RFA Mounts Bay back on arms trafficking patrol

Maritime October 24, 2016

RFA Mounts Bay has resumed duties patrolling the Mediterranean to counter illegal arms trafficking.

The vessel takes over from HMS Diamond, which carried out the role for two months while Mounts Bay underwent planned maintenance, as well as playing a role in a joint maritime exercise, Albanian Lion, in September 2016.

The Type 45 Destroyer has conducted wide-area maritime surveillance to establish operating patterns in the area and then, when appropriate, boarded vessels suspected of supporting the illegal importation of weapons and ammunition.

This forms part of Operation Sophia, focused on tackling human smugglers and arms traffickers who endanger the lives of migrants who seek to travel to Europe.

Mounts Bay’s role will remain tackling the movement of arms, and she will provide a picture-building capability to help enforce the UN Security Council Resolution prohibiting the trafficking of arms to Libya.

During her two months in the role, Diamond deployed combined Royal Navy and Royal Marine boarding teams, while her Wildcat helicopter provided critical over-watch; the first time the helicopter has been utilised in a live operation from a Type 45.

Commander Marcus Hember, Commanding Officer of HMS Diamond, said: “Diamond has made an important contribution to the effort in the Mediterranean, showing that the Royal Navy continues to commit to important tasks in support of UK interests.”

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Mark Lane is a defence writer for defenceonline.co.uk and the MoD’s Defence Contracts Bulletin. He is also editor of Global Trader, sub-editor of Insider Scotland and a former editor of Business Today.

arms trafficking HMS Diamond Operation Sophia RFA Mounts Bay Royal Marine Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer