Sarah Gillett CMG CVO, the British Ambassador to Norway, visited HMS Iron Duke whilst the Ship was alongside in Oslo, using the opportunity to host a VIP luncheon onboard.
HMS Iron Duke sailed into Oslo on 11 March as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG1).
The Task Group, under the Command of Rear Admiral José Enrique Delgado of the Spanish Navy, includes the Spanish ships ESPS Alvaro De Bazan and ESPS Cantabria.
The attendance by the British Ambassador was seen as a key component of Iron Duke’s visit to the Capital, providing the opportunity for her to host a luncheon on-board.
For the luncheon she was joined by the Deputy State Secretary for Defence, the Deputy Secretary General of Foreign Affairs, Deputy National Armaments Director and Chair of the Norwegian Defence Industries Organisation, along with Iron Duke’s Commanding Officer, Commander Ben Aldous.
Cdr Aldous said, “The lunch was an excellent opportunity to meet with key members of the Norwegian government and Industry, and talk about the UK’s commitment to NATO and the close links between our two countries.”
He added, “We have been working with units from the Norwegian navy for the past month during several exercises, the ability for us to work so closely with our NATO allies offers real potential and a massive boost in the capability that a combined force can offer, especially when operating in areas such as the North Sea and Baltic.”
The Ambassador is quite familiar with RN Warships having been on-board HMS Diamond, a Type 45 Destroyer, during the Ship’s recent visit to Stavvangar just 3 weeks ago.
In addition to the Ambassador’s visit the Ship also opened up the gangway to members of the public so they could get a close walk look at the ship, see what she is capable of and talk to many of the Ship’s crew.
