HAVING basked in the spotlight at
Sutherland’s time in company aboard the French flat-top (where “It’s been a complete change from the
an impressive gathering of naval
with Charles de Gaulle was rather they have very wide passageways ship’s work in the northern Arabian Gulf
might off Pakistan, Sutherland
shorter – ten days in all – but no less and first-rate bread – Deputy Ed) for a – but just as worthwhile a contribution to
interesting. brief – and extremely enlightening operations here.”
joined another impressive The porte-avion is deployed – tour. The Devonport-based Type 23 frigate
gathering of Allied naval might in
east of Suez in support of “We’ve been working with our is in the latter stages of a nine-month
the Indian Ocean – French and
operations in Afghanistan, coalition allies for much of our deployment, the bulk of which has been
American carrier battle groups.
launching strikes from her deck deployment, but this was the supporting UN peace efforts and anti-
against Taleban forces hundreds first time we’d been in direct terrorist operations in the northern Arabian
The former was led by FS Charles de
of miles to the north. support of a carrier,” said Cdr Gulf and waters of Iraq.
Gaulle, the latter by USS John C Stennis.
A few of Sutherland’s crew and Jordan.
The French flagship is on Agapanthe
● The Anglo-French-American task force
her CO Cdr Andy Jordan were invited
07; 12 months ago on Agapanthe 06
as seen from Sutherland’s bridge wing
Sutherland’s sister ship HMS Lancaster
Picture: LA(Phot) Shaun Preston, FRPU Whale Island
provided protection for much of the
deployment.
OOperational spherperational sphere
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