The patrol ship’s Interlock 2023 mission has journeyed through The Gambia, Cape Verde Islands, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.
The objective is to gauge the proficiency of local navies and coastguards, to comprehend the challenges they encounter, and to share maritime security insights crucial for both UK’s commercial interests and the region’s stability.
“…in waters vital to UK prosperity – and regional security and stability,” the release emphasised.
With Gibraltar serving as her operational front base, the patrol ship is dedicated to safeguarding West African waters, crucial channels for approximately £6bn of the UK’s annual trade.
Joint board-and-search exercises were undertaken with local security entities both on land and at sea. Additionally, there has been an exchange of knowledge in damage control, medical, and engineering fields.
Trent’s Medical Officer Surgeon Lieutenant Zara Dyar was quoted as saying, “The medical team thoroughly enjoyed working with the Gambian Navy to share understanding of first aid and practical aspects of medical care onboard warships.”
Lieutenant Max Tanner Royal Marines, who oversees Trent’s commando unit, was quoted as saying, “This was a really useful exercise which allowed my boarding specialist team to operate and exchange working practices and operating procedures with the Cape Verde force.”
Do the best part of a Comnando Company will be supporting this if all 5 boats have boarding parties, assuming 10 bods to a boat? Given training, time off etc.
3 must be really stretched.
I don’t think they’re permanently embarked on all 5 boats. eg I doubt that Forth/Medway have a permanently embarked boarding section to guard the Falklands.
But yes, I agree with your fundamental point and it’s part of the reason I raise an eyebrow at the idea of 3 Cmdo Brigade as a deployabe formation these days.
Not Europe. So assume this is another useful role the next lot will withdraw?
John Healey take note –
“With Gibraltar serving as her operational front base, the patrol ship is dedicated to safeguarding West African waters, crucial channels for approximately £6bn of the UK’s annual trade.”
Forward presence, be it in the Grey Zone with the FCF and SOB countering Iran, China, Russia, or counter drugs, pirate operations, through to defence diplomacy, MATTER.
Unrelated, saw this on Twitter today:
https://i.imgur.com/BurESlk.jpeg and had to laugh, I remember seeing it on an exercise area circa 2019-2020 and being told we couldn’t photograph it or mention it to anyone. But they did let us take it for a spin.
The Mission Master UGV? Funnily enough was reading about them on X today.
We’ve bought some but don’t know how many or who is going to use it. I’d assumed at the mo only 2 York’s.
What with France withdrawing from Niger, the presence of Trent and her crew’s reassurance and training work being done in support of Gulf of Guinea states is very important.
Yes and the Royal Navy’s constant emphasis on diplomacy is noteworthy too.
Hi Ron, yes, it’s all about building relationships by socialising and helping with small problems so that when the big problems come along these nations turn to the RN and hence the UK for help as a trusted and respected friend.
Niger is still important to the French and the French navy should be carrying out the task,
Yes indeed, Africa is important to all of us. Concerted action is needed. I was struck by this article.
https://www.ft.com/content/aaf5ef7a-12c3-11dc-a475-000b5df10621
Greetings from Nigeria in West Africa. Great Britain is a fellow coastal state in the the south atlantic region just like my country. Their re-engagement in the region after a long hiatus is most welcome. Helping the Countries in the West African region to combat piracy and illegal fishing and illegal bunkering ie stealing crude oil and putting them in tankers to sell illegally on the high seas can in my view only be a win win both for the region and Britain.. The countries in the region can also benefit from the sharing of skills and technology transfer from… Read more »
Interesting to hear that. I would have assumed most African countries are gravitating more towards China these days who have more money and no legacy of imperialism in Africa to aggravate the locals sensibilities.
The batch 2 OPV’s which started life with supposedly nobody wanting them, have really proved their worth as great assets for the UK and RN, at an affordable cost.
I disagree. They cost £630m and tens of millions a year in operating costs. I’d rather have seen those operating costs used to stop the shrinkage of MCM vessels and preserve our world class mine warfare capability.
They announced an extra billion for the MCM programme in 2021 and are converting from manned vessels to unmanned. I don’t think they are starved for cash.
I annoys me to see the type so busy yet, echo and enterprise could have carried out anything that they are being used for.
Yes. In theory they use the same number of people as the Rivers and were also on three watch rotation, giving the fantastic availability that brings with it. They also have all the endurance. The lack of a flight deck wouldn’t make much difference, given how infrequently the B2s host helicopters. Sure they are a fair bit slower than the OPVs and it seems a shame to use survey vessels just as patrol boats, but better than not using them at all. I wonder if they could still be used to spell the B1 Rivers to extend their lives or… Read more »
Did the those 4 places on a “Iffy runs ashore in Africa ” tour on the way back from the Falklands in 2001. Cape town for the millennium, we added Namibia, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Senegal and Morocco.
Cape Verde was great.
Sierra Leone had lots of holiday potential if they sorted out the civil war.
Gambia was OK.
Nigeria………
is an “African Autumn” similar to an Indian Summer?