The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond headed out from Portsmouth on January 29th for a six-and-a-half month deployment to the Middle East. The warship will be tasked with maritime security operations in the Gulf, where she will team up with the UK allies and their fleets in making sure the region is free from piracy. The destroyer will also be standing by for potential disaster relief and evacuation missions.
Prior to casting off to the open seas the crew made sure all onboard system and weapons are up and running for the journey. Since January 6th, the 236 crew pushed the HMS Diamond to the limits off Plymouth.
Before reaching the Gulf, HMS Diamond will stop in Gibraltar for a week-long visit, where she is scheduled to conduct various exercises.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, January 31, 2014; Image: UK Navy