Welcome to HMS RICHMOND'S latest update of this deployment. This message was written on 3 May and will be updated on the 17 of May.

Having sailed from Gulfport, Mississippi on Sunday the 15th of April RICMOND embarked upon JCIET (Joint Combat Identification and Evaluation Team) an exercise with many other air, surface and land units from the USA and UK. Working closely with two American Ticonderoga Class Cruisers and a variety of fast jets from several countries we conducted daily 5 hour Air defence exercises for the following two weeks.

A welcome break came in the form of a brief visit to Pacagoula Naval Station on the weekend of the 19th and 20th , we were greeted with another warm southern USA welcome with a BBQ on the jetty with one of our American consorts. After 2 night's rest and recuperation we sailed to complete the second half of the JCIET trials. With a great deal of data gathered and a few lessons learned we made another brief stop at Pascagoula on the 26th for fuel, a debrief and a leg stretch ashore.

Quickly back to sea that afternoon we sailed for Port Canaveral across the Gulf of Mexico and around the Florida Peninsular, a total of 860 miles. Once again we managed to fit in some flight deck sport on route with 3K junior rates mess winning an amusing game of cricket. Arriving in Cape Canaveral early on the morning of April the 29th was Commander Adams' last entry into port as Commanding Officer of HMS RICHMOND. The new Captain, Commander Wayne Keble met the ship and after a brief handover assumed command. Commander Adams addressed the Ships Company to say good bye and was given 3 cheers as he departed to fly home.

The next three and a half days were spent installing more equipment for our next task at AUTEC, the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre and allowing the new Captain to settle in. Visits whilst in the area naturally included the space centre, with others visiting the town and nearby Cocoa Beach or further afield to Orlando and its numerous attractions.

Now back at sea RICMOND has begun a series of month long trials at AUTEC in fine weather off the Bahamian Andros Island.