HMS Tamar and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) recently conducted a joint exercise off the coast of Fiji, which aimed to enhance their operational cooperation in the South Pacific.
The exercise, part of the Defence Pacific Air Program, tested the Royal Navy and RAAF’s ability to coordinate over long distances, particularly in challenging conditions.
During the exercise, an RAAF C27J Spartan transport aircraft located HMS Tamar approximately 200 nautical miles south of Fiji.
The aircraft was scheduled to drop supplies to the ship by air, but rough sea conditions prevented the delivery. Despite this, the exercise successfully demonstrated the joint operational capabilities and communication between the Royal Navy and the RAAF.
“We are a long way from home, and knowing that we can call on partners like Australia is amazing. It is key that we continue to work with our friends and allies in the region,” said Lieutenant Joe Hobday, HMS Tamar’s Navigating Officer.
HMS Tamar has been deployed in the Pacific for over two years, regularly working with the Royal Australian Navy. Commander Tom Gell, HMS Tamar’s Commanding Officer, emphasised the value of these collaborations: “Operating together allows us to help protect the international rules-based system and demonstrates the UK’s enduring commitment to this part of the world; we are stronger together.”
Flying Officer Alan Landman of the RAAF, who piloted the Spartan during the exercise, commented on the unique opportunity to work with the Royal Navy: “It’s always fun to make a low pass on a warship, and Tamar’s definitely got the best paint job I’ve seen so far.”
After the exercise, the Spartan returned to its base in Brisbane. At the same time, HMS Tamar continues its mission in the South Pacific, heading to New Zealand for further engagements with the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The pacific islands along with the Caribbean and west Africa are the perfect place for ships like the batch 2 river. it’s unfortunate that we did not go a little bit bigger and get a full helicopter hangar.
hopefully we will retain this capability even if when we get additional frigates.
Defo.
Definitely! If its working, don’t fix. The batch 2 Rivers are a good looking ship; an impressive yet non threatening physical presence and I am sure are welcomed wherever they visit: diplomatic engagement, constabulary and HADR, intelligence gathering, priceless relationship building. Ironically, if they were ‘enhanced’ to be more threatening they would likely be less welcome in the smaller nations and less effective in their role.
Although I also would have like to have seen a helicopter hanger added I think this will never happen and with the addition of the Peregrine uav instead is a must cheeper compromise. Especially when she returns home and ends up replacing the River B1’s from 2027/28 in UK waters
Like to have seen them try some expandable or demountable device for a hangar, a bit like on the Bays.
Shame these Rivers haven’t attracted any more export sales outside of Thailand and Brazil. Lots of competition in the OPV sector.
And Bahrain I guess.
Yes, forgot that one, ex HMS Clyde (?) with the heli deck.
I do like the paint job.
What I don’t like… groan… she is under-gunned to be out there on her own if it kicks off and as we count down to Korea 2, KMT vs ChiComs 2 and China vs the rest of the world 1 and only, our platforms need more defensive weapons.
(I left out Iran because the Red Sea tourists are going to give them a good slapping and left out the Russians because they are pants).
Do you realise how far away she is from any of those places? No one has high end surface combatants out there including the USN that also has coast guard cutters in the South Pacific.
Closest ‘proper ship’ for the USN is a standing rotation of an LSD/LPD in the south pacific ‘island hopping’. They also make really good use of the MSC fleet out of San Diego to support/influence this part of the world. The Germantown sailed a few days ago to go and play.
Additionally, a River B2 will be doing exactly the same thing as a Inspiration in the event of a war with China: getting away from there.
Hmm… Can see the value of T31, especially with mk41, as a goalkeeper escort to a carrier, but will certainly not be able to operate outside an ASW protected area.
We’re not talking about a carrier strike group though, we’re talking about a lone ship in the Pacific doing defence engagement tasks. Whether it’s a Type 31 or a River B2, it’s not sticking around.
A T31 is vastly more capable than a T23 in any conflict, let alone a B2 River.
Cool, but that’s irrelevant.
Not in ASW terms. The ASW variant T23s have hull quietening plus hull & towed array sonar. T31 has none of these. The T23’s 4.5″ gun is also longer ranged & much harder hitting.
Couldn’t agree more. The USN seem far more open and focused on the value of constabulary duties, ‘smart power’ influence and, frankly, the need to keep the 3rd Fleet skills and drills ticking over. Not to mention the morale of a ‘good/fun deployment’ for the sailors and marines. There is so much focus on this site about tactical capabilities of X ship vs X threat that we sometime forget to consider the strategic intent: posturing, influencing, stabilising, training, reassuring;… other ‘ings. I suppose they are harder to quantify, so we talk tactics to sound like we know what we are… Read more »
Exactly. Although I’d be more charitable and say we discuss the things that we have access to talk about, rather than just trying to sound smart lol
Not in anyway supposed to be a criticism, just an observation, I shall be more careful with my phrasing in the future!
Good ships, doing a good job. Maintaining a presence is vital. Once ships aren’t there others countries will fill the gap and may not maintain the same standards the U.K. does.
The forces are a really thin just now.