Two hundred and twenty-two days after deploying, Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond has returned to Devonport following the completion of Carrier Strike Group’s prestigious 2021 deployment.
The only Plymouth warship on the CSG 21 deployment, HMS Richmond initially departed her home base-port to conduct Exercise Strike Warrior in early May. She then went on to join the UK Carrier Strike Group and HMS Queen Elizabeth on a journey that would take her to the Indo-Pacific, demonstrating the Global Britain vision of the UK Government.
With a distance underway of just under 50,000 nautical miles, HMS Richmond has travelled from the North Atlantic to the Western Pacific, covering a total distance over twice the circumference of earth.
Although primarily specialising in anti-submarine warfare, the ship conducted a wide variety of warfare duties during the deployment. In the Eastern Mediterranean, as F35-B jets conducted strike missions against ISIS, Richmond provided air defence stationed ‘up-threat’.
In the East China Sea, she tracked and reported on vessels breaching United Nation’s sanctions against North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile projects, as well as protecting the nation’s flagship, providing anti-submarine cover through some of the most contested waters on the planet.
Demonstrating the UK’s commitment to freedom of navigation, the ship also conducted a routine transit of the Taiwan Strait, the only CSG21 ship to do so.
Whilst deployed they also conducted a series of Defence Engagements, focused on port visits to Montenegro, Israel, Guam, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Crete, Malta and Gibraltar.
The ship’s company conducted a wide range of activities including capability demonstrations, receptions, tours, roundtables, industry days and much more. These events were attended by in-country and Foreign Office dignitaries up to Prime Ministerial level and were followed by further engagement by the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
With innovative audio visual and IT solutions working around COVID-19 restrictions, Richmond pioneered “Virtual Defence Engagement”, setting an example for how to conduct remote engagement in the era of social distancing.
At sea, the ship exercised and contributed to war gaming with a range of partner nations and in some cases, such as Vietnam, the first for bilateral relations.
Finding a second home at US Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan, HMS Richmond conducted a mid-deployment support period, attended by UK contractors, and led by the Babcock T23 Team who forward-based from Devonport to support the ship.
“As part of our agile and tailored global support offering, we are able to provide our services whenever and wherever our customers need it,” said Gary Simpson, managing director of Babcock’s Marine Support business,.
“We’re proud to have enabled HMS Richmond to sustain extremely high levels of availability throughout her operations and play our part in supporting the success of CSG21.”
The ship’s company were also subject to normal in-country COVID restrictions at each port visit, which required patience, resilience, and imagination. Managing to see some interesting parts of the world, including a short break in Guam. This extremely challenging deployment was well supported by external agencies, including generous donations from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
“HMS Richmond returns home having delivered on CSG21 operations right across the globe,” said Commanding Officer, Commander Hugh Botterill.
“We’ve fulfilled our role protecting HMS Queen Elizabeth in all warfare domains but also operated alone, such as our UN sanctions enforcement in the East China Sea, and our solo transit of the Taiwan Strait.
“All this has been achieved against the backdrop of an ongoing pandemic; my crew have had very little time away from the ship and have often been confined onboard due to in-country restrictions. In typical style, they have faced this with resilience and good humour. They have been nothing short of exceptional and have delivered time and time again.
“I’m so proud to lead this ship back into Devonport, and I know our family and friends awaiting us on the dockside will be rightly proud of what their loved ones have achieved.”
After their epic seven and half month journey, halfway around the world and back again, HMS Richmond arrived in Devonport on the morning of December 9, with around 800 family and friends there for an emotional homecoming ceremony.
