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ARK ROYAL RETURNS FROM MISSION IN THE MED

Royal Navy News

Release Date: 11/07/2002

Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal returns from a major series of successful exercises in the Mediterranean on Friday. The destroyer HMS Edinburgh will follow closely behind, back from anti-terrorism duties in the region.

Ark Royal left Portsmouth on September 2 to spearhead an international task group in Argonaut 02 - a UK-led package of ground-breaking exercises involving nine nations.

The NATO exercises Destined Glory 02 and Abelia were the main focus of Argonaut and provided the first opportunity for nations involved in the European Amphibious Initiative - Britain, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands - to develop combined operating procedures.

Destined Glory, held off the coats of Italy and Greece, and Abelia, staged off the French coast, trained a joint-capable force in the full range of operational tasks, with the UK/Netherlands Amphibious Group at its core.

Argonaut marked the first operational deployment for Ark Royal's squadron of new anti-submarine helicopters and it was also the operational debut for the upgraded Sea King early warning aircraft.

Captain Alan Massey, the ship's Commanding Officer, said the deployment was a success. "It clearly demonstrated Britain's ability to deploy, operate and sustain a maritime task group. It also showed the UK's continuing commitment to the security and stability of the Mediterranean."

Ark Royal will now undergo a maintenance period in Portsmouth before sailing for the Far East early next year.

Edinburgh also sailed from Portsmouth on September 2, deploying to the Med as the UK's contribution to NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (SNFM). She took an active role in the war against terrorism, conducting surveillance operations, and took part in Destined Glory.

Her Commanding Officer, Commander Guy Robinson, said: "The ship has made an important contribution to the war against terrorism through surveillance operations in the eastern Mediterranean. Our integration into the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean has been particularly smooth and we have enjoyed the opportunity to operate closely with our NATO allies."