Gibraltar’s rising significance as a strategic military point was recently highlighted during Armed Forces Minister James Heappey’s visit to the Rock.
While on his visit, “The Royal Navy’s senior officer in the Mediterranean underscored the renewed importance of Gibraltar”, according to a recent press release.
Commodore Tom Guy, Commander British Forces Gibraltar, was present among several other key military and political figures to host Minister Heappey.
There’s been a marked change since Minister Heappey’s previous visit. The military significance of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, has seen a considerable uptick. This is, in part, due to substantial “investment in new kit and infrastructure.”
Significantly, the Rock now serves as a primary base for HMS Trent, which carries out its operations in the Mediterranean. While currently on a deployment to West Africa for the autumn, HMS Trent’s operational importance is undeniable. Additionally, Gibraltar offers refit facilities for HMS Trent’s sister ship, HMS Forth, which recently completed patrols around the Falklands.
HMS Cutlass and Dagger, the new fast patrol boats, have also stepped in as long-term replacements for the RN Gibraltar Squadron.
The increase in Gibraltar’s military activity is evident, with the local squadron now having “found itself called upon increasingly to provide protection for visiting warships.” The base has witnessed an impressive three-fold increase in UK and Allied vessels using its facilities, with roughly 80 ships and six submarines anchoring annually.
Modernisation efforts are also on the horizon. Whitehall is directing over £50m towards revamping initiatives.
These include refurbishing the South Mole, enhancing communication infrastructures, and reinstating the Kings Lines Oil Fuel Depot. Notably, “the first overhaul in more than 30 years of the iconic Tower, the iconic Edwardian building in the naval base” which serves as Cdre Guy’s headquarters has been completed.
Furthermore, military facilities in Gibraltar, such as tunnels, have observed a two-fold increase in usage by troops. Approximately 2,300 UK personnel are projected to arrive this year to refine their combat techniques.
The Royal Marines of 43 Commando, especially, will be capitalising on the region to improve their urban warfare tactics and to incorporate the newest in drone technology.
What a magnificent sight that carrier makes with the Gib in the background.
Agreed. Photoshop the clouds out for blue sky and that would be an ideal RN recruitment poster.
As ever a key strategic asset. The idea of opening or expanding bases in The West Indies and somewhere like Singapore seems to have been a Johnson and Williamson flight of fancy under the whole post Brexit ‘global Britain’ banner. There is no real need for a permanent base in The West Indies given what a strategic backwater it is. The primary need is for HADR which can be provided via a range of other less permanent options. East of Suez it looks likely that any visiting or forward based vessels will call at the existing wharf in Singapore but… Read more »
West Indies may be a millitary backwater, but is important for disaster relief, or if nationals needed to be evacuated from the region. Expanding airport aprons, building helipads and sponsoring dock improvements would be cheap and effective ways of enabling strategic reach in the area.
I think it needs to be shown what unique benefits the UK gets from large scale and permanent deployments East of Suez. In the past there was a purpose because we were directly benefiting from captive markets and ‘imperial preference.’ While it is true that the Asia Pacific is a rapidly growing market and our trade is likely to increase, that is true for everybody. I don’t see why we volunteer to play the role of policeman in the area while paying for the privilege. The night club doorman who pays the club owner rather than getting paid for doing… Read more »
Id like to see a more globally deployed RN but not at the expense of home defences. If we can get the RN fleet back up to a reasonable strength- type 32 and type 83 and Aukus subs will be the key programmes to enable that then yes regular deployments to the Asia-Pacific are viable options. The deployments otherwise do sap strength and options for UK and NATO deployments closer to home. Why should we be in the Asia-Pacific- well if we are not then someone else will and if you are not present you cannot influence. By the UK… Read more »
I’ve got a feeling that the T83 program will be a great elephant in the room project and will suck up th naval budget by itself.vthese destroyers are going to cost over a billion each. Making a program that is far bigger than the T26.
We are actually more dependent on shipping lanes than the vast majority of other nations and keeping the majority of sea lanes open does needed to be an international effort, in reality we do no more than our bit to keep the sea lanes open.
if someone decided to close a shipping lane that was vital to the UK economy the cost would be immense, the long way around Africa is a very long way indeed.
Wherever there are British interests we should be there – West Indies is pointless maybe Singapore no so – We have signed up to the CPTTP trade deal and that will grow – We will always need to protect trade routes. Ships well we don’t have enough – So do as US does don’t throw away useful ships like Ocean for example. As a nation we are in debt and can’t afford much so. Type 26, Type 45 Type 31. Type 32? – Don’t retire the bulk of the Duke Class. Crews we probably can get from Nepal, When we… Read more »
Ocean was knackered. I PM’d an extensive maint period on it at my workplace when it was in the Gulf in 2015. It was struggling then. I also looked after Montrose for nearly 5 years’ worth of maintenance in the Gulf. You can add in other T23 and T45s, Bay and MCMVs to the mix that also passed through my hands. Certain T23s are knackered. Worn and wasted steel on the hull and decks. I put plenty in inserts and doubler plates in Montrose and others to keep them going and to keep the water out. Its not just a… Read more »
I have to ask if Ocean was “Knackered” – Why did Brazil buy her for their flagship” ? So leave ships for a moment and ask – Why did we sell all out Harriers to the US for spares for their Harriers? While we still had Lusty. Also Harriers could have been used for close support ground support for Marines, Special Forces… Nothing looked so stupid as HMS QE sailing with no jets – It really was embarrassing – Until she had jets Harriers and choppers would have been better than nothing. So Nepal is not 5 Eyes so they can’t… Read more »
Imperial preference was a short lived thing last just a few years and the uk was the last country that wanted it.
When we get our new fleet of shiny new ships, wouldn’t it be nice to see a royal navy flotilla operating out of gib and maybe a new RAf Gibraltar established? The people of the rock are unhappy with the vast reduction in visits from the royal navy, the jobs, the trad, the income generated by the visitors nowadays there hardly anything there, the garrison is very small. The hospital and aRaf Gibraltar are no more.All of the famous old haunts that were known throughout the whole service at no more. We even have a big marks and Spencer shop… Read more »