Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron recently co-ordinated a cross-organisation maritime exercise with the Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Defence Police and His Majesty’s Customs Gibraltar within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. 

A statement from British Forces Gibraltar follows below:

Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron has successfully co-ordinated a cross-organisation  maritime exercise with the Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Defence Police and His Majesty’s Customs Gibraltar within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. 

The exercise began with the GDP hosting a forum in which tactics and techniques in pacing,  riding off and boarding were shared before a final run through of the exercise timetable and  safety points. 

RNGS assigned HMS DAGGER, HMS CUTLASS and one PACIFIC 24 Mk3 RHIB to the  exercise whilst GDP committed one Patrol Boat (VC5) and one RHIB (VC1) and HMCG and  the RGP deploying HMC SEARCHER and BRAVO 3 respectively.  

Blessed by good weather and a calm sea and following plenty of photo opportunities, the  exercise commenced with ‘Pacing Drills’. This sees the lead vessel maintain her course and  speed whilst another vessel matches as closely as possible whilst remaining in close  proximity.  

Looking to maximise the training opportunity, a round-robin of vessel swaps was conducted,  ensuring each organisation could exercise with the others.  

Following successful pacing drills, with all Coxswains demonstrating strong boat handling  skills, the exercise moved onto ‘Riding Off’ training, which is a more aggressive manoeuvre,  used to force another vessel off her course and disrupt unwanted activity.  

This involves pacing with a vessel, before making contact and applying pressure to the  ship’s side, forcing it into a turn.  

Although a commonly practiced move within their own organisations, the training benefit of  being able to practice this manoeuvre with unfamiliar, but friendly, vessels is huge.  

The Commanding Officer of HMS DAGGER, who led the exercise, said: “Adopting a crawl,  walk, run approach, soon enough the vessels and coxswains were literally being pushed to  their limits.”  

On completion of the serials, the units commenced a transit back to His Majesty’s Naval  Base (HMNB), this time with HMCG Vessel SEARCHER leading the formation.”  

Once inside HMNB, the final serial was conducted which saw the GDP demonstrate an  armed boarding exercise on HMS DAGGER, cementing the training that the GDP have been 

doing over the last few weeks and demonstrating their capability to RNGS, RGP and  HMCG.  

The Commanding Officer of HMS DAGGER said: “This inter-op was a fantastic opportunity  for RNGS to build on its existing relationship with RGP, GDP and HMCG.  

“Where we operate within the same waters, carrying out a broad spectrum of roles, it makes  perfect sense to operate together.  

“These exercises also go a long way to improving our operational capability whilst providing  reassurance to Gibraltarians that our presence on the water is significant and government  organisations can co-operate effectively if required.”  

Planning is already underway for the next exercise, which will see the units carry out more  complex serials and look to exploit any opportunities in developing capability.