Royal Navy vessels and helicopters join allies in Norway for Exercise Tamber Shield

Exercise Tamber Shield 24 has brought Royal Navy helicopters and patrol vessels to the coast of Norway to test their joint preparedness alongside their international allies.

Personnel from 815 Naval Air Squadron plus the Archer-class patrol vessels HMS Exploit, Blazer, Biter and Trumpeter joined their colleagues in the Norwegian armed forces to practise their joint security drills and test their emergency preparedness.

The UK-led exercise, which began on 17 April and runs until 3 May along the Norwegian coast, involves nine other nations from Nato and the JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force), and will ensure the collective military force can respond quickly to any ongoing crises.

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The Royal Navy will play a key role in the exercise by working closely with their counterparts from around the world and developing operational skills and knowledge.

Norway is sending the frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen as well as the corvettes KNM Glimt and KNM Storm to the exercise.

Tamber Shield is one of several UK-led exercises taking place through the second quarter of 2024.

"Co-training between sea and air units is part of maintaining preparedness along the Norwegian coast," said Norwegian Commodore Trond Gimmingsrud.

"The fact that we train together with the British means that the time we spend acting is smaller, and we can thus deliver faster where it is needed when needed.

"In addition, we use the exercises to develop tactics and our ability to cooperate."