The Royal Navy has completed a major European deployment from the North Sea to the Mediterranean.
Nine warships, F-35B Lightning jets, helicopters and thousands of sailors and Royal Marines Commandos were part of Operation Achillean, according to a news release.
“The operation finished on Saturday as HMS Albion’s amphibious task group returned to the UK after three months operating in Europe in a demonstration of NATO unity.”
The Royal Navy said on its website that HMS Albion’s task force of four ships – RFA Argus, HMS Defender, and RFA Mounts Bay, together known as Littoral Response Group North – sailed nearly 50,000 miles and visited more than a dozen countries across three continents. Meanwhile, flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group completed flying operations in the North Sea.
Captain Marcus Hember, HMS Albion’s new commanding officer who took over from Captain Simon Kelly in Gibraltar earlier this week, was quoted as saying:
“It is remarkable what the task group achieved in these busy months. It is a testament to the skill, hard work, and dedication of each sailor and Commando. The task group has visited more than a dozen countries, forging closer links with our allies and partners. I have no doubt that the ship’s company will continue to deliver to the end of this deployment and in the year ahead in 2023.”
The task group operated in the central and eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Adriatic, working in Spain, Libya, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Montenegro, Croatia, Malta, Tunisia, Greece, Algeria and Italy.
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Great stuff from the navy. A deployment of multiple ships for months at a time. The navy should be proud to be one of the few nations that can accomplish this kind of mission. Back in time for Christmas. I would say for a well earned rest but they may need to cover striking workers as £10 billion is too much of a pay rise for the government to pay NHS workers. The funniest comment from the government so far is that they would want to spend that on front line services instead. Like staff aren’t front line workers🙈. Jonathan… Read more »