HMS Medway has recently visited Providenciales and Grand Turk, reaffirming the UK’s dedication to the security, stability, and prosperity of its Overseas Territories and regional allies.
The visit showcased HMS Medway’s dual role as a disaster response asset and a counter-narcotics enforcer. During its stay, the ship conducted a disaster response exercise alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment, highlighting the UK’s readiness to assist during the Atlantic hurricane season.
HMS Medway opened its decks to residents, including schoolchildren, local dignitaries, and the Islands’ Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam. Visitors explored the ship’s capabilities, including its humanitarian equipment such as disaster relief supplies, medical gear, and tools for clearing storm debris.
The visit was an opportunity to deepen ties with the Turks and Caicos Islands Defence Regiment, enhancing collaborative disaster preparedness and crisis response planning. Governor Daniel-Selvaratnam remarked, “HMS Medway’s presence in the Turks and Caicos Islands exemplifies the UK’s unwavering commitment to its Overseas Territories and regional allies. From providing rapid disaster response to supporting security operations, HMS Medway represents the UK’s readiness to assist and support Caribbean communities.”
Beyond disaster response, HMS Medway plays a role in regional security. The ship actively supports counter-narcotics operations, often partnering with US authorities to disrupt drug trafficking routes.
Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, praised the ship’s crew, saying, “From tackling narcotics trafficking to supporting relief efforts during hurricane season, the crew of HMS Medway are providing a valuable and reassuring presence for British citizens in the Overseas Territories.”
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Just as well we built the batch 2 rivers they are being hard used now…making up for the lack of available frigates. All good until some fighting is actually required.
echo or enterprise could have done the job as well as a river.
Sad to see them go Andy. Echo/Enterprise-cannot remember which one, visited Durban bout 15 years ago. We went in our K2 kayak for a close up but got chased off by the Harbour Police at gunpoint!! Daniele knows this story in detail as he has heard it about ten times 🙂
LOL mate.
Sure? But there were only 2 of them and they’re good for scrap now
Forward deploying the B2 in the Caribbean, west Africa, Gibraltar, Falklands and pacific has been a rare success of the past decade. Total waste of money sending frigate and destroyers to these places and not to mention the total waste of the previous rotation system.
I very much hope we can find the money to continue these deployments even after T31 is completed as we need our frigates close to home.
I agree.
The only place I would disagree with is the pacific. Personally I think if we are sending a warship to the pacific its should be a major surface combatant.. simply to send a specific message to the bad actors in the region.. but Caribbean, west Africa etc are all very good deployments for a cost effective long range constabulary vessel.. it would be nice if they could have organic autonomous air vehicles to really help the constabulary side.
Surely in the future we’d replace the Batch 1s with 5no. Batch 3s built at Rosyth if need be so that the Batch 2 31s can be pushed 3 years to the right. A good win win.
That’s a lot of wishful thinking, more likely Rivers return home, batch one is scrapped and Rosyth has to hope they get in on Mrss or MCM
I wonder if it is worth installing a flight deck on batch 1 like what they did on HMS Clyde. It would increase its helicopter and drone ability, gunning positions, and under flight deck storage.
It’s not worth doing anything extensive to the RB1s which will be out of commission in a few years. Better to accept that B1s will mostly remain in friendly waters where helicopters can cover from land. They aren’t fighting ships and only need to overpower smugglers and terrorists, for which a 20mm gun remains adequate.
It’s worth considering their replacements. We know that inaction will mean that we lose frigates, as B2s will cover home waters, and T31s will do presence work for which they are unsuited. Unfortunately procurement inaction is what we seem to do best.
My understanding is that Spey and Tamar will replace the River B1’s around 2027/28 but I would be surprised if at least one river B1 isn’t decommissioned early when the defense review comes out in the spring?
I think Clyde was a one off purpose build. The existing B1’s have no room for a deck. Also in the photo above just wondered whether the Merlin could land on Medway’s deck? It would be tight !!
The flight deck on HMS Clyde was put over the top of the rear deck. It kind of like a bridge between the batch 1 and Batch 2.
You are sort of right but I thought the Amazonas class built for the Brazil navy was the cross over between the batch 1’s and batch 2’s?
I totaly agree with Jim, We need our ships close to home. This government MUST defend our shores first. With the enemy sailing up the English Channel how much warning do they want? I also hope we have some coastal defences in place to back up our naval ships in times of trouble. The French and Dutch can assist with their ships too. And finally dont rule out the RAF.. They need more aircraft too.
God bless our armed forces and God Bless the United Kingdom.
Slide into Halifax and “drop the dope” .Fish an chips gravey all over IPA s 5%.Better beer ,lots of “damsels”.
As a resident of Kent, good to see what HMS Medway is up to.