D
ARKNESS rules.
ment allows us to really stretch
Distant lights of
these ships. And more lessons
Although the Cold War e
scattered houses
will continue to be learnt and
ago, war in the cold is stil
struggle to punctuate the
these ships will continue to
the Royal Navy and Marine
night sky that is rent by the
evolve.”
Armatura Borealis has brought
skills. Exercise Armatura
milky-green slash of the
together four of the Royal Navy’s
the Navy’s amphibious figh
Aurora Borealis.
weighty amphibious ships –
Arctic Circle. Helen Craven
A hand pressed to the win-
HMS Bulwark, HMS Albion,
ship HMS Bulwark as th
dow in Flyco can feel the warm
RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Ark pace.
air that slews down the glass to
Royal (in her converted helicop-
ward off a fractal screen of ice.
ter assault ship role), into the
HMS Bulwark is in Norway,
somewhat cramped confines of
Royal Navy held at high readi- ad
along with her sister ships Albion, Norway’s Arctic coastline.
ness, at the forefront of contin- up
Ark Royal, Mounts Bay, and The British amphibious ships
gent capability. th
Cornwall, being put through her are bolstered by various other
“If we are to keep that capa- th
paces amid the fjords and moun- nations, including a Dutch
bility recharged and fresh, we ro
tainous isles of the Scandinavian task group featuring HNLMS
need to do challenging exercises
country’s Arctic north in Rotterdam – the inspiration for
like this.” we
Exercise Armatura Borealis. the RFA’s Bay class – and two
It’s a point echoed by ib
Bulwark has emerged from Belgian minehunters.
Bulwark’s CO: “We are proving bu
the cocoon of refit to become In addition, a British and a
our ability to operate in cold m
the high readiness amphibious
climates.
Norwegian submarine patrol the
an
flagship and Norway is where
“We are a worldwide Navy,
clear waters and Type 22 HMS
she is testing her wings.
capable of operating in all condi-
Cornwall bolsters the power of
wi
And it’s not just the ship
tions, whether arctic, temperate
the Task Force.
an
which is being brought back to
or jungle. We are proving we
Away from the ships, the
speed. Almost three-quarters of
have the full range of capabilities
shores of Norway throng with
sa
the assault ship’s company have
in those conditions.
clusters of Royal Marines from
ni
joined the warship in her fallow
“We are revisiting lessons
many units, but predominantly
ha
from previous deployments,
period in the hands of DML at 45 Commando – all enjoying
sa
maintaining the level of expe-
Devonport Naval Base – includ- the bracing pleasures of Arctic
dr
rience across the Royal Navy
ing her commanding officer training in the Scandinavian
sta
– should we be called to a crisis
Capt Jeremy Blunden. ice and snow; and nestled amid
to somewhere like this, we have
“This is the first time I’ve the mountains beyond, the men
W
a body of expertise that could
been involved in amphibious and women of the Commando
an
mount any operation.
warfare as commanding officer,” Helicopter Force are flourish-
ad
“These exercises are few and
he said. ing amid the rigours of their
Ra
far between, we need to make
“I’ve never done this sort of Clockwork deployment to
use of training opportunities
stuff before, so I’m learning as Bardufoss’ climactic challenges.
–
when they come up.”
well – as much as the AB who
ou
These weeks of exercises
joined the ship last week. have brought almost 4,000 RN,
“We are new to the game, RM and RFA personnel up to
S
o up on the bridge of the
N
assault ship the navigating
we are learning how to do this. Harstad and its surrounding
team are working long hours
ch
This exercise is the final proving regions.
keeping a wary eye on the
an
ground for HMS Bulwark as This is the first taste of the
‘opportunities’ offered by the
bo
amphibious flagship. Out here Arctic for many people on board
Narvik coastline.
len
we are proving to ourselves that Bulwark, and although the ship
To quote Douglas Adams’
ru
we can maintain and sustain the had played host to the battle
Slartibartfast, the “lovely crin-
th
ship in a higher state of readi- staff 18 months earlier, it was in
kly edges” leave little room to an
ness. the very different conditions of
manoeuvre for ships of the size in
“We have had to hone our the Gulf.
of the amphibious task group wh
warfighting skills.” In fact, the warm seas of the
– a fact cheerfully acknowledged op
H
eading up the ships
Mediterranean and east of Suez
by Bulwark’s Navigator Lt Cdr wh
involved in the wargames
are the expected environments
Chris Nelson: “In the Channel op
off the coast of Norway, Cdre
of much of the Navy’s fleet in
if something happens you can
Peter Hudson, Commander
current global operations, not
simply turn right and head out co
to sea. You won’t hit land for at is
Amphibious Task Group, is no
the Arctic which recalls the leg-
least 20 miles.” em
stranger to the Navy’s newest
acy of the long-ended Cold War.
He indicates the snow-covered an
assault ships.
He said: “Since I commanded “I
t compels us to think hard- land visible from each of bridge ph
er, think deeper, think lat- windows, “Here it’s challenging m
HMS Albion there has been a erally,” said Cdre Hudson. because there simply isn’t an
staggering leap in capability in He added: “We have an escape route.” all
both Albion and Bulwark. impressive amphibious task Lt Adam Ballard, the deputy Th
“This challenging environ- group, with elements of the navigator on board Bulwark, lo
pictures: la(phot) pepe hogan, po(phot) jonathan haml
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