Winter 2013 News Letter

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
SUMMER 13 NEWSLETTER
FOREWORD - CAPTAIN MIKE UTLEY ROYAL NAVY
Since I last wrote HMS ILLUSTRIOUS has been in far warmer climes than
she has been use to. We are currently on our 4 month operational
deployment to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, COUGAR 13. You
may have seen the media interest surrounding our departure for this
deployment on 12 Aug, “Solid as a Rock” was my favourite headline from The
Sun, but you will know from our previous newsletters that COUGAR 13 has
been planned for a long time and is not in response to any single issue, be it
in Gibraltar or anywhere else. Indeed our aim remains to ensure that we can
meet the UK’s requirements for a rapid response to any international and
domestic crises anywhere in the world. This simple aim will test and reward
the Ship and Ship’s Company over those 4 months and, with a month already
completed, I can reassure you we are living up to expectations.
We have now successfully completed Phase 1 of the deployment, the complex task of integrating all the
ships and joint forces within a task group and, from an ILLUSTRIOUS point of view, successfully
embarking a contingent from 42 Commando Royal Marines, some assets and personnel from the Army Air
Corps and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and of course elements of the Fleet Air Arm. Our
flight deck and hangar were a hive of activity. Phase 2 saw us successfully complete exercise Albanian
Lion with amphibious raids ashore and the role out of our “evacuation of British civilians” plans.
We have now transited the Suez canal, a straight forward operation but one that requires detailed and
well executed plans given the recent rocket attack on MV Cosco Asia, and conducted a “flying” visit to
Aqaba, Jordon, to pick up 845 squadron and their Royal Marine carrying Sea King Mk 4 helicopters. Back
at sea we were delighted to operate with the Royal Saudi Navy in Exercise Red Alligator where we proved
our interoperability with a key regional partner.
It is of course not all work, sports days on the flight deck have proved to be hugely popular with
tournaments in “Bucketball” and “DodgeBall”, and a fitness challenge. These all help to integrate the
Ship’s Company with our guests from the Carrier Air Group and the Royal Marines. We have also
enjoyed the occasional flight deck BBQ at sunset and a film on the flight deck, Top Gun of course! Ashore
Lusty enjoyed a warm welcome in Palermo, Sicily, and Souda Bay, Crete. In both locations we had a few
days of well earned down time with many of the Ships’ Company spending their time visiting the cultural
sites of the local area, taking part in ‘Adventurous Training’ and, of course, an obligatory trip to the beach.
Those are some of the highlights of our recent programme. For me, the main highlight has been the
repeated examples of the dedication and determination of those I have the privilege to command. They
are special people but I know that without the support of you and your organisations our task would be so
much more difficult.
Yours Sincerely,
M K Utley
Captain Royal Navy
Commanding Officer
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NEWS: With the festivities of London closed,
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS embarked upon the serious
matter of Flag Officer Sea Training’s (FOST)
Directed Continuation Training (DCT ) package and
with Cougar 13 looming ever closer there was no
room for error. The whole Ship’s Company were
aware of the task at hand and 100% focus was
once again required.
Company to undertake some individual training
as well as enjoy summer leave with friends and
family.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS departs Portsmouth ready for Cougar 13
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS’ “Action Stations”
On 12 Aug HMS ILLUSTRIOUS took her place as
part of the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task
Group (RFTG) deployed on Cougar 13. The Task
Group is a versatile, flexible and scalable force at
very high readiness prepared to react to any
contingency as directed by Ministers, and
undertake international engagement and bilateral
training with strategic partners throughout the
Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf region.
Ready for Inspection Ladies and Gentlemen?
During our DCT FOST delivered a tailored training
package designed to test all of our capabilities to
their full extent. The Ship was assessed whilst in
various postures from peacetime cruising to full war
fighting Action Stations. We were tested by a
plethora of different operational scenarios, in the
surface, air and sub-surface environments. The
attacks ranged from an opportunistic single hit
through to a co-ordinated swarm attack from
multiple fast attack craft and high end war fighting.
Also tested was ILLUSTRIOUS’ incredibly
versatile aviation facilities and damage control
capabilities. Over the four weeks we proved
ourselves in every respect and left Plymouth on 14
Jun ready to face our forthcoming deployment.
Now operationally honed we returned to
Portsmouth for the final engineering and personnel
preparations. This was our second and final
support period of the year and allowed us to ensure
our equipment was ready for the hot and testing
environment ahead. Likewise, it allowed the Ship’s
Response Force Task Group
We are always told to ‘expect the unexpected’
and this was never more appropriate then at
11:03 on 13 Aug (merely one day after leaving
Portsmouth), when a major electrical fire broke
out in a switchboard. Black acrid smoke began to
rapidly fill compartments and visibility reduced to
only a few feet in certain areas. The fire fighting
team swung into action, safely evacuated
personnel, prevented the smoke from spreading
further and fought the fire. Due to the quick
responses of the Ship’s Company no one was
hurt and the fire was extinguished ensuring
ILLUSTRIOUS’ involvement in the RFTG
continued. In true Royal Navy style we proved
that ‘the team works’ with a repair completed
within days.
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The electrical breaker after the fire.
Within the TG, all units spent the passage to the
Mediterranean undertaking Maritime Security
Operations and integrating their respective teams
within each ship and between each other. After a
fuel stop in Rota, Spain, we continued the TG work
up such that we were a cohesive force, ready for
any contingency by the time we arrived in Palermo,
Sicily.
Palermo soon faded into our memories as we
started the first major exercise of the deployment,
Exercise ‘Albanian Lion’. Using a similar concept
to last year we conducted the exercise in
conjunction with the Albanian forces and
undertook surface and airborne amphibious raids
into ‘enemy territory’ to neutralise the threat,
secure land ashore and extract British nationals.
This went well and yet again proved the value of
the Albanian training areas. The exercise
concluded with an amphibious demonstration to
the President of Albania from the flight deck.
Our stop is Sicily gave the Ship’s Company some
well earned down time. Trips were organised to
climb the famous summit of Mount Etna whilst
others enjoyed the attractions of the city.
HMS BULWARK, her 2 Offshore Raiding Crafts and an Albanian
Attack Craft
A brief stop in Souda Bay, Crete, followed to allow
the TG to replenish and restock ahead of our
transit through the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal
is one of the world's most significant geographic
chokepoints for maritime trade and the passage
through is always an important event and
impressive sight, even more so with a TG of
warships.
Some of the Ship’s Company enjoying the heat!
Some decided to challenge themselves that little bit
more and in the mid August Sicilian heat 9 cyclists
set off from Palermo in the north west of Sicily to
meet the Ship fuelling in Augusta the next day,
(177 Nm by sea, 203.7 miles by land). With all
departments, ranks and rates represented the team
completed the challenge just after the Ship secured
alongside and a draw was declared.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS Cycling Club
RFA FORT AUSTIN, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS BULWARK and MV
HURST POINT transiting the Suez Canal south bound.
The passage went without a hitch but, in true
Navy fashion, many onboard wanted to race the
Ship in someway. So before we arrived at Port
Said 81 LUSTY sailors took up the challenge of
the Suez Canal row with the goal of covering the
length of the waterway (164km) faster than the
ship (which is usually around 12 hours). With a
time a little over 10 hours the Ship always had a
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difficult task and as we emerged into the Gulf of
Suez it was clear the rowers had won!
In addition to the maritime elements, the Royal
Marines took the opportunity to train with the
KSA’s Marines, Army, Air Force and Special
Forces ashore, so a very productive exercise on
all fronts.
Rowing the Suez Canal is a challenge we all take very seriously!
Completion of the Suez transit brought a short visit
to Aqaba, Jordan, to embark 3 Sea King Mk4s and
personnel from 845 Naval Air Squadron. This
followed 845’s environmental training in Jordan’s
hot, high and sandy conditions as part of their work
up for contingent operations. It was good to see
845 again, having been with us for Joint Warrior,
and to increase our air assault capability.
RAS with the Saudi Arabian Tanker BORAIDA
With sea water temperatures rising to the mid 30
degrees Centigrade and the air temperature
following suit, it was very clear to all onboard that
we had arrived in the Middle East operating area.
Once safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Straits,
another strategic maritime chock point, and into
the Gulf of Aden ILLUSTRIOUS continued with
maritime security operations playing our part in
anti piracy operations with the multi national
forces in the area under the control of Combined
Task Force 151. Opportunities to work with our
allies abound in such an environment and we
were pleased to operate with USN Kearsarge and
her air wing. The cross decking of personnel was
an excellent opportunity to learn from each other
and a great experience for those involved.
NAS 845 Sea King Mk4s
All safely embarked, ILLUSTRIOUS was able to
begin the next evolution, Exercise ‘Red Alligator’.
This was a bilateral exercise that saw the TG
working alongside HM Ships from the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia in Encounter Exercises, Tracking
Exercises and Replenishment at Sea (RAS).
USN Kearsarge’s MV22 Osprey on deck
HMSs ILLUSTRIOUS and WESTMINSTER with HMS AL RIYADH and
BADR
Looking ahead, we are eagerly anticipating an
anti submarine exercise with US units in the near
future and an Operational Stand Down before
moving into the Persian Gulf for exercises with
UAE, Omani and US Forces. With just under 2
months passed we have achieved much but there
is still more ahead of us and we look forward to
the challenge.
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AFFILIATIONS
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS is proud and very honoured to have the following affiliations:
Sponsor:
Lady Sarah Chatto
Civic:
City of London
Island of Malta - The Three Cities (Cospicua, Vittoriosa, Senglea), Malta
Livery Companies:
Guild of Air Pilots And Navigators (GAPAN)
Worshipful Company of Lightmongers
Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
Military:
7 Squadron RAF
27 Squadron RAF
30 Signal Regiment
Grenadier Guards
London UAS/URNU
Sussex URNU HMS RANGER
Thunderer Squadron
Schools:
Hayling Island School
Others:
Association of British Insurers
Bath Rugby Club
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS Association
Mr Jan Kopernicki CMG
Metropolitan Police
Range Rover Cars
RNA Brightlingsea Branch
Rolls Royce
Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club (Wessex Section)
Cadet Units:
Kings Bruton School CCF
Oundle School CCF - Shared with YEOVILTON
Sevenoaks School CCF - Shared with COLLINGWOOD
TS St Paul (Malta CCF)
TS UPHOLDER (Chelmsford)
TS ILLUSTRIOUS (Frinton-on-Sea)
TS TEIGNMOUTH
TS RYE
TS COLNE LIGHT (Colchester)
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Editors Comments
If you wish to follow us on the Web, the Official HMS ILLUSTRIOUS website is at:
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Whilst we are deployed please be wary of whom you share your online information with, particularly on social
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