As global attention is focused on the landmark negotiations on the Korean peninsula, international forces are continuing to ensure that UN embargo’s on North Korea are enforced.

British frigate HMS Sutherland arrived in Japan a fortnight ago and has been working with American, South Korean and Japanese vessels to patrol waters around the Korean peninsula. The primary focus for policing efforts will be North Korean vessels suspected of conducting at sea transfers of banned goods in an attempt to circumvent their embargo’s on weaponry and items relating to their missile programs.

This multinational coalition is being joined this week by maritime patrol aircraft from the Royal Australian and Royal Canadian Air Forces. The surveillance aircraft will be deployed to the USAF’s Kadena Air Base on the southern island of Okinawa and it is understood that the United States will be leading operations.

Despite significant progress towards peace at the historic summit between the leaders of North and South Korea, most nations are maintaining their hard-line approach of economic and diplomatic pressure to keep North Korea on track. American officials having been working to step up interception operations with allied nations since February.

Describing the deployment of the RAAF aircraft Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that “[Australia had] a P-8A surveillance aircraft that is going to be working in the region to monitor compliance with sanctions, and that is part of our collaboration with our partners in that exercise to enforce those UN sanctions.

What has been occurring is that sanctions have been evaded by transferring materials from ship to ship… to add to the surveillance of the area enables that to be identified and then, of course, those who are a party to that to be held responsible and brought to account.”

In a statement following the deployments the Japanese government said that it “welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of upholding the maximum pressure on North Korea while maintaining the solidarity of the international community.”

In addition to HMS Sutherland the Royal Navy has also deployed amphibious assault ship HMS Albion to the Far East, which is currently undertaking training and diplomatic visits with regional British allies including Brunei.

Samuel is a defence commentator with a particular interest in the South Pacific.
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Chris
Chris
5 years ago

Canada, USA, Australia, Japan – These are the people we should be building alliances and trade with. Screw the self serving EU and its political dogma. Its the only Union that has to threaten people or pay them to remain members …

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Yep. But ain’t going to happen as our MPs are in Brussels pocket and mostly support remain.

Brexit is getting sabotaged before our eyes and I’m very sad for that.

I hope I’m wrong, I really do.

Lusty
Lusty
5 years ago

Something that the CANZUK movement supports – and something that I would too.

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[…] post Australian and Canadian aircraft join HMS Sutherland to police North Korean embargo appeared first on UK Defence […]

Helions
Helions
5 years ago

At least the UK has a carrier for their flight crews to operate off… 😀

https://news.usni.org/2018/04/30/33210

Seriously, I’ve worked often with their military and even taught USAF aircraft and tactics at their Air Ground Operations School in France. They have always been professionals and a pleasure to work with. The pols – much like our respective countries own – not so much…

Cheers!

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

We should be focusing on Europe and not Asia.

Throwing a few ships into Asian waters is not going to have any positive impact on trade (potentially negative if we annoy china too much). Why would Australians or Japanese suddenly buy more British goods just because we have a few ships in the region, they won’t.

Flip side is our own defense relies on our European allies and so making sure we keep them on our side is key.

Chris
Chris
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Surely Exercise Joint Warrior running at the moment shows that we can run multi level military deployments in both Europe and Asia simultaneously and don’t need to promote one at the expense of the other.

Also part of the purpose of HMS Sutherlands deployment was to try and get the Australians more interested in buying the Type 26 in the future so fingers crossed we could see more positives coming from this deployment.

Oscar Zulu
Oscar Zulu
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Just to return the favour two RAN MH60R Seahawk Romeos have been flown by RAAF C17s to Scotland to participate in Joint Warrior 2018.

http://images.defence.gov.au/20180415adf8564487_040.jpg

Oscar Zulu
Oscar Zulu
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Meantime the RAN ‘freedom of navigation’ exercises continue in the South China Sea much to the annoyance of the PLAN.

Anzac class frigates HMAS Anzac, HMAS Toowoomba and oiler HMAS Success are paying visits to Vietnam and the Philippines.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-20/south-china-sea-australian-warships-challenged-by-chinese/9677908

Oscar Zulu
Oscar Zulu
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Perhaps the UK could take a lesson from France in schmoozing and how to win a $50 billion dollar defence contract downunder. The French send their dapper President Macron shown here giving a speech on the flight deck of LHD HMAS Canberra. He’s flanked by the French designed and Australian built Tiger armed attack helicopter and an Australian built Bushmaster PMV designed by French conglomerate Thales. http://images.defence.gov.au/IMG-2237 (1).jpg http://images.defence.gov.au/20180502ran8611998_124.jpg http://images.defence.gov.au/20180502ran8604878_006.jpg Meanwhile the UK sent a somewhat bedraggled Boris Johnson and Michael Fallon. Contrast them with the sharply dressed female Australian Foreign and Defence ministers. It was all a little underwhelming… Read more »

Sean
Sean
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Given the state of our European allies equipment and defence budgets I’d say they depend more on us for their defence than the other way round. Hopefully this is being pointed out in our Brexit negotiations.

Chris
Chris
5 years ago

Little bit off topic but is there any new news on the Fleet Solid Support Ship programme. Wasn’t the tender supposed to be given out today?

Andy G
Andy G
5 years ago

Now its clear why Albion is there, we are hioding their beaches at risk of invasion as part of trumps strategy.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Andy G

What!?