🌎 Global Sitrep: Around the world in 15 deployments
As 2020 begins, the UK’s soldiers, sailors and airmen are deployed on operations and exercises all over the world, working 24/7 to protect the peace, prevent conflict and, ultimately, keep Britain safe
🇵🇱 🇪🇪 🇮🇶 🇲🇾 🇦🇫 🇧🇠🇺🇸 🇨🇾 🇺🇦 🇸🇾 🇧🇸 🇲🇱 🇸🇸 🇸🇴 🇱🇹 🇮🇸
From Afghanistan to Estonia, over 11,000 personnel are currently deployed overseas protecting our nation’s interests.
Take a trip around the globe and visit them here: 👇
Op CABRIT
Estonia & Poland 🇪🇪 🇵🇱
Operation CABRIT is the codename of the deployment to Estonia where British troops are leading a multinational battlegroup as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence.
About 900 British personnel rotate on a routine basis alongside Danish, French, and host nation Estonian forces.
British troops are also contributing to a NATO battlegroup in Poland.
NATO Air Policing
Europe-wide
NATO’s Air Policing Mission is a peacetime defence mission, protecting our allies by policing their skies.
Four RAF Typhoon fighter jets recently took part in their first deployment to Iceland as part of their ongoing NATO Air Policing commitment.
The RAF deployment formed part of the ongoing Air Policing mission that NATO conducts at the request of Iceland, a country five times the size of Wales but with a population of just 360,000 and no military force.
Previously the Royal Air Force has deployed to Estonia and Lithuania as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission.
Op ORBITAL
Ukraine 🇺🇦
The British Army is deployed to Ukraine where they are providing training to Ukrainian Armed Forces, following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
In harsh, austere, wintery conditions they are working alongside allies to provide training on a variety of skills, from basic infantry and medical skills to courses that counter-attacks from snipers, armoured vehicles and mortars.
Exercise Tractable
Europe-wide 🇩🇪🇵🇱🇱🇹🇱🇻
In October 2019, soldiers from the Queen’s Royal Hussars battlegroup began a journey across rail, road and sea, transporting vehicles and equipment. Crossing through Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, they arrived in Estonia, where British troops are currently leading a NATO battlegroup.
Over 800 personnel and 200 pieces of equipment were involved in the move which saw the regiment take over from the King’s Royal Hussar's battlegroup.
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group 1
Baltic Sea 🌊
As part of SNMCMG1, specialist vessels conduct mine clearance exercises, maritime security patrols and regional engagements.
On a short NATO assignment around the ports and inlets of the eastern Baltic for seven weeks, HMS Cattistock helped keep the waters of northern Europe free of mines and historic ordnance.
Departing from Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde after completing a demanding month of pre-deployment training, the minehunter ship sailed to Copenhagen to join the ranks of NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1.
Read the full story here 👇
Op TRENTON
South Sudan 🇸🇸
In 2016, British Soldiers deployed to South Sudan to provide vital infrastructure support to the UN Peacekeeping effort. Dubbed the UK Engineer Task Force, British troops are split between the ‘Protection of Civilians’ sites at Bentiu and Malakal.
Most recently the Task Force has turned their attention to the construction of a second Role Two Hospital — which will enable UN Peacekeepers to better support local communities.
Op TANGHAM
Somalia 🇸🇴
Operation TANGHAM is the codename given to the UK Armed Forces’ efforts to tackle terrorism in Somalia by helping to restore security and stability in the region.
The British Army’s main aim of the deployment is to train, mentor and develop the Somali National Army.
Read the full story here 👇
Op NEWCOMBE
Mali 🇲🇱
Op NEWCOMBE is the codename given to the deployment of RAF Chinook helicopters to support the French operation in Mali with logistics capabilities.
The UK has been a long-standing supporter of UN and EU military operations in Mali and has worked with international partners to prevent extremists from using the ungoverned space in the Sahel region to plan and launch attacks on Europe, as well as counter the illegal trade in people, drugs, weapons and wildlife.
WESTLANT 19
USA 🇺🇸
WESTLANT is an annual exercise that began in 2018, designed to test HMS Queen Elizabeth and her F-35 capability by putting them through their paces.
Recently returned from WESTLANT 19 deployment, the nation's flagship and her F-35 fighter were rigorously tested on the USA’s Eastern Seaboard.
Along with HMS Dragon and HMS Northumberland, these ships form the Carrier Strike Group. Supported by RFA Tideforce they were also joined by units from the United States Navy, US Air Force and US Marine Corps.
Get the full story here 👇
Disaster Relief
Bahamas 🇧🇸
The Royal Navy has a continuous presence in the Caribbean region, they are on standby to provide humanitarian and disaster relief to those affected by hurricanes.
The Caribbean hurricane season traditionally runs from the beginning of June until the end of November, although the worst of the storms typically strike around September-time.
Last year (2019), RFA Mounts Bay was among the first vessels on the scene when Hurricane Dorian smashed its way through the Bahamas, focusing aid efforts in the badly-hit Abaca Islands.
Over the ten days, she was helping locals on Operation BARYTONE, Mounts Bay delivered over 200 tonnes of aid including water, food, diesel fuel for generators, sanitary kits, shelter kits and basic medical supplies, distributed around nine communities on seven islands.
Read one Navy officer’s account of reacting to disaster relief here: 👇
Op SHADER
Iraq & Syria 🇮🇶 🇸🇾
The Royal Air Force began the first airstrikes against Daesh in 2014. Between then and 2017, RAF Typhoon, Tornado and Reaper aircraft struck Daesh more than 1,300 times in Iraq and over 260 times in Syria.
In that time the terror group has lost territory, finances, leaders and fighters as the 71 member coalition has liberated cities and regions in both countries. As the second-largest contributor to the Global Coalition’s military campaign, the UK has flown more than 8,000 sorties providing strikes, surveillance and reconnaissance, air-to-air refuelling and transport.
Op TOSCA
Cyprus 🇨🇾
Since 1974, the British Army has been deployed to Cyprus, the UK’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. As one of the longest-running continuous operations, the British Army forms the largest contingent of the multinational force.
In an area of continued tension, they patrol 24/7 along a buffer zone that separates the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, keeping the peace and maintaining stability in the country.
Op KIPION
Gulf & Indian Ocean
The UK has a long-standing maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Operation Kipion is our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region, as well as ensuring the safe flow of oil and trade.
Right now Royal Navy ships patrol the region ensuring the safe passage of British-marked vessels and protecting UK interests.
Op TORAL
Afghanistan 🇦🇫
Operation TORAL is the codename given to the British element of NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.
Since combat operations ended in 2014, British forces and NATO allies have maintained significant resources to Afghanistan with the aim of helping to rebuild and provide ongoing security in the region. — This, in turn, will ensure the country never again becomes a safe haven for terrorism to be harboured.
British forces from all three services are now stationed in Kabul where they take a leading role in operations and keeping Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorism. In turn, keeping the streets of Kabul safe keeps terrorists off the streets of the UK.
Get the full story: 👇
Exercise Bersama Lima
Malaysia 🇲🇾
In late 2019, the RAF deployed six Typhoons to the Royal Malaysian Air Force Butterworth Airbase and one Voyager to the Republic of Singapore Air Force Paya Lebar Air Base.
Ex Bersama Lima is an important contribution that the UK makes as a member of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA) to the security of Singapore and Malaysia.
The exercise tests and demonstrates the RAF’s ability to react quickly and promptly to regional security threats.
