Crowds of family and friends gathered along the shoreline in Old Portsmouth to wave farewell to the 190 crew, as they left their home port, to take over from sister ship HMS Duncan and spend nine months working with allies in the Middle East and Gulf.
The ship’s role will be to safeguard the seas and promote UK interests in the region by acting as a deterrent to illegal activities, protecting allied and merchant shipping and helping ensure that global trade can proceed without a hitch.
HMS Defender’s Commanding Officer, Commander Stephen Higham, said: “Defender’s hard work and commitment over the past six months has enabled the ship to be in a position to deploy again less than a year after returning home from her maiden deployment.
He continued, “We are ready to undertake missions across the military spectrum ranging from counter piracy and disaster relief to defence engagement and high-intensity war fighting.
“We will be working closely with our coalition partners and allies and playing a key role in promoting Britain’s interests overseas and keeping our country safe.”
Leading Hand Timothy Scrivener, HMS Defender’s Physical Training Instructor, said: “I am looking forward to the deployment.
“Although nine months is a long time to be away we know that the work the ship is doing is important and helps keep the country and our families at home safe.
“I’m excited about my role on-board, which is helping to keep the ship’s company fit and healthy throughout the deployment.”
HMS Defender is primarily designed to work as part of a carrier task group using her highly sophisticated radars and Sea Viper missile system to protect the carrier from attack by tracking and engaging several aircraft and missile targets at very high speed.
In addition Defender acts as a floating base for a Royal Navy Lynx Mark 8 maritime attack helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Somerset.
The Lynx can hunt submarines and surface ships, act in a search and rescue role and offers force protection to the ship.
HMS Defender will also carry both Royal Navy and Royal Marine boarding parties which can help to counter the threat from pirates, terrorists and smugglers.
Image Sourced: Royal Navy