8 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007
Eye spy
A brief but vital role
on Daring A LIGHTNING deployment east of Suez has ended with HMS Campbeltown back
at Devonport.
BRITAIN’S most advanced
The Type 22 frigate was dispatched for three months to support
warship can now ‘see’ with the
the global mission against terrorism and smuggling on the
cutting-edge radar sphere finally
high seas.
lowered into place.
In doing so she visited the Indian Ocean and Gulf,
Sampson, protected inside a
and made a high-profi le stop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,
Sputnik-like ball, sits on top of
for a mix of cultural, sporting and offi cial events.
HMS Daring’s main mast and
“The ship’s company should feel proud with
acts as the all-seeing eye, scouring
what we have achieved – we’ve made a signifi cant
the heavens for incoming enemy
impact upon maritime security in the region,” said
aircraft and missiles.
CO Capt Rupert Wallace.
Sampson feeds information
“We have all missed our families who have given us
of potential threats hundreds of
so much support. They know that we have an important
miles from the ship to Daring’s
job to do.”
Principal Anti-Air Missile System
Campbeltown also hosted 16 cadets from BRNC Dartmouth
for seven weeks of ‘Initial Sea Training’ when the rookie offi cers
– and, ultimately, to the Aster
live and work alongside junior rates to give them a fl avour of life in
missiles which are intended to
the ranks.
destroy the incoming enemy
Beyond experiencing life below decks, the cadets paid a visit to a
aircraft or missile.
camel farm near Jeddah and ate lamb by the light of lanterns – rather like
The radar can track hundreds
Lawrence of Arabia 90 years ago.
of contacts at any one time (in
Away from the business end of the deployment, Campbeltown’s sailors
tests in the southern UK it was
devoted much of their free time to raising money for numerous good causes.
picking up aircraft approaching
Roughly one third of her crew took part in a ‘row the Suez’ event as they
airports as far away as the
rowed the equivalent length of the canal – roughly 100 miles – in aid of
Netherlands), while Aster can
Cancer Research UK, who promptly pocketed £390.
destroy a cricket ball travelling at
The frigate visited Gibraltar on her outward and homeward-bound
three times the speed of sound –
legs of her deployment. Most sailors took part in the legendary Rock
and can vector towards its target
race to the top of the imposing rock, but two decided to do it strapped
at up to 60G (which is 20 times
together as a three-legged race. They reached the summit in under 38
more than a Formula 1 car).
minutes, raising £481 for the Willow Foundation in Hampshire which
Daring is being fitted out at
organises treats for terminally-ill young people.
BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard
Picture: LA(Phot) Shaun Barlow, FRPU West
on the Clyde and it was there
that the large dome (it’s about
the height of three people) was
lowered on to her mast. The radar
is roughly 40 metres (around
130ft) above sea level.
Three working versions of
Sampson already exist, two in
Portsmouth – at the Portsdown
Montrose benefi ts
Scott fi nds
friends half
Hill Type 45 test centre and
a world away
on the barge Longbow which
will soon disappear to the
Mediterranean for missile and
radar trials – and one at the
Eskmeals gunnery range in
Cumbria.
Meanwhile, the third Type
from Split decision
NEARLY a year after being
royally hosted by the men and
women of USS Anzio, the sailors
of survey ship HMS Scott were
welcomed with open arms once
again – half-way around the
45 destroyer, HMS Diamond, world.
is beginning to represent the
The Anzio team was asked to
finished article with the core of
More than 50 sailors left Split
look after the Devonport sailors
the ship completed.
behind and headed to the River
when Scott represented the Royal
Shipwrights at BAE Systems’
Certina at Omis, half an hour from
Navy at New York’s famous Fleet
Govan yard on the Clyde are
the coast, for whitewater rafting.
Week last summer.
welding two giant blocks together
T
HE delightful
the global clampdown Split which is a beautiful
Dalmatian port of
by Allied warships on Roman city enjoying a
Split provided the
terrorism and illegal use Mediterranean climate.
of the high seas in the Many sailors joined the
perfect backdrop wake of the September locals sitting outside The nine-kilometre trip (fi ve
Several months and many
to form the stern and midships
miles in old money – Ed) started
thousands of miles later, the
section of Diamond.
for work and play for the
11 2001 atrocities. in cafes and bars
slowly with various minor rapids,
two ships bumped into each
Diamond is the third of
sailors of HMS Montrose
Alongside admiring the view
building up as the journey
other (not literally) in the Indian
six Type 45 anti-air warfare over Easter.
Montrose in the across the bay to the
force at present are outlying islands. continued.
Ocean.
destroyers on the order books. The Devonport-based frigate is
American destroyer For the more Given the sailors’ emphasis on
Scott is conducting lengthy
BAE is building the stern Britain’s contribution to NATO’s
USS Roosevelt, ITS energetic, the sports ‘stop and search’ operations on
oceanographic survey work
and midships; VT Shipbuilding Standing Maritime Group Two
Maestrale, HS Elli, teams had a good run this deployment, several rafters
around the African sub-continent
in Portsmouth is building the which patrols the Mediterranean
SPS Navarra and out participating in found the temptation of boarding
(most recently she’s been working
destroyers’ bows and main masts. region on an eclectic mission
Turkish frigate TCG rugby, golf, cricket and their oppos’ craft too much, or
around the Seychelles).
Diamond’s bow will join the from peacekeeping duties to
Gokceada. football. else jumped across hoping to tip
The American Ticonderoga-
rest of the ship shortly, ferried humanitarian aid and working
With Croatia looking to join Montrose’s rugby side took them into the river.
class cruiser is part of the Dwight
to the Clyde from the Solent with Allied navies.
NATO, there was considerable on the local Croatian team, Nada “We could not have been made
D Eisenhower carrier battle
by barge. The ship is set to be The principal mission, however,
media interest in the force’s fi ve- RFC – an eagerly-awaited fi xture more welcome,” said Cdr Tony
group.
launched on November 27. is Active Endeavour, part of
day stay in Split over the Easter after a fairly barren time for Watt, Montrose’s Commanding
She was right at the half-way
weekend. Montrose’s XV. Offi cer.
point of her deployment (called
Montrose herself received vis- The fi nal score was a defeat “The Croatian Navy’s
the ‘hump’ apparently), and
its from Croatian national televi- of 29-13 – far from a drubbing, genuine desire to join NATO via
celebrated such with fi reworks
WE RESCUE
sion, the national magazine Gloria especially as two months earlier Partnership for Peace co-operation
and a barbecue. The crew invited
and the local newspaper Slobodna Nada had annihilated HMS is clear and I hope we can go some
the Scott team over. How could
Dalmacija. Cornwall’s team 70-0. And, so way to helping them achieve their
the Brits refuse such an offer…
LIVES WRECKED
The Croatian media was par- we’re told, Montrose’s singing was ambitions.”
It has, of course, not been
ticularly interested in life at sea for better... With Easter over, Montrose
all burgers, bangers and bangs
female sailors – as the the opinion The cricket team hopped on a left Split bound for Sicily to take
for the Scott sailors. Indeed,
BY THE SEA
of women voters in the Balkan ferry to the island of Vis to play part in Noble Manta, a major
the odometer is about to punch
state’s impending referendum on one of only three sides in Croatia. anti-submarine exercise run by
through the 500,000-mile mark
the subject is regarded as vital. The opposition comprised one NATO.
and the survey work by the ship is
With offi cial events complete, Australian, one Englishman and Six ‘enemy’ submarines are
setting productivity records.
“When my husband and the crew of his
crew took full advantage of ten Croatians who had only taken ranged against the frigate – built
With her work in the Indian
fishing boat drowned, four families
the warm weather embracing up the sport recently... but they to hunt and destroy underwater
Ocean done for the time being,
were left to cope alone. With so
Europe over Easter to explore the were still better (slightly) than the foes – and the vital shipping she
Scott slipped up the Red Sea to
many worries adding to our
important historical and cultural sailors, whom they defeated with a is earmarked to protect during the
the Jordanian port of Aqaba – not
sorrow, it was a grant from
sites of the fascinating city of few balls to spare. war games.
a typical port of call for the RN.
Scott spent four days in Aqaba, the Shipwrecked Mariners
where the Royal Jordanian Navy
which helped us survive”.
proved to be splendid hosts, and
Tragedy at sea can easily where the wardroom held a mess
overwhelm bereaved
dinner with a Lawrence of Arabia
families. The Shipwrecked
theme (most sailors also sampled
some rather older culture by
Mariners’ Society is here
visiting the historic city of Petra).
to help them rebuild their
lives. Every year we give
over £1m in grants to the Two for the
dependants of those lost at sea,
as well as sick, disabled and
price of free
retired seafarers struggling to make
ends meet. PEOPLE in Portsmouth can
enjoy a free look around two RN
Please help us to rebuild shattered lives with a
vessels over the Spring Bank
Holiday weekend.
legacy or donation. And if anyone you know needs our support,
Frigate HMS Kent and fishery
be sure and put them in touch with us.
protection ship HMS Mersey
open their gangways to the
Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society
public from May 26-28 at
Dept NN, 1 North Pallant, Chichester PO19 1TL
Victory Jetty in the dockyard
from 10am to 4.45pm daily.
Tel: 01243 789329 Fax: 01243 530853
The Band of HM Royal
e-mail: general@shipwreckedmariners.org.uk Marines Portsmouth will also
website: www.shipwreckedmariners.org.uk
perform twice daily in the
shadow of HMS Victory and
various street entertainment
Reg Charity No 212034
and activities are being laid on
Inst. 1839
Shipwrecked
for youngsters.
A similar open day by
Mariners’ Society
destroyer HMS Exeter 12
● Split-ing image... HMS Montrose (right) basks in the Dalmatian sun alongside Turkish frigate TCG months ago drew more than
Gokceada in Split harbour 6,000 visitors.
0008_NN_May.indd 108_NN_May.indd 1 117/4/07 11:08:597/4/07 11:08:59
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