Royal Navy warship HMS Argyll left Devonport Naval base today on a busy and exciting nine-month deployment to the Far East as part of a national push to strengthen military and diplomatic ties in the region.
Commander Toby Shaughnessy, commanding officer of HMS Argyll, said. “This deployment, sharing the Royal Navy’s expertise and experience with our partners and allies right across the world, emphasises the UK’s commitment to promoting international security and stability."
Two other Plymouth ships, HMS Sutherland and HMS Albion, are now deployed to the East Asia region. HMS Argyll is due to arrive later this summer and depart early next year.
The deployment follows Prime Minister Theresa May’s visit to Tokyo last year when she and her Japanese counterpart discussed defence, security co-operation and open access to the oceans. The ship will also undertake military exercises with the Japanese Defence Force.
A highlight of the deployment will be Exercise Bersama Lima, a joint naval exercise between the UK, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand as part of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement.
Before reaching the Far East, the ship will patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf, protecting civilian shipping from piracy and terrorist activity.
These operations are part of an on-going effort by the Royal Navy and the British Government to support international efforts promoting stability and security in the Middle East.
HMS Argyll, with 230 crew members, will be the first Royal Navy warship to deploy with Sea Ceptor, a supersonic missile defence system developed for the Royal Navy by MBDA Missile Systems, a partnership between BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica.
The system has a range of more than 25km at speeds of up to 2,000 mph and can protect an area of 1,300km².
The ship also has the Wildcat Maritime Attack helicopter embarked. The multi-role military helicopter provides surveillance and weapons capability to the ship, covering a vast area beyond the ship’s sensors and weapons.
