NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009 19
the Taurus trail
And heading in the opposite direction Royal Naval personnel have honed their the submarine underneath the frigate at
were Lt Kubilay Koyuncu and Chief Ozan skills and demonstrated what a powerful a range of only a few metres to practise
Orhan in what is thought to have been capability the task group can deliver.” gathering intelligence on her hull and
the fi rst ‘x-pol’ between the two silent propulsion systems.”
services.
WITH that, the ‘bull ships’ split. Mounts
Somerset was a substitute for HMS
Submariners the world over share a
Bay and Argyll headed for home
Portland, which had been due for a ‘bottom
common bond, so we’re regularly told,
(the former carrying the bulk of 40
inspection’
and the Turks were quickly into the Talent
Commando), while the core of the task
She broke off from the force to resume
routine.
group sailed through Suez.
chasing pirates – a bit of a shame because
Meanwhile aboard the Burakreis... The
So for Phase 2 of Taurus our cast is:
she’d been away from Devonport for the fi ve
Brits expected a ‘compact’ vessel – and
Bulwark, Ocean, Somerset, Talent, Wave
months in a largely RN-free environment
were not disappointed. What was a surprise
Ruler, Lyme Bay (although she’s now left
(although there have been fl eeting meetings
was the make-up of the crew: there are no
the force to work with the minehunters in
with other HM/RFA ships),
junior ratings aboard, only offi cers and
the Gulf) and the USS Mitscher.
So Portland was delighted to be in the
artifi cer-style petty offi cers.
On the other side of the canal, the
bosom of a sizeable British naval force
As for the boat, it’s a German design and
surface ships threw themselves almost
– albeit for a few days. That delight was
carries anti-ship missiles and wire-guided
immediately into an exercise.
possibly heightened by a much-needed
torpedoes. And the Turks operate their
Blue Toreador (in keeping with the bovine
resupply of the NAAFI stores; the shortage
submarines with the same professionalism
theme of the deployment) was a hunt
of chocolate – Maltesers especially – had
and skill as their British cousins.
for submarines (well, submarine singular,
reached a critical level apparently...
All of which is very interesting, but
actually – Talent).
Other benefi ts of meeting up with the
what really caught the visitors’ eye was
Things weren’t made easy for the T-boat.
Taurus force were also sweet, if short, for
the lifestyle aboard: a constant supply
Firstly, there was HMS Somerset on her tail
Portland.
of coffee and sweet cakes (in the control
(which has Sonar 2087, the world’s best
Logs Russell Keitch was able to spend
room no less).
sub-hunting sonar), then HMS Portland
a couple of hours with his girlfriend AB
Submariners, apparently, cannot live
(which doesn’t have 2087 yet). Then the
Emma Rice from HMS Ocean, while LS
on cake and coffee alone, as LS Mills
Merlins of 820 NAS started dropping
Kevan Gibson and his fi ancée, LS Justine
explained:
sonobouys.
Schofi eld, serving with Somerset, were able
“While the spotlight is rightly on
“Yeah, it was a good experience
to catch up on plans for their impending
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the
with the sweet cakes and all that,
nuptials.
Royal Navy must work hard to maintain its
but they don’t have steak night on
“I have not seen Justine for over fi ve
ability to control the sea,” said Cdr Jason
a Saturday do they?”
months and it will be August before we
Phillips, 820’s CO.
are able to spend any time together,” said
And back on Talent... the two Turkish
“The Merlin’s a world-beating anti-
Kevan.
guests did enjoy steak. They were
submarine helicopter – training like this
“The opportunity to meet up today, even
“bewildered” by the size of the boat
exercise allows my aircrew to practise
just for a few hours was too good to miss
and impressed by her speed and the kit using it to full effect.” and I am thankful for the opportunity. The
squeezed into her steel frame. And that Merlin-23 combination made next time we meet we will be frantically
The visiting deeps returned to their usual things, as they say in RN circles, “interesting planning for our wedding, which is due to
boats in Aksaz when the exercise ended. and challenging” for the deeps. take place in September.”
And thus finished the first stage of Not that Cdr Simon Asquith and his men Portland has now resumed her anti-
Taurus 09. were just going to sit there and be pinged. piracy duties, while the Taurus force was
“The main objective of the fi rst phase of “We were a worthy opponent for our exercising with the Saudi Armed Forces as
Taurus was to exercise the UK’s Amphibious surface and air colleagues,” Talent’s Navy News went to press before heading
Task Group in a testing and challenging Commanding Offi cer added. for the fi rst exercise with the Bangladeshi ● A Merlin and a Sea King conduct rapid roping drills with the men
environment,” said Cdre Hudson, the task “For Talent, our highlight was an Navy in more than a decade. of 40 Commando aboard HMS Ocean and (below) a fl otilla of tugs
force’s commander. ‘underwater look’ at Somerset. With thanks to Lts Lindsey Ashwood, HMS accompanies HMS Bulwark, HMS Somerset and the USS Mitscher
“We have fully achieved this: nearly 2,500 “It meant pushing my team hard, taking Bulwark, and Paul Newall, 40 Commando through the Suez Canal – as seen from HMS Ocean
NEW 018-019_NN_May.indd 2 23/4/09 08:42:00
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48