic role... Two MH-60S Seahawks from the Sea
now returned to Collingwood for
Knights – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 – under control – but the virus did
further training, but will be back
ferry supplies to HMS Manchester in choppy Gulf severely deplete medical stocks,
at sea for an ‘advanced phase sea
seas, as seen from the USS Harry S Truman hence the plea for help six weeks
week’ – their final assessment.
ahead of a scheduled visit by a
supply ship.
A last look
And so Gold Rover was called
upon to steam for Tristan Da
Cunha which lies some 1,800
miles west of Cape Town; with no
at fi sh...
airstrip, re-supply by sea was the
sole option open to the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office.
SAILORS in HMS Ledbury will
soon be bidding farewell to the
Putting the
sight – and smell – of fi sh.
The Hunt-class warship
– designed to deal with the boots on
threats of mine warfare – begins
her final fishery protection patrol SAILORS and commandos
this month. deploying to Afghanistan and
Ledbury spent the final days of Iraq will be offered a choice of
2007 hosting school children and two types of combat boots for
members of the Combined Cadet the desert in future.
Force for ‘sea days’, intended After tests of 22 makes of
to give young people an idea of boot in theatre at the end of
life at sea by demonstrating a last year – following gripes
number of manoeuvres and drills, about standard-issue footwear
including replenishment at sea for desert ops – the MOD
and man overboard. decided footwear by Meindl
2008 opened with the ship and Lowa met the demands of
receiving an overhaul to her living front-line personnel.
spaces and command system in Female personnel deploying
Portsmouth. will receive boots made by
That revamp allowed one in Lowa, specially designed for
six Ledburyites (made-up word the feet of the fairer sex.
– Ed), led by CO Lt Cdr Paul The new footwear is being
Russell, to head to France for the distributed this spring during
RN ski championships. the roulement of personnel.
006_NN_Feb.indd 1 18/1/08 16:07:12
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