UK Navy’s vessels HMS Severn and Tyne sailed in company in the waters off Scotland’s west coast as they prepared for very different missions.
Tyne is safeguarding the nation’s fishing stocks by keeping a watchful eye on trawlers, but Severn is about to cross the Atlantic for the first time for a patrol of British territories in the Caribbean.
HMS Tyne (P281) led her sister vessel HMS Severn (P282) out of Faslane and into the Clyde estuary for rare combined training involving ships which typically exercise and operate independently.
Severn is about to head for the Caribbean for an Atlantic Patrol North mission over the winter, taking over from HMS Argyll.
The initial ten days of training in Scotland assessed Severn’s ability to deal with internal problems – fires, flooding, breakdowns – and external ones, such as coming under attack.
The second phase of training is more ‘free play’ and specially focused on the mission the ship is expected to carry out, such as putting a reconnaissance team ashore to scout and report the devastating effects of a hurricane; Severn can produce ten tonnes of fresh water a day and carry six ISO containers of aid and equipment.
Severn is due to leave her native Portsmouth later this autumn.
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Press release, Image: UK Navy