HMS Iron Duke joins Nato group in Baltic after Latvian independence day celebrations

HMS Iron Duke, fresh from tracking two Russian naval groups near the British Isles, has joined Nato's primary Atlantic task force.

The Portsmouth-based ship joins four frigates drawn from the Portuguese, Belgian, Dutch and French navies, plus flagship, Norwegian tanker/support ship HNoMS Maud.

Together they make up the Danish-led Standing Maritime Group 1.

• Typhoons scrambled over Russian Bear days after Navy shadowed 'carrier-killer' frigate
• Hypersonic tech capabilities of the future accelerated under new Aukus arrangement
• HMS Albion and Bulwark to be axed as part of Healey's cost-cutting drive

Nato has two Standing Maritime Groups. Group 1 is focused on securing the waters of the North, Norwegian and Baltic Seas. Group 2 concentrates on the Mediterranean.

HMS Iron Duke is among 30 ships participating in Freezing Winds 24, an 11-day exercise hosted by the Finnish Navy in the Gulf of Finland and northern Baltic.

The operation includes a range of vessels, from large warships like Iron Duke to coastal craft and Nato's Mine Countermeasures Group 1, which focuses on mine warfare.

Before the exercise, HMS Iron Duke spent time integrating with the Nato task group, including a visit to Riga which coincided with Latvia's independence celebrations.