Illustrious leaving harbour yesterday
Posted on 01/22/2008 10:10:00 AM PST by Rikstir
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious left Portsmouth today, Monday 21 January 2008, to lead a multi-national Task Group to the Indian Ocean region for a series of exercises which will take place over the next four months.
The Task Group incorporates more than 2,500 personnel, 13 ships, a nuclear powered submarine and fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. 'Orion 08' is an element of the UK's continued commitment to boosting peace and stability in the area by exercising with a number of navies in the region. During its deployment the Task Group will be visiting 20 ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle East, South Asia and the Far East.
The deployment is part of the RN's regular operating pattern, repeating a similar deployment to the Indian Ocean in 2006. It will exercise deploying a maritime strike force for a prolonged period away from the home base and working with allies.
During the deployment, the ship will carry Ground Attack Harriers flown by Royal Navy and RAF pilots from the Naval Strike Wing and No 1 (Fighter) Squadron Royal Air Force, both part of the UK's Joint Force Harrier. A total of 20 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, including six Merlin helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron (the 'Flying Tigers') based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall have deployed with the Task Group. Merlin helicopters. Opens in a new window.
Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group, Commodore Tom Cunningham, said:
"Orion 08 is a great opportunity for the RN to demonstrate one of its core capabilities. The ships' companies and support networks have been working tremendously hard to get the ships to sea on time and we are now all looking forward to this deployment which will allow us to further develop Joint Force Harrier operations and UK relationships in this important region."
Units in the group include the Air Defence Destroyer HMS Edinburgh, the multi-role Frigate HMS Westminster, the nuclear powered submarine HMS Trafalgar, and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Wave Knight, Fort Austin, Diligence and Bayleaf (carrying fuel, ammunition, stores and food).
Also working with the Task Group are USS Cole (an American Arleigh Burke Destroyer), SNS Mendez Nunez (Spanish F100 class Aegis Frigate), FS Jean Bart (French air defence destroyer), supported by UK Mine Countermeasures Vessels HM Ships Chiddingfold and Atherstone.
Illustrious leaving harbour yesterday
Let’s just hope a couple of Iranian speedboats don’t confront the Illustrious - the Brits may surrender again.
I attended a cocktail party aboard HMS Illustrious in Tokyo ten years ago. Nice ship, though at 20,000 tons it’s a fifth the displacement of our carriers.
They do have one thing on board that our ships don’t: a real pub!
In the next five to ten years we will be getting the Queen Elizabeth Class to replace the Invincible Class of today. The QE Class will be around 65,000 tonnes, carry 3 or 4 times the aircraft, and be the most hightech carrier on the seas.
Until then, I’m sure we will be well served by the Illustrious. Safe sailing to her, the other UK ships in the TF, as well as the other nations taking part in this RN exercise.
I tried to bridge the gap with a nice pic of the Cole, and than you make a joke I haven’t heard before about we Brits surrendering again. Sigh....
Well, in retort,at least our boys dont refuse to do their duty while on active service. Maybe the Cole will refuse to protect the RFA ships and mutiny while under the gaze of the UK’s carrier task force?????
Yes, Godspeed to Illustrious.
I hope the QE class have pubs too!
probably a fancy wine bar instead where the drinks cost £20...
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