HMS Albion fended off attacks from Spanish jets as they tested their air defence skills in the Baltic Sea, say the Royal Navy.
HMS Albion is currently at the centre of the UK’s Littoral Response Group (North) deployment, which is now participating in large-scale NATO exercises – Baltops – alongside 17 other nations.
“Before linking up with the Baltops task group, Albion came under simulated attack from two Spanish Typhoons of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, which fired mock anti-ship missiles at them. The assault ship sprang into action as the jets were detected and the operations room coordinated their defence to thwart the inbound fighters. Upper deck weapons crews and Phalanx operators were called on to report inbound aircraft or missiles and engage under the direction of the Principal Warfare Officer, Lieutenant Commander Natalie Burns.”
Burns was quoted as saying:
“The aircraft flew simulated missile profiles against the ship in order to test our reactions and defensive procedures before conducting Combat Air Support (CAS) training with the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) team from 29 Commando. During an air defence exercise the Operations Room will be at the fullest state of readiness to enable us to fight the ship and protect the people within it. Personnel will be closed up to report incoming threats to the Principle Warfare Officer and Command, and the Electronic Warfare team will advise on how best to employ the ship’s decoys in order to protect the ship.
Training with live assets is really beneficial as it adds a crucial element of realism, especially for the upper deck weapons crew and Bridge team who are able to practice calling in ‘real threats’. The ability to train with NATO partner nations also provides excellent opportunities for embarked staff to hone their skills in the maritime environment, ensuring that the ship and her staff, are continually prepared for deployed operations.”
The Spanish jet are currently on a four-month operation working with Italy and Turkey on NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, which has seen them guard the skies over the region since May.
The jets are kept on quick reaction alert 24/7 to fly security sorties in the Baltic skies, you can read more here.
Why is this not on the news ?
Such TRAINING rarely makes the news.
Even when they are being Attacked ? I just called my brother in Gibraltar and told him what was happening and He’s gone up the hill with his Binoculars and phone. Awaiting his call.
😀 that’s a joke, right!
No he’s nearly at the top but not spotted any invasion yet, I’ve been trying to contact the MOD but they just hung up, this is all getting silly again.
heroic, Make sure your brother isn’t eaten by the monkies, they are Franco’s henchmen
He took lots of bananas 😶
the word simulated just went right over your head didn’t it?
Looked more like an SU37 to me.
Troll on. *YAWN*
Ha, you just sayin dat as i got ya 😂 don’t worry, you ain’t the only one i got 😷
Given your history on this site I don’t believe for a second that you where trying to be funny.
Straight back to the trolling, and not even an original reply, how sad.
The Royal Navy sure is busy at the moment, carrier task group in the Med, Amphib task group in the Baltic, ships in the Persian Gulf, carrier at sea under training of the South Coast. and the ever present SSBN somewhere under the seven seas. Yeep the RN might be small but sure is busy.
All setting up for a very quite 2022 though!
In a real attack, without escorts carrying SAMs in the TG, they’d probably be sunk by stand-off AShMs before the jets got within visual range & far outside CIWS range. It’s a question of wether the CIWS , ECMs & chaff on these ships could stop any of the missiles hitting. Only takes 1 missile to get through to really spoil your day.
That’s assuming the other vessels in the TG are just MCMs.