Royal Navy landing platform dock HMS Albion is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on April 22, for the ship’s first port call in Southeast Asia as part of her Asia Pacific tasking.
Albion will arrive in Jakarta on April 22 for a three day visit during which the ship’s crew will conduct bilateral talks with the Indonesian Navy, UK defense industry and visit a local orphanage in Jakarta.
HMS Albion will be visiting Indonesia at the same time as the French Navy’s landing helicopter dock BPC Dixmude and frigate FS Surcouf which are currently undertaking the French annual Jeanne D’Arc deployment.
During her time in Asia Pacific, HMS Albion will be contributing to international efforts to monitor prohibited trading at sea by the North Korean regime, which provides a major source of funding for its illegal nuclear program.
While in the region HMS Albion will visit several ports and take part in joint training with allies and partners, including the US, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
“HMS Albion is a very capable warship, manned by a crew of highly trained and hugely professional sailors and Royal Marines and we are greatly looking forward to visiting Jakarta to help strengthen the bonds between the UK and Indonesia,” Captain Tim Neild, HMS Albion’s commanding officer, said. “The presence of the Royal Navy’s flagship in Asia-Pacific demonstrates that the UK is ready to work with our friends and allies to promote peace, security and prosperity throughout this vital region.”
In addition to HMS Albion, the Royal Navy will have two Type 23 frigates, HMS Sutherland and HMS Argyll, operating in the region this year. The deployment of these three ships will mean that the Royal Navy will have a vessel in the strategically critical Asia-Pacific region for the first time since 2013 and will have an almost unbroken presence there this year.