RFA Lyme Bay arrives in Gibraltar after more than a year away on mammoth deployment

RFA Lyme Bay has been away from the UK for more than a year as part of the Littoral Response Group but has now arrived in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship has been on a 'mammoth' 14-month deployment to the Mediterranean, Indo-Pacific-Australia and more.

Recently, the Bay Class landing ship – capable of delivering a significant fighting force anywhere in the world – has been on a string of visits to South and West Africa.

• RFA Lyme Bay plays the bad guy in one of West Africa's biggest naval exercises
• RFA Lyme Bay undergoes maintenance while her crew takes on Indian Navy at cricket
• King Neptune grants RFA Lyme Bay permission to enter the southern hemisphere

During their recent transit north along the west coast of Africa the crew enjoyed the wonders of wildlife.

From dolphins to whales and even a sunfish, RFA Lyme Bay's crew witnessed sea life in its natural element.

Earlier this month, the 16,000-tonne support vessel took part in one of West Africa's biggest naval exercises, Grand African Nemo.

The training was designed to combat criminal activity in the Gulf of Guinea and enhance security in maritime areas suffering from piracy and other criminal activities.

Partners and allies of African navies provided support by participating in simulated scenarios to practise and prepare for the real thing, with one of RFA Lyme Bay's roles on the exercise as a smuggler ship.