HMS Ledbury has spent the last week on exercise in Italian waters off La Spezia, working closely with her NATO counterparts, now bolstered with the arrival of the Italian Navy minehunter ‘Numana’.
Ledbury’s Ship’s Company fell into Defence Watches – six hours on, six hours off – to practise minewarfare: the Ship’s raison d’etre.
Ledbury’s mini-submersible vehicles were launched to look for practise mines laid on the seabed, and Ledbury’s Mine Clearance Dive team were deployed to search and destroy mine contacts.
There was further chance to exercise the Ship’s Bridge team, with navigation exercises close in along the rocky Italian coastline, and further OOW Manoeuvres with the other NATO units. These culminated in an Arrow Formation – where ships take station just 30m apart – to be photographed by an Italian Navy helicopter.
All in a day’s work for Ledbury – she remains at sea waiting for more drills and exercises.
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