NOW this is a sight to warm the cockles of British hearts in a cold, dark winter.
Dark being particularly pertinent here, for it was in the fading light of a late January afternoon that HMS Bulwark put to sea for the first time in nearly a year.
The assault ship has undergone an eight-month overhaul in the hands of Babcock in Devonport.
In those eight months, some £32m has been spent revamping the ship’s machinery spaces, magazines, her high voltage propulsion system, advanced communication sensors, computer and IT network, and upgrades to her defensive weapons systems.
Another significant improvement has been Bulwark’s conversion to full tactical night vision for her landing craft and helicopters; the overhaul means that she will now be able to operate two Chinooks simultaneously from her flight deck.
