HMS Montrose has taken part in a vital Royal Navy training exercise.
The Angus-affiliated 4,800 ton frigate joined forces with Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Diligence for the finale of a large scale exercise in which HMS Montrose assumed the role of a ship that had suffered major damage in a collision with a merchant vessel.
The Gulf exercise OMAR 13 (Operational Maintenance and Repair) helped to show that heavy duty engineering work can be done at sea, anywhere in the world.
HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, started to limp along as part of the exercise, having carried out damage control procedures, but what she really needed was external assistance to get her machinery and weapon systems working again.
To her rescue came RFA Diligence one of the best equipped support ships available to the Royal Navy.
A team of experts from the MoD’s Salvage and Maritime Operations Team transferred from Diligence and swiftly advised the work needed to repair the stricken ship.
It was decided Montrose should be moved to more sheltered waters and what followed next was a rare and strange sight at sea a Royal Navy warship being taken under tow.
The frigate then rafted up alongside the 12,500 ton RFA.
Once alongside, Diligence provided Montrose with electrical power, fuel, pressurised air needed for operating onboard machinery, high pressure salt water for the fire mains and vital in the Gulf chilled air for keeping electronic equipment cool.