6 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2008
● A landing craft from 4ASRM
in HMS Bulwark offl oads
troops into FRS Kaliningrad
Pictures: LA(Phot) Pepe Hogan,
HMS Bulwark
● Russian marines disembark
from 4ASRM landing craft
with HMS Bulwark in the
background
RMs work with RMs
BIG news – HMS Bulwark has
were then processed and fed by Bulwark’s Bulwark and are very happy with the quality quickly form up and do whatever task is
been working with an embarked
logistics team and whisked away to the of the training we have received,” he said. required.
team of RMs.
safety of the Fleet Amphibious Flagship by Bulwark also worked closely with Russian “The evacuation of civilians from a crisis
4 Assault Squadron RM – that’s our RMs, frigate RFS Neustrashimy, including zone, such as that exercised this year, could
Yes, we know that she is designed
not the Russians. manoeuvring, weapon drills, helicopter cross- occur at any time – Bulwark was herself
to operate with RMs, but we mean Lt Col Nick Bentham-Green, OC deck operations and personnel exchanges. involved in the evacuation of civilians from
different RMs – Russian Marines. 4ASRM, said: “The Amphibious Task The Baltops exercise takes place every Beirut in 2006.
The amphibious ship has been immersed Group’s mandate is to provide safe passage June in the southern Baltic, and this year “What made this year’s exercise special
in the fictional strife of Exercise Baltops and ensure the safety of all inhabitants, saw forces from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, was that we did the evacuation using Russian
08, where unrest in North West Zealand irrespective of their nationality. France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the marines who lived on board and then
has resulted in a UN-ordered evacuation of “This, with the Royal Marines, Russian Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United operated from a British warship.
civvies to a place of safety. Naval Infantry, HMS Bulwark and the States, as well as the UK and Russia. “I have no doubt that the close working
Bulwark embarked a combined Russian- Russian amphibious ship RFS Kaliningrad, Capt Jeremy Blunden, CO of Bulwark, relationship we established with the Russian
UK Marine Landing Force, led by Col Yurig we have done.” is in no doubt about the importance of the Marines and with the Russian frigate
Boishenko of 336 Russian Naval Infantry There was also praise for the guests. exercises. Neustrashimy has done much to further
Brigade, who were pitched into action on a “The Russians picked up on our drills and “Baltops is one of the primary examples in promote the already warm cooperation
blustery Baltic morning in landing craft. routines very quickly – they were a pleasure the world today of how we can bring forces between our two navies.
Within hours the 100 Russian marines to work with,” said Lt Col Bentham-Green. together from different nations to tackle a “In a future real-world crisis I would be
had replaced chaos with a safe area Col Boishenko was also effusive over the fictitious international crisis,” he said. very happy to operate with Russian ships and
for the 65 citizens, played by warmth of the reception his team received. “By doing so we develop our ability to their marines.”
Danish civilians. “We have enjoyed the three days operate closely together such that when a
The ‘refugees’ we have spent on board real crisis develops we know that we can
● A member of HMS Bulwark’s upper deck weapons crew
watches the task group head out to sea
● A Helix
helicopter from
RFS Neustrashimy on
the fl ight deck of HMS
Bulwark
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