According to a press release from the Royal Navy, Lieutenant Commander Rory Hill is currently serving on a NATO flagship as part of an international staff, gaining valuable experience while participating in key NATO operations in northern Europe.
The UK officer is stationed aboard the Danish frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt as part of Standing Maritime Group 1, which operates from Iceland and the North Atlantic to the Baltic.
Lt Cdr Hill is working with a small multi-national NATO staff under Danish Commodore Bo Overgaard, alongside personnel from Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Poland, and Norway.
“It has been great to see what the new ships will be like,” Rory said, referencing the Iver Huitfeldt, which serves as the blueprint for the Royal Navy’s forthcoming Type 31 frigates.
The new ships are designed for flexibility, as Rory explains: “The option to add and remove modular systems such as weapons or sensors is a design allowing flexibility dependent on tasking.”
The Danish frigate is built for a smaller crew, with CCTV and remote monitoring systems enhancing its operational capabilities. Earlier this year, the Iver Huitfeldt demonstrated its combat effectiveness, successfully engaging and destroying four one-way attack drones in the Red Sea using its main gun and missile systems.
The UK doesn’t frequently assign ships to NATO’s permanent task forces but contributes by assigning personnel to NATO’s operational teams.
“Denmark is one of the Royal Navy’s longest-standing and closest allies,” Rory said, highlighting the strong cooperation between the two navies, despite some differences. For example, the Royal Navy’s term “Ops Room Manager” or ORM is rejected by the Danes, as in their language, “orm” means worm, said the release.
Are the problems with radar, gun, missile systems that forced its withdrawal from NATO Red Sea operations now fixed?
I am so old fashioned. But there is something about a war canoe with mounts at A and B.
Hi Stephanie,
I would also point out that it is a three ‘masted’ war canoe…😀
Cheers CR
Someone ought to mock up a T31 image with 57mm guns at A,B and X positions, just for the sheer aesthetic value.
“The UK doesn’t frequently assign ships to NATO’s permanent task forces…”
I remember when the RN was often the backbone of the standing naval forces, especially the MCM groups…
I hope we really do get round to seriously building up the RN…
Cheers CR
That comment from Lisa West surprised me too. When did we abandon the practice of routinely commiting ships to NATO’s Standing Naval Forces …and why?
Because we have so few ships left would be my guess?
Your getting hotter 😉
IT would make sense ,but our government 🤔
Second batch of Type 31 with 48 Mk41, 24 Sea Ceptor in B gun position and NS200 radar?