The first week of July proved a particularly busy one for Royal Navy helicopters and warships, with no fewer than five Russian vessels shadowed in U.K. waters.
As per a recent RN statement, assets involved included Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke, offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne, and Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron.
HMS Iron Duke, recently back to active service duties in the wake of a three-month maintenance stint, and HMS Tyne track a Smolnyy-class training ship heading west from the North Sea, through the English Channel to the northwest of France
The OPV was then retasked into the North sea to shadow Steregushchiy-class RFN Boikiy with a Russian tanker, General Skobelev, and bulk carrier, MV Sparta.
Then the frigate and a Wildcat tracked Boikiy and the accompanying vessels until they reached the southwestern end of the Channel.
Days later HMS Iron Duke returned to sea to intercept RFN Soobrazitelny and closely monitor the Steregushchiy-class corvette as she transited the Channel on her way back from the eastern Mediterranean into the North Sea, headed for a Russian port in the Baltic.
During this spell the frigate was also participating in Exercise Sea Breeze in Portland alongside RN divers and mine clearance experts from a dozen nations. Its focus was on training Ukrainian allies in mine clearance skills they can put to use in the Black Sea.
Commander David Armstrong, HMS Iron Duke’s Commanding Officer, said: “It is great to be back at sea protecting the UK’s territorial Seas and Critical National Infrastructure.
“This week’s activity neatly highlights both our well-established interoperability with NATO allies and our strategic partnership with Ukraine, via our combined Mine Countermeasures capabilities on display during Exercise Sea Breeze.
“Protecting the sovereignty of the UK and our NATO allies is at the heart of the Royal Navy’s mission, and we take great pride in the operational impact we make in ensuring the security of the UK’s maritime domain.
“Being our 17th activation as Fleet Ready Escort in 12 months, I reflect on the professionalism, resilience and stoic sense of duty on constant display.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website