The crew of the Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Diamond, are heading back to home port after spending a busy two months at sea from the Atlantic to the Baltic.
The destroyer has been activated throughout the traditionally busy summer season, barely stopping to take a breather as she monitored Russian naval activity twice, visited four ports, helped train warfare officers and RAF air crew, hosted two ambassadors, represented the Fleet in front of a million people at Bournemouth Air Festival, joined NATO ships in the Baltic and impressed Poles on a rare visit to their country.
The Portsmouth-based warship’s hectic summer began in Ringaskiddy, near Cork where visitors included the Irish Naval College, Britain’s Ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett and Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney.
Dashing back to the UK to pick up Principal Warfare Officer trainees for a fortnight of non-stop action testing the students’ command of air defence, gunnery, flying, anti-submarine and surface warfare exercises, reaching its climax in the North Sea with RAF Typhoon fighters switching between attacking Diamond or being controlled by her.
Source:royalnavy
