'Future growth' for tiny Royal Navy ships as P2000s to 'join battle' in 'high-octane test' for helicopters
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The Archer-class ships are continually being used in a more forward deployed manner
Tiny Royal Navy ships are set to be thrown into an intense series of exercises alongside larger vessels and helicopters.
P2000 Archer-class vessels will be deployed to the fjords of Norway for the fourth iteration of Exercise Tamber Shield. The Royal Navy said missile-armed helicopters, drones, and fast boats, will all “join battle in the fjords for a high-octane test of the British and Norwegian Navies”.
“Exercise Tamber Shield will push the boundaries of co-operation between military helicopters and pilotless aircraft, test the ability of navy pilots to evade missiles, as well as hone existing tactics for taking out small, fast, highly-manoeuvrable threats on the water,” the force added.
Due to take place in the inlets and narrow waters around Bergen in western Norway, Wildcat helicopters and P2000 fast patrol craft will join the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Skjold-class missile boats for the drills. The exercise, established in 2023, allows aviators to develop tactics for their new Marlet missiles against small, fast-moving targets. Personnel are given chance to develop the tactics to evade them and strike at targets moving through narrow waters.
HMS Archer, Explorer, Exploit, and Biter - the latter pair based in Portsmouth - are tasked with posing a challenge for the Wildcat helicopters. They will be used in defensive and offensive manoeuvres against the Norwegians. Lieutenant George Asquith, HMS Exploit’s Commanding Officer, said: “Tamber Shield is focused on sharpening our collective warfighting skills.
“With Wildcat helicopters, un-crewed aerial systems from 700X NAS and our Coastal Forces Squadron patrol vessels working side-by-side with Norwegian naval units, delivering dynamic and realistic serials, the exercise also lays the groundwork for future growth, with the ability to welcome additional NATO allies and partner nations.”
A change in this year’s Exercise Tamber Shield is the use of Puma surveillance drones. The autonomous systems will be used to scout ahead of the helicopters and report on the movement of ships before attacks. There will also be a British air defence troop on the ground using a surface-to-air missile simulator to practise trying to down the helicopters.
“Tamber Shield is one of the key highlights in the warfighting training calendar for our squadron, affording us the opportunity to sharpen our skills in a particularly challenging environment,” Wildcat detachment commander Lieutenant Commander Ross Gallagher said.
“Of significant benefit is the opportunity to train alongside our NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force partners, building the vital integration and trust we need to operate effectively together. We are particularly excited to integrate un-crewed aviation this year, driving forward crewed and un-crewed teaming as we work towards a truly Hybrid Navy.”
Tamber Shield takes place under the banner of both NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, the UK-led partnership of northern European nations committed to working together on operations as varied as warfighting through to humanitarian assistance and defence engagement.