HMS Somerset arrives in Norway to join Nato allies for Exercise Arctic Dolphin
HMS Somerset has arrived in Norway for Exercise Arctic Dolphin which involves Nato allies and will be taking place in the Bergen area – a city on the west coast of Norway.
The annual exercise will form the basis for the education of submarine commanders and training in anti-submarine warfare for surface vessels.
They will be focusing on the Submarine Commander course, an elite and highly demanding training program for future submarine commanders.
HMS Somerset is one of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates and is known for her speed, adaptability and versatility.
The ship has been deployed 12 times on operations since she was commissioned, and one notable success was seizing UK-bound cocaine with a potential street value of more than £500m – which was then the biggest-ever single haul of illegal drugs in the UK.
Last year, HMS Somerset played a significant role in the exercise by conducting anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations in the challenging environments of Norway's fjords.
The ship was tasked with protecting an allied task group, which included vessels such as HMS Albion, RFA Mounts Bay, HNLMS Rotterdam, and HNLMS Karel Doorman, from potential submarine threats during amphibious landings.
This deployment not only tested HMS Somerset's ASW capabilities but also demonstrated the Royal Navy's commitment to collaborative defence efforts in the Arctic region.
Meanwhile, personnel from multiple areas of the British Forces are conducting exercises in Norway.
Nearly 2,000 UK Commando Force personnel are gearing up for Ex Joint Viking in March, the largest military exercise in Norway this year.
Commando Helicopter Force is also deploying to Bardufoss Air Base as part of Operation Clockwork, its yearly top-up of operating in the deep freeze.
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