HMS Bulwark Returns Home to Plymouth

The Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy, HMS Bulwark, returned to her base port of Plymouth on 15 December from its amphibious and diplomacy deployment.

After four months deployed to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf on the amphibious exercise Cougar 14, the vessel docked in Devonport Naval Base.

HMS Bulwark deployed in August as the Flagship of the Response Force Task Group the nation’s high readiness contingent maritime force. Over the last 16 weeks, she has travelled nearly 17,000 nautical miles and has conducted eight large exercises with 15 Gulf Cooperation Council and NATO countries.

The Cougar 14 task group has attracted: five royals, one president, one prime minister, eight foreign ambassadors, 9 Service Chiefs and 44 very senior military officers; hosted over nearly 900 invited guests and delivered 19 VIP events.

During 2014, for the third year in a row, the Royal Navy’s Flagship has remained at 5 days’ notice for operations, maintained her operational capabilities as an Amphibious Assault Ship and a Command and Control Platform, delivered reassurance through Maritime Security and Defence Engagement both in the UK and abroad. She has spent 238 days away from her base port, 148 of them being at sea.

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Press release, Image: UK Navy