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Big mission for small ships as Navy’s patrol boats head to Arctic
27 January 2025
Some of the smallest warships in the UK’s inventory head to Norway next month to support NATO
The fast patrol craft will spend a couple of months venturing into the Arctic Circle, supporting NATO forces – including Royal Marines of the UK Commando Force – on Exercise Joint Viking, the annual winter workout aimed at bolstering the defence of Europe’s northern flank.
All will face sub-zero temperatures – the average by day is about -6 Celsius, but even in March in the Arctic it can be as cold as -30 – but the squadron now has several years’ experience operating in such a harsh environment.
“The Coastal Forces Squadron deploying to Norway has become an annual event and offers an opportunity for our small engineering teams to operate in harsh environments, often isolated from the safety of the support networks back in the UK,” said CPO Nicholas Brooks, Marine Engineer Officer of HMS Puncher and a veteran of operating the fast patrol craft in Norway.
“This unforgiving environment provides a unique opportunity for the team and whole crew to push ourselves, our kit and develop the way we operate. Operating in the High North always brings unique engineering challenges and we’re excited to see what this year brings.”
As a task force, we will develop our ability to work with NATO units. As the Royal Navy, individually we’ll be navigating in constricted waters which will require precise navigational planning and ship handling and collectively build on the ability to P2000s to embark deployable teams and assets
In recent years, the Coastal Forces Squadron has evolved from a unit which spent most of its time giving university students a sample of life in the Royal Navy to a force returning to its WW1/WW2 roots, specialising in small, fast boat operations, supporting front-line RN and NATO training and missions around the UK and northwest Europe.
“Exercise Joint Viking 2025 is another fantastic opportunity for Coastal Forces Squadron to demonstrate their increasing capability across a range of roles and environments,” said its Commanding Officer Commander Carla Higgins.
“It also highlights our ability to work seamlessly side-by-side with UK and NATO forces as we continue to expand our dynamic and evolving nature of operations and tactics utilising the blend of both crewed and autonomous equipment.
“Coastal Forces remain a relevant and credible contribution to maritime security in the UK homeland and overseas.”
Designed to operate relatively close to shore, with a limited range and basic living quarters on board, the four vessels – HMS Blazer, Charger, Puncher and Trumpeter, each crewed by five sailors apiece – depart Portsmouth in early February.
They will make 13 stops in ports in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway before reaching the northern port of Harstad which will act as the hub for their participation in the NATO training.
Once there, the craft will be used by Royal Navy dive teams and mine warfare experts to conduct covert surveys of the fjords, insert raiding parties, gather intelligence around Norway’s Troms county and ‘threaten’ other NATO warships by playing ‘enemy’ forces.
“The fjords of Norway are a harsh yet stunning environment – in the sub-zero climate units will be challenged mentally and physically to maintain capability and provide operationally-effective training to NATO,” said Lieutenant Lara Martin, in command of HMS Charger.
“As far as the Commanding Officers of HMS Puncher, Blazer, Trumpeter and myself in Charger are concerned, bring on the challenge!”