HMS Middleton

Ships from Greece, Turkey, Germany, Spain and Italy transited from the Mediterranean through to the Arabian Gulf to exercise with naval assets from the UK, US and France, 20 – 24 March. 

HMS Pembroke and HMS Middleton are permanently based in Bahrain and the opportunity to work with other Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) was too good an opportunity to miss. Of course where Middleton and Pembroke go, RFA Lyme Bay also follows. Acting as a giant support ship, she is able to keep the MCMVs at sea indefinitely. For Lyme Bay it was a chance to practice her refuelling and resupply skills on a much larger scale and with more ships than she is normally used to. 

Capt Georgios Pelekanakis, the Commander of NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 said,

“This was an intense but absolutely positive multi-national experience. Exercising with ships and crews with a long experience in working in these waters made this extremely useful.

"We also made a good show of ourselves and demonstrated that we are indeed able to operate at strategic distance." 

Lt Cdr Richard Bird, Commanding Officer of HMS Middleton said,

“We welcomed the opportunity to join this NATO exercise. It was a great opportunity to practice mine clearance with a number of different MCMVs from different countries."

"Being based in Bahrain we were able to demonstrate the skills we have learnt operating in the warm waters of the region.”

Exercise Inas Bahr is aimed at promoting practical military cooperation with Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) countries while fostering close links with regional navies and other maritime organisations. It represents an excellent opportunity for military co-operation and understanding. 

The Royal Navy keeps four minehunters permanently based in Bahrain to provide maritime security in the Gulf. Pembroke and Middleton will spend up to three years in the Gulf, with temperatures frequently nudging over 50 degrees, fulfilling a demanding schedule of training, exercises and visits.