HMS Defender Hosts Qatari Armed Forces

The Type 45 Destroyer, one of the most advanced warships ever built for the Royal UK Navy, welcomed officers from the Navy, Army and Air Force.

Senior representatives from the Gulf nation’s Armed Forces took the opportunity to join Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Qatar, Nicholas Hopton, on a visit to the ship as part of the Qatari Staff College Sea Days.

Qatari Staff College students spend a year studying the academic side of defence and strategic security, developing an understanding and knowledge of single-service and partnership operations.

One of the key elements of the course is to provide the students with an appreciation of the benefits of ‘sea power’ and the visit to Defender provided a practical demonstration of this – especially as her current role focuses on contributing to security in the Middle East.

HMS Defender is deployed on operations in the Middle East until the end of the year and will return to her base port in Portsmouth in time for Christmas.

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Press Release, October 03, 2014; Image: UK Navy