The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (MoD) has rubbished claims that the Falkland Islands have been left without protection, due to the absence of a British warship (frigate or destroyer) permanently based in the south Atlantic. The MoD defended itself following reports that the Falkland Islands were without the protection of a British frigate or destroyer for the first time since the conflict in 1982.
HMS Protector has arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand, as part of her historic Southern Ocean patrol. The arrival of the specialist ice patrol ship marks the close cooperation that exists between the UK and New Zealand in upholding the conservation rules of the Antarctic Treaty System and to protect the Southern Ocean from illegal fishing activities.
HMS Lancaster, a type 23 Frigate is in Gibraltar for a few days to top up on fuel and supplies and allow its crew some rest and recuperation. HMS Lancaster recently completed a 9-month deployment to the South Atlantic where she conducted Atlantic Patrol Tasking, and made over 23 port visits in 18 countries.
There is a permanent reminder of the Royal Navy's HMS Dragon’s first visit to South Africa as the destroyer upheld a 90-year-old tradition. A large painting of the ship’s badge, featuring her namesake mythical beast, adorns the wall of the cavernous dry dock where the Portsmouth-based warship spent her mid-deployment break, receiving some TLC after a four-month battering from the Pacific and Atlantic.
The Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol Ship has carried out her first inspection of a fishing vessel in Antarctic Waters. HMS Protector met the fishing vessel while on patrol in Antarctic waters and made arrangements to carry out the inspection.
Argentine media is reporting that HMS Dragon, Type 45 destroyer and one of the most modern vessels in the Royal Navy is currently in Valparaiso, Chile attending the Exponaval 2014, one of the main naval and maritime exhibition events in the Southern hemisphere.
HMS Portland’s ship’s company celebrated this month the ship’s 13th birthday as they enter the fifth month of a seven-month deployment as the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Ship.