News story

HMS Northumberland in Bahrain

The Royal Naval warship HMS Northumberland is visiting Bahrain halfway through an eight-month deployment in the Middle East.

• From: Ministry of Defence
• Published: 20 February 2013

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Commodore Simon Ancona, United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander, arrives onboard HMS Northumberland in Bahrain

The Plymouth-based frigate made the port visit to the home of the United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Simon Ancona, who came on board to meet the ship’s company. He is also deputy commander of the 27-nation Combined Maritime Forces in the region.

Commodore Ancona said of the visit:

HMS Northumberland has come alongside fresh from providing valuable and direct support to the Combined Maritime Forces. She is operating in a challenging environment and it’s obvious the ship’s company have risen to the challenge.

HMS Northumberland is currently providing direct support to Combined Task Force 152 (CTF 152), 1 of the 3 task forces making up the Combined Maritime Forces organisation. CTF 152 conducts maritime security patrols to help ensure the stability and security of the Gulf waterways.

HMS Northumberland is visited by Brigadier General Ahmed Khalifa Salman Al Kahlifa, Commander Royal Bahrain Naval Force [Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Maxine Davies, Crown copyright]

Commodore Ancona also met with a special guest on board HMS Northumberland - Brigadier General Ahmed Khalifa Salman Al Khalifa, Commander Royal Bahrain Naval Force. The Bahrain Navy is an important regional partner to the Royal Navy and a major supporter of the work undertaken by the international naval forces.

HMS Northumberland and her ship’s company are now back at sea conducting operations after she recently demonstrated her capabilities and systems to regional and global partners at the Naval Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Published 20 February 2013