Royal and Norwegian navies hit the fjords to warm up for joint global mission

They will train with the frigate HNoMS Otto Sverdrup and the tanker HNoMS Maud to help both navies integrate before they work together side-by-side during the maiden deployment of Britain’s flagship HMS Prince of Wales.

The carrier sails in the spring on an eight-month mission to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Pacific Rim – supported by British and NATO warships, including Norwegian, as part of a potent strike group demonstrating the resolve of the UK and her allies to maintain regional and global security.

Over the course of Exercise Tamber Shield 25, participants will face mock torpedo and missile attacks – including torpedo drops – with British and Norwegian fast boats charging around the fjords trying to damage and/or protect the frigate and tanker, aided or thwarted by the Wildcats.

Tamber Shield has been run twice before, with the emphasis on training helicopter crews in the art of fending off small, fast, highly-manoeuvrable British and Norwegian boats in the fjords, inlets and confined waters around Bergen.

It has helped helicopter crews develop tactics for using the Fleet Air Arm’s new anti-ship missile Martlet against small, fast-moving craft such as speedboats and jet skis.

That remains a key element of this year’s exercise – but with the added frisson of torpedo attacks and above all, closer integration between the two navies.

As well as Norwegian ships taking their place in the carrier deployment line-up, a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset will be operating from the flight deck of the frigate Roald Amundsen – sister ship of the Sverdrup – throughout.