UK and Nigerian navies conduct sea exercises

The Royal Navy's HMS Iron Duke with Nigerian Navy patrol boats. Photo Royal Navy.

13 August 2014 naval-technology.com

The UK Royal Navy's Type 23 Duke-class HMS Iron Duke (F234) and the Nigerian Navy have carried out exercises aimed at exchanging skills and techniques.

Personnel from both navies participated in sessions in navigation, seamanship, fire-fighting and damage control techniques, in addition to first aid and an at-sea exercise involving Nigerian personnel on HMS Iron Duke.

HMS Iron Duke chief petty officer Norm Brindley said: "The training proved very useful. It's always good for us to conduct training with other navies as it forces us to review our own techniques.

"Training with the Nigerian Navy was particularly interesting. They do a lot of things under the same principles as our methods, so it was a good refresher for both sides."

HMS Iron Duke boarding officer lieutenant Oliver Behan said: "The two days were an excellent chance to work with regional partners and assist the Nigerian Navy with its training.

"It was a chance for both navies to see how the other conducts boarding operations and all of us were able to take some valuable lessons from the two days."

Capable of accommodating a crew of 185, the 133m-long Duke-class vessels are armed with the vertical-launched Seawolf point-missile defence system and the Boeing Harpoon surface-to-surface missile for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare capabilities.

The 4,900t vessels are powered by a diesel-electric and gas (CODLAG) system, comprising two Rolls-Royce Spey SM1A 34,000hp gas turbines and two Alstom 1.5MW 4,400hp electric motors.