4 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2009
A wealth of
Time to do
Taurus
1’s duty
destinations
The good shepherd
YOU should see more sailors and
marines moving around the UK
in uniform in 2009 thanks to a
push by the government and RN
THE largest task group the RN THE fi rst ship ipp to raise the profi le of the three
is mustering in 2009 will leave
carrying aid to to
Forces.
UK waters this month, bound
ultimately for south-east Asia.
Somalia protected teed
A study carried out by the
More than 3,000 sailors
by a Royal Navy--
MOD last year determined that
one of the best ways for the
and Royal Marines, upwards led shield has military to be acknowledged by
of a dozen British and Allied
avoided the
the public was to wear uniform
ships, and elements of half a
dozen Fleet Air Arm and RAF
pirate scourge.
when out and about.
squadrons are committed to
Escorted by HMS
The IRA threat of the 70s
Exercise Taurus 09.
Northumberland,
and 80s put an end to sailors
Taurus is probably the best
MV Semlow docked
and marines going about civilian
‘ticket’ for sailors and marines
in Mogadishu, the
business in uniform.
looking for globe-trotting
Somali capital, bringing g
Despite efforts by naval leaders
adventure this year: Malta,
a month’s supply of of
in recent years to encourage
Greece, Turkey, India, Sri
food – split peas and other other
matelots and green berets to wear
Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia,
nourishment – for 50,000 people.
uniforms outside the confi nes of
Singapore, Brunei and Thailand
The Semlow, a small, rather
establishments, Whitehall believes
are all on the task force’s
worn freighter, was the fi rst vessel
the practice is still not prevalent
to be escorted under the EU’s new
enough.
itinerary.
anti-piracy mission, Operation
To that end, new guidance for
It is, of course, not a cruise in
Atalanta.
wearing uniform has been issued.
battleship grey, but a chance to
The mission was launched
The Navy Board wants to see
test a gamut of Senior Service
in December by the European
sailors in uniform:
skills from gathering a task
Union, with Briton Rear Admiral
force and sending it half way
■ visiting banks, garages,
Phil Jones and his staff chosen to
around the world to combat
shopping centres, restaurants
oversee the vast operation.
exercises.
and coffee shops;
And while the media focus has
“Taurus is hugely exciting – it
travelling to and from
been concentrated on the efforts
will allow the Royal Navy to
establishments, whether on
of Atalanta’s task force to chase
conduct challenging training
public/private transport or
off and eradicate pirates, key to
in a variety of environments,
on foot;
the operation is the safe arrival
from amphibious warfare in the
passing through civilian
of aid from the UN’s World Food
Med and underwater warfare
airports on leave or heading
Programme in Somalia.
● The MV Semlow – “an anagram of ‘me slow’” – is shepherded by HMS Northumberland towards
in the Indian Ocean to jungle Mogadishu
to/from the place of duty;
Around three million Somalis –
warfare in Brunei,” said Cdre
weddings and graduation
roughly two fi fths of the populace
Peter Hudson, Commander
– joined the Semlow to offer the (2,000 nautical miles in four The Tumaini Children’s Home
ceremonies.
– rely on aid as the collapse of
Amphibious Task Group who
government, tribal squabbles and
freighter extra protection, while days). provides a hospice, school and
Sailors should not be seen in
will be in charge of the force
war have brought the country’s
Northumberland’s Merlin buzzed The gods were less than kind to workship for around six dozen
uniform however:
aboard fl agship HMS Bulwark.
agricultural economy crashing
around overhead surveying the her, however. She sailed into the Kenyans – and they should
“It’s extremely important that
area. teeth of a monsoon with winds receive a hefty cheque later this
■ in a pub (unless authorised
down.
we add depth and resilience to
“What greeted us was a scene of of up to 30kts and the sea, at spring when the frigate returns to
by a senior offi cer);
And it’s getting worse. In the
these key skills. We should see
complete infrastructure collapse – times, nudging state eight (waves Mombasa.
when on leave;
past three years, the demand for
the many hundreds of sailors
bombed-out buildings, no traffic, touching 45ft). (Pre)-Christmas For now, however, piracy patrols
in Northern Ireland;
food aid has risen eightfold; more
and marines return in August few people,” said Cdr Simpson.
lunch was served in the middle prevail; Northumberland remains
events where the reputation
than 250,000 tons of food were
professionally fulfi lled, but also “The only sign of life was a few
of the Indian Ocean with the ship attached to an international
or political impartiality of the
delivered by the UN in 2008, nine
having had fun achieving it.” Somali fishermen in skiffs scraping
“bouncing around like a cork”. force – the fi rst naval operation
RN might be brought into
tenths of it by sea.
Ships currently earmarked for a living.
Still, despite the inclement conducted under the EU banner
question;
Not only did the food crisis in
Taurus (the task force surges “These were nervous times
weather, the frigate arrived in and will attempt to safeguard
part-time employment
Somalia worsen in 2008. So too
and ebbs depending upon for us as any building could be
Dubai’s Port Rashid on December shipping in the region for at least
outside working hours;
did the pirate threat. More than
when and where it is) include: harbouring a sniper or RPG, 22. Atalanta was temporarily put 12 months.
if hitchhiking.
100 attacks against shipping in the
Bulwark, helicopter carrier
country’s waters were recorded
whilst a fishing skiff could just as on the back-burner and the sailors “Pirates have been threatening Hand-in-hand with these
Ocean, escorts Somerset and
last year.
easily be a pirate or suicide boat.” embarked on a new mission, to cut off the humanitarian lifeline guidelines, the RN is also
Argyll, American Arleigh Burke
MV Semlow knows all about
As it turned out, Semlow ‘The Great Middle East Wallet- to Somalia, but now the EU is introducing new instructions on
destroyer USS Mitscher, French
the piracy threat; the ship was held
reached her destination safely and Emptying Exercise’ (apparently, providing the comprehensive the wearing of ‘Combat 95’ – the
frigate Dupleix, amphibious
ransom for more than three months
began offloading her cargo. quite a few succeeded in the protection we have been calling camoufl age fatigues which have in
support ship RFA Mounts Bay,
back in 2005 – and her crew were
Cdr Simpson continued: city’s malls, hotels and indoor ski for,” said the World Food many cases become “the de-facto
tanker RFA Wave Ruler, fl oating
understandably reluctant to return
“There can be no better –
slope). Progamme’s Chief Operating daily working dress” in the Senior
warehouse RFA Fort Austin,
to Somalia.
or more worthwhile – task
Not all the wallet-emptying has Offi cer, Ramiro Lopes da Silva. Service.
plus two Trafalgar-class hunter
But they did. HMS
than supporting the safe
been for personal aggrandisement; “This means we can guarantee a Although a series of RN/
killer submarines.
Northumberland met the Semlow
and timely delivery of food
the sailors are doing their bit for fl ow of food assistance to the people RM fl ashes and insignia have
Ships from Turkey and the in the Kenyan port of Mombasa,
aid to this war-torn and
charity. You might remember of Somalia who are suffering from been added to Combat 95s to
Netherlands are also due to join then escorted her for four days up
neglected country.
that last year, three of the ship’s drought, confl ict, and the impact emphasise that the wearer is a
the battlegroup at times. Africa’s east coast to Mogadishu at company completed the ‘million of high food prices.” member of the Naval Service,
The green berets of 40 a sedentary six knots.
“The food that the MV Semlow metre row’ challenge (the Atalanta has also scored its first the public still see khaki and
Commando act as the ship- “We realised that Semlow is carried is vital and its safe delivery challenge, if you hadn’t guessed, major anti-piracy success. The invariably think ‘soldier’.
to-shore ‘punch’, carried on just an anagram of ‘me slow’,” was of the utmost importance. was to row one million metres – crew of the 65,000-ton Egyptian As a result, combat fatigues will
to dry land either by the task observed Cdr Martin Simpson, The ship’s company and myself more than 620 miles...). cargo ship Wadi al Arab came only be worn by RN personnel
group’s landing craft or the Northumberland’s CO (whose are proud to have carried out a Well, that obviously whetted the under attack from marauders who can demonstrate “clear,
aircraft of 820 NAS, Commando ship can reach speeds upwards of mission that will have tangible sailors’ appetite because they’ve in the Gulf of Aden and called practical and environmental
Helicopter Force, and RAF 30kts...). benefi t to the people of Somalia.” since completed the Mombasa the European force – officially reasons” for doing so.
Chinooks. Bagger Sea Kings of “There were times when, Despite the euphoria at a Iron Man Challenge (three half EUNAVFOR Somalia – for help. Instead, sailors will be expected
857 NAS and Lynx of 847 NAS against the current and the north- mission accomplished, Semlow’s marathons in running, rowing and German frigate Karlsruhe to wear general duty rig (No.3s)
will serve as Taurus’ eyes in easterly winds, she was barely sluggish progress had a knock-on cycling at the Mombasa Sports came to the merchantman’s aid, or action working dress (No.4s),
the sky. making 3kts.” effect on the Type 23’s programme. Club). launching her helicopter and and commandos should wear
After ‘warming up’ (literally As the two vessels neared the Would she make Dubai in time for The burst of fitness was firing warning shots, causing the ‘Half Lovats’ (No.3A/3C) or
and metaphorically) in the Somali capital, Northumberland Christmas? prompted by a chance meeting pirates to break off their attack. training rig (No.3B).
Mediterreanean, the fi rst big closed up to action stations with Well, you’ll be pleased to know Northumberland’s CO had with The German sailors subsequently More details can be found in
test for the force will come off her upper deck weapons fully that Christmas was not cancelled. a lady who runs the first home in arrested several pirates, a string of offi cial documents
Turkey next month at a large- manned. The frigate’s ‘green team’ The ship ‘put her foot down’ in the city which cares for youngsters confiscating their weapons and – Galaxy Brief 16/08, RNTM
scale international exercise. – her Royal Marines detachment a bid to reach the Gulf metropolis diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. equipment before releasing them. 230/08 and RNTM 231/08.
LLusty does the brake and Vusty does the brake and VAAACAC
NAVAL jet pilots of the future have a new roll – It did. Its experts devised the ‘Bedford Array’,
thanks to pioneering experiments aboard HMS a hi-tech piece of wizardry which tells the pilot
Illustrious. whether he’s making the correct approach for a
Yes, we mean ‘roll’, not ‘role’; a decade rolling landing – even in rough seas.
hence, Fleet Air Arm aviators will roll to a stop Lusty’s fl ight deck is too small to permit
aboard HM Ships Queen Elizabeth and Prince rolling landings, but test pilots in a specially-
of Wales. adapted two-seat Harrier, the VAAC (Vectored-
A series of test fl ights involving a unique thrust Aircraft Advanced Control), conducted
Harrier and Lusty at the tail end of last year an identical ‘rolling landing’ approach on more
confi rmed that the novel approach to landing than 200 occasions during a week of trials in
would be possible when the jump jet’s successor, the Channel to prove that the Bedford Array
the Joint Strike Fighter, enters service next works.
decade. “The UK has an incredible heritage of
Currently Harriers hover alongside the innovation in naval aviation and pioneered
fl ight deck, ‘slide’ over it, and drop down – a many things now taken for granted in the carrier
manoeuvre both challenging and requiring a world,” said Qinetiq test pilot Justin Paines.
considerable amount of fuel. “With the Bedford Array we’ve done it again.
A rolling landing is just that – the aircraft We’ve developed an approach aid that has
lands on deck in a more traditional fashion, application beyond the Joint Strike Fighter to
except that it uses its brakes rather than arrestor other forms of aircraft.”
wires to bring it to a stop. It allows the JSF to The VAAC has been used extensively in
bring a heavier payload back home – and places paving the way for the future jet. Its avionics
less stress on the engine. have been rebuilt to allow the pilot to fl y the
Such a landing does, however, place aircraft as if it’s the JSF (the second pilot can fl y
considerable stress on the aircraft, so much the Harrier conventionally when required).
stress in fact that Whitehall was worried that it The trials with Illustrious were among the
could damage the JSF. fi nal acts in the VAAC’s career. After four
● The VAAC Harrier and a full-size mock-up of a Joint Strike Fighter on the fl ight deck of HMS Illustrious during
It called in experts from Qinetiq, the defence decades’ fl ight it’s due to be retired this spring.
the rolling landing trials
technology fi rm, to fi nd a solution. marina A pilot’s eye view of the JSF, page 25
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