Currently HMS RICHMOND is at sea having commenced her deployment to the Armilla Patrol.

During this time the ship’s company have had the opportunity to perform a number of exercises and serials in order to prepare for the months ahead. This progression follows on from a short spell at sea following the AMP.

The AMP or assisted maintenance period, performed in January is rather like a thorough car service in a garage, but performed, instead on a warship in the confines of a dockyard.

Civilian contractors assisted the ship’s company during maintenance process. Some of the work carried out was structural, including the building of a mess-deck to accommodate the Royal Marines who will embark during the deployment.

As not all of the ship’s company was involved in the maintenance, other pre-deployment activities were carried out to ensure that the ship was ready for the tasks that lie ahead during the Armilla patrol. One such as activity was the underwater escape training carried out in the “Dunker” at HMS YEOVILTON.

The “Dunker” is a device that is submerged and upturned in a swimming pool, and from which a crew of six have to escape, thereby simulating escape from a submerged aircraft. Other activities have included the training of boarding party personnel as one of the major tasks of the Armilla patrol is the stopping and searching of ships that may be breaking UN embargoes.

The ship’s company is the ship’s greatest asset and from a health perspective this was not over-looked. The ship’s company underwent dental check ups and vaccinations in order to ensure that it was fit to deploy.

Finally, in order to ensure that HMS RICHMOND was “rodent free” and therefore able to enter foreign ports, the port environmental health team inspected the ship and issued a de-ratting certificate, however, HMS RICHMOND, does have other ways to ensure that rodents are kept at bay – but more of that later.