Royal Navy Forecasters Graduate From HMS Drake

A new team of Royal Navy forecasters has graduated from HMS Drake in Plymouth.

The graduates are now preparing to be deployed to Royal Navy air stations before being sent on a vessel.

Lieutenant Matt Waring, who completed the course, said: "I've really always been interested in the effects the weather can have on military operations.

"So to be able to put that into practice has been a real highlight." 

The Navy is the only branch of the UK Armed Forces that has regular personnel who work as meteorologists.

Those who specialise in hydrography and meteorology spend roughly six months studying before they can achieve a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate diploma from the University of Plymouth.

Lieutenant Commander Gordon Jones, Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Training Unit, told Forces News the weather “has an impact” on all forms of military operations.

"Whether it be simply trying to drive from A to B, whether that be in a ship or in a Land Rover, to being able to operate high-level weapons systems - everything is affected by the weather," he told Forces News.

"The Navy specifically is the only service in the UK MOD (Ministry of Defence) which has our own regular personnel who serve as meteorologists because we need to be able to do that whilst afloat and you need an on-site forecaster to be able to support the command decision.

“Because things change so rapidly when you are trying to be able to determine whether you launch a jet now or in two minutes' time, you need someone onsite to be able to give you that advice immediately."

One example of how forecasters are used in the Navy is during Operation Ruman - the Navy's response to Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The experts played a key role in getting HMS Ocean quickly and safely from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to provide disaster relief.