A Royal Navy task group has completed a mission to Libya as part of security operations in the Mediterranean.
HMS Albion, flagship of Littoral Response Group North – a UK force designed to react to crises in European waters – sailed into capital Tripoli on Wednesday, becoming the first Royal Navy ship to visit the port in eight years according to a Royal Navy press release.
“Plymouth-based Albion – the Royal Navy’s amphibious flagship – was the floating venue for engagement events with political and military figures in Libya, while sailors and Royal Marines shared expertise with personnel from the Libyan Armed Forces.
That included delivering valuable RN training to the Libyan Navy in firefighting and damage-control techniques, engineering practices, seamanship and harbour surveying, using Albion as their classroom.”
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Adam Slack, HMS Albion’s Warrant Officer Weapon Engineering, who led one of the training teams, was quoted as saying:
“Being able to work collaboratively with the Libyan Navy has been a fantastic opportunity and one that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. I hope that in the future we will continue to work together and build a stronger maritime relationship with Libya.”
The Royal Navy add in their news release that members of the Royal Marines Band, who – as well as being world-class musicians – also provide medical expertise from one of the task force’s support ships, RFA Argus, supported events on board Albion, “serenading dignitaries”.
There’s something rather impressive about that photo.
Did not realize RM band members also serve as medical support staff. HMG gets more than fair value from the uniformed staff!
Small country, we need to be efficient 😀
Bandsmen have had the stretcher bearer role for centuries
All UK Armed Forces bands have a secondary role as stretcher bearers. Describing them as “providing medical expertise” is, at the very best, extremely generous wording.
Oh, understood.
I do miss the goalkeeper on the front instead of phalanx. Something more menacing about the 30mm and set up than the R2D2. Have you seen the missile variant of phalanx. Looks like R2D2 with a boner. 😂😂😂
I wonder if there’s any chance of getting at least one more of these, or do they have to sell off the Albion Class, even before they consider replacements building replacements, considering that’s what they did before the new Aircraft Carriers entered service…
LPDs will go.
The RM is now focused on raiding not large scale landings. LPDs have outstanding C4I facilities a large dock and flight deck so they are useful for deploying LCUs to act as motherships to raiding teams.4 LCUs deployed at intervals of a few hundred miles each covers a lot of coastline.
Do you think the mother ship and C4I facilities will be given up for whatever comes next? Or moved over to another variant of the replacement ships.
I suppose when you look at future fights the U.K. forces may be used in the raiding concept hopefully works.
So no large invasion and holding territory. If that is required maybe using point class type of ships with harbour facilities.
Some thoughts need to be put into what are the army/marines meant to accomplish and what is needed to achieve that.
No holding anything. Go in, break stuff and get out. Something with a flight deck for helos and drones and a single dock for drones and raiding craft but way smaller than a Bay?