Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster visited the Caribbean this week to reassure local governments of the UK’s support, prior to the 2018 hurricane season. 

“No matter what the elements throw at our Overseas Territories this year, we will be there to help them every step of the way throughout 2018 and beyond”

Mark Lancaster MP

Last year’s hurricane season was the costliest on record, with over $280bn in damage. The UK responded to both hurricanes Irma and Maria, deploying over 2,000 personnel, and delivering 109 tonnes of aid.

Colorado State University are currently predicting 4 hurricanes this year, as well as 1 ‘major hurricane’.

RFA Mounts Bay will act as the hub of the UK’s response. She’s been in the area since last year and isn’t scheduled to leave until 2020. Mounts Bay will continue to assist with rebuilding post-Irma, as well as providing aid in the aftermath of coming hurricanes.

Lancaster was able to speak to island governors and residents about their needs as they continue to recover from last year’s hurricanes. It is understood that Mounts Bay will assist the British Overseas Territories first in the aftermath of a hurricane, before supporting other local governments.

A Wildcat HMA2 is on board Mounts Bay, and will be operating in the region for the first time this year. The Wildcat went through extreme high temperature trials in the Persian Gulf back in 2015.

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Henry was a defence & security writer at the UK Defence Journal but is now with Storyful. He had a particular focus on recruitment, mental health, and industry news.
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Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson
5 years ago

Where does RFA Mounts shelter in a storm in order for it no be a casualty?

Rob
Rob
5 years ago
Reply to  Dave Anderson

I think it ports in the US. Miami or Jacksonville.

Bill
Bill
5 years ago
Reply to  Dave Anderson

She will move out of the way. But does not usually seek a port until she needs to pick up extra supplies

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago

Pity a DoID vessel cannot be procured for this so the few Amphibious assets we have can be used in their primary role?

With another Bay in the Gulf that leaves but 1 available, assuming that vessel is not in refit?

Keeps them from being cut I suppose!

Very un PC scrapping a vessel helping people.

Anthony D
Anthony D
5 years ago

Good idea, spreads the cost appropriately but isn’t it also the security presence, given we’re only talking constabulary duties. Or are other ships tasked for this?

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Anthony D

I recall a River was used recently? Days of the West Indies Guard Ship long gone.

David E Flandry
David E Flandry
5 years ago

But perhaps this type is better suited to patrol duties in the West Indies. 13000 + tons versus 2000 tons, can carry lots of supplies and personnel. The main duty besides natural disaster relief is drug interdiction especially those little semi-submersibles. Put a 57 or 76 mm gun on the ship, and build a hanger. Or use the foreign aid budget to build a 15,000 ton ship with a through flight deck, medical facilities, and room for a company or so of troops.

Tom
Tom
5 years ago

DFIF is not responsible for the overseas territory of the UK. Its a national security issue, which falls within the MOD remit. Now, if assistance is provided to a foreign government then it would be DFID.

Sean
Sean
5 years ago

Pity the DoID doesn’t pay for the procurement and running costs of at least one RFA support vessel like Mounts Bay on a permanent basis…

David Taylor
David Taylor
5 years ago

Rotterdam has hangar space for 6 Lynx sized cabs.

If only MoD (N) had just copied Enforcer design instead of wasting time with moving the uptakes etc.

Martin S
Martin S
5 years ago

Shows how practical these ships are, just a shame they don’t have a permanent hangar for the Wildcat or a Merlin.

David
David
5 years ago

I truly hope the DoID will be picking up the tab for this… goodness knows they have more than enough money!

Not to moan and complain but it STILL boggles my mind that with all the financial strain across various government depts (most notably the MoD), how the DoID budget is ring fenced to the tune of billions!!! What a totally irresponsible waste of resources. By all means have a DoID but it doesn’t need to be a third the size (and growing) of the defence budget!!!

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  David

It’s British territory isn’t it, like Tom said above it’s the MOD’s job to protect and assist it’s citizens if needed.

james harrington
james harrington
5 years ago

NEXT TIME WE SEND MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF hurricane aid and relief AID TO NEVIS (NEE-VIS) we should remind them of the MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TAX FRAUD, TAX EVASION and TAX AVOIDANCE etc. that the island perpetuates. The UK government is powerless to fight these abuses perpetuated through Nevis because of secrecy laws. Having said all that excuse the cap locks problem, but I add… The level of aid and response the UK provides to the islands in summer storm relief is a really good way of showing what out country stands for and the beliefs we have. Well done RN,… Read more »

Pacman27
Pacman27
5 years ago

I agree – DIFID should pay for 4-8 Karel doorman style vessels that they can use as humanitarian support and hospital ships and then when needed by our military in time of war we have a surge capability. We can easily utilise 4 of these as hospital/humanitarian ships each with 6 Merlins or 2 chinooks. Good for our NSS and industry and good for adding depth/contingency to our fleet. Not sure why we feel the need as a country we feel the need to hand out cash when we could be handing out food from our surplus crops, containerised homes… Read more »

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Pacman27

I agree with this. What are the reasons that this does not happen? Isn’t British aid more visible than British cash?

Further more. As soon as free from the EU how about free trade deal with the Commonwealth? So third world farmers can sell their goods without the protectionist Single Market getting in the way.

Both could be visible signs of a “Global Britain”

AV
AV
5 years ago

Spot on…five eyes nations + commonwealth countries is where the focus should be.
Global Britain should start there.

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  Pacman27

I don’t think we give it out in £50 notes guys out the back of a truck haha Just joking i know what you mean. The reason most of it goes in cash to the UN, WHO etc is that there is no way we could distribute it around the world on our own, it goes to that many countries around the world there is no way we could do it, even with a dedicated fleet of 4-8 ships. It’s just not in any way feasible, distributing £13bn worth of aid by British helicopters and vessels? come on, the charities… Read more »

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

Fascinating post. Good explanation thanks.

Pacman27
Pacman27
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

Actually sometimes we do hand it own in £50 notes. Ex colleague of mine worked for this dept (Eastern European) and she was shocked at the wastefulness of this particular dept. Let’s also not forget the African girl band that was being sponsored from this budget, nor the fiasco of who would (or wouldn’t pay) for a the tents from camp bastion going to turkey/Syria for refugees, or the endemic culture of rape and sexism in some of the charities receiving large swathes of this funding. Total lack of common sense – this whole dept should be disbanded and the… Read more »

Pacman27
Pacman27
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

Btw I have no problem with the rest of your statement, we cant distribute that much on our own in country. But we can provide goods to this value. I think its a good thing to work with MSF, the gates foundation etc but we need to stop the waste and redirect it to the UK. This is a vanity project so Britain an say it is the only major country meeting this benchmark, but it just isn’t worth it in my opinion. No aid should go to a country with a military budget greater than its health or education… Read more »

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
5 years ago
Reply to  Pacman27

Do we hand it out in £50 notes? where? The African girl band was created by the Nike foundation that still sponsor them, they’re Ethiopian and were created to help promote Women’s rights in countries where violence to women is widespread, I actually think that’s better than most of the other things it gets spent on like air con in India and quitting smoking in China. But again I understand there will always be a bit of protest against things like this when all is not perfect at home. I agree some of these organisations have some horrible underbellies, even… Read more »

Pacman27
Pacman27
5 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

All fair comments and you are of course right.

I also believe this budget does a lot of good and do not want it totally obliterated. I do think however we should concentrate on medical and humanitarian aid only.

I would also like to see 10 x £100m prizes out of this budget to solve the big ticket items (whatever they are deemed to be).

I think your view around 0.4% is probably right with the remainder being diverted to the FO, Police and military equally.

Thanks for keeping me honest – one of the reasons I love this forum.

Lewis
Lewis
5 years ago

I’ll see you gents in a few months when the press is howling that we’ve ‘abandoned’the Caribbean territories’ and ‘done nothing to prepare’.

Doug Scott
Doug Scott
5 years ago

Bar my ignorance – but wouldn’t it be better to have deployed a Merlin rather than a Wildcat? It can carry more people and disaster relief equipment and at the same time, also fulfil an anti-piracy role should the situation warrant it.

Just by way of interest, do these ships carry drones? In the event of a hurricane, a drone(s) can cover more area and stay aloft longer to give Disaster Relief teams on board a better and clearer picture.

geoff
geoff
5 years ago

Would not something bigger than a Wildcat be a better bet considering large amounts of heavy stuff often needs hauling ashore?

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  geoff

Maybe shows how stretched we are?

Can all types of Support Helicopter operate in those hot conditions?

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

was thinking the same. a Chinook would be a lot more useful considering that we doing have a helicopter carrier in Ocean, to send to the region this time around.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Also considering the good PR that occurred last year and the dark clouds hanging over the albions, i would have thought this would be the perfect chance to put them in the spot light and send one there. Ok still no hanger for the helicopter, but at least they bring a lot of storage space for supplies.

Steve M
Steve M
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

I don’t believe they can leave a chinook on deck as it’s not proofed against salt water etc. I saw something recently on here calling for them to be maritime converted, that’s all I’m basing that comment off I’m afraid.

Not sure about the Merlins mind you.

DaveyB
DaveyB
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve M

The Merlins are all fully marinised, the ex-RAF ones included. The Chinooks are not marinised but rely on increased maintenance and washing to minimise salt water corrosion.
The RAF will do as they did last year if required using air transport to ferry a couple of Chinooks to the Caribbean by either A400 or C17 especially as Ocean won’t be available.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

I see Defender is back in service with 2 new gas turbines. Is this the long awaited fix to the power problem or a separate upgrade?

Matt
Matt
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Same gas turbines, just had maintenance done on them during her upkeep (standard x hourly stuff), and a large number of A&A’s designed to increase equipment capability and availability throughout the entire ship.

The Power Improvement Plan is separate to this… over the coming few years, we will see PIP move to the forefront of the Defence news sector as the MOD begin the embodiment rollout.

4thwatch
4thwatch
5 years ago

Ring fencing the DOID budget is a prime example of Virtue Signalling at its most extravagantly wasteful.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago
Reply to  4thwatch

I don’t get why the constant referring back to this, there is 0% chance that the money would go to the MOD if the DOID budget was removed.

There are plenty of wasteful government spending that could do with being cut, like so many levels of local government. I have a Parrish, town, county and British government and yet no English government, but there is a welsh, scottish and ni government.

My list of wasteful spending within government would be very long.