The Royal navy’s Commander in Chief Fleet, Sir Alan West visited Severomorsk for the Russian Federation Navy Day on 28 July 02 – forging stronger defence diplomacy links between the two great naval powers.

Admiral West entertained the Russian Federation Northern Fleet Commander, Admiral Gennady Suchkov, during dinner on the Mine Countermeasure Vessel HMS Ramsey to discuss plans for a Russian participation in the forthcoming UK Navy Days.

The visit is an important event in support of the ongoing and, increasingly successful, Naval Co-operation Programme between the Russian Federation Navy and the Royal Navy with its wider aim of supporting Defence Diplomacy.

At the same time, Royal Navy Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessel, HMS Atherstone, visited another Russian Federation port, Arckhangel, to take part in a Navy Day event there.

The aim of the visits is to further the advancement of interoperability between the Russian Federation and the Royal Navy. It is understood the Russian Naval Ship Admiral Chabaneko with Deputy Commander Northern Fleet (COMNORFLT), Vice Admiral Dobroskochenko, will be taking centre stage during Plymouth Navy Days later this year.

HMS Ramsey will play a full role in the Navy Day, sailing with the rest of the Russian Fleet, anchoring for the review to be carried out by COMNORFLT – and the Royal Navy ship will be open to visitors whilst alongside for two days.

Under the command of Lieutenant Commander David Axon RN, HMS Ramsey has been deployed from the United Kingdom since April 2002. Operating within the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) as part of On Call Force 30 (OCF 30), both HMS Ramsey and HMS Atherstone are placed at the highest state of National Readiness to deploy anywhere in the world with the minimum of notice.

The Commander of the On Call Force, Commander David Bewick, is currently aboard HMS Ramsey. He said: “I am very much looking forward to improving the already good relationships between the Royal Navy and the Russian Federation Navy, particularly after the successful exercises in the Baltic.”

The highlight at the end of a busy Baltic Deployment has been the inclusion of the ships in the Russian Navy days. Having departed Tallin, Estonia, on 12 July, the 53 metre long Minehunter, HMS Ramsey, has travelled 1600 miles, passing through the Artic Circle, to the Headquarters of the Russian Northern Fleet. The ship will be the first Sandown Class vessel to visit Severomorsk.

The Naval Co-operation Programme plays a key role in the implementation of UK Defence Policy in Russia and the RN and RFN directs considerable resource towards its successful delivery.

Initial activity has focused on making contact and confidence building within the Fleets. In the future, more demanding interoperability targets will be set, centred around further operational visits and training, junior Officer’s training, Command and Control at tactical and strategic levels, Staff discussions and policy matters of mutual interest and submarine rescue techniques.