Destroyer HMS Exeter has left Portsmouth on a deployment which will take her all the way to Japan – with plenty of fascinating port visits on the way.

The Type 42 warship will be away for eight months, and her scheduled ports of call include Madras, Goa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vladivostok, Tokyo and Brunei.

One of the main objectives of the deployment is Exeter’s participation in exercises supporting the Five Powers Defence Arrangement, encompassing the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

The Arrangement was set up in 1971 to plan a response to an attack on either Singapore or Malaysia.

Exeter is due to take part in two major exercises in the region, named Bersama Lima and Bersama Shield, testing naval warfare techniques and a joint approach to air defence.

The Commanding Officer of HMS Exeter, Cdr Mark Durkin, said: “The ship’s company are looking forward to the busy deployment, which sees us visit some exciting places.

“And working closely with the four other nations will be a tremendous experience for us all.”

During the deployment, Exeter will visit the World War II war graves of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales off the East coast of Malaysia – and of the former HMS Exeter, sunk in the Java Sea in 1942.