Turbulent times in the Middle East

WELL protected from the scorching Indian Ocean sun one of HMS Turbulent’s officers of the watch keeps a lookout on the fin as the Devonport-based boat knuckles down to the crux of a ten-month deployment.

Yes, you read that correctly. Ten months. Like her recently-returned sister Tireless, Turbs is on an extended tour of duty east of Suez.

The Trafalgar-class boat is Britain’s ‘duty TLAM shooter’ (the official classification is SSN(T)) in the region – providing the round-the-clock ability to Allied forces in the region to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles, if needed, on instructions from headquarters back in Northwood.

That’s not the first involvement with the land-attack missiles on this deployment; upon leaving Devonport, Turbs made best speed for the Gulf of Sirte and the mission off Libya.

Unlike HMS Triumph whom she replaced – and who, in turn, she was subsequently relieved by after a quick turnaround in Devonport – Turbulent wasn’t called upon to launch cruise missiles at government targets in Libya.

And so to Suez, and while some of the crew sweated on the fin and casing providing protection while the boat transited the canal... other crew sweated below on the Row the Suez challenge.

It took the nuclear-powered submarine one minute short of 12 hours to cover the 161 kilometres (100 miles) of the man-made waterway.

And it took a bunch of sweaty, muscly submariners a mere 10h 46m. They also raised more than £3k for Children’s Hospice South West and its £5m appeal to build a respite home for youngsters and their families in St Austell.

It’ll be the year’s end before there’s another chance to compete in the rowing challenge.

In the intervening six months, the boat’s on call to fire her main armament, as well as conduct a myriad of other East of Suez duties – chiefly working with Allied military forces and gathering intelligence.

The first link-up with friendly forces came in the Gulf of Aden when the submarine rendezvoused with RFA Argus and the Merlin helicopters of 820 Naval Air Squadron to give some of the novice airmen some anti-submarine warfare training.

All of which you’ll be able to watch on the telly later this year.

The boat has a documentary team embarked – they’ve been onboard since Turbulent conducted her pre-deployment training back in January.

Submariner: The Series promises ‘never-before-seen footage’ of a British submarine on a covert patrol and is due to air on Channel 5 in the autumn.

So, if you’ve never experienced it for real, you’ll be able to watch a T-boat sailing into its ‘second home’: Fujairah. The emirate has become the principal port of call for British submarines operating in the region.

Armed rigid inflatable boats from the US Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Boat Division (102) escorted Turbulent into Fujairah harbour, where the boat moored alongside RFA Diligence, serving as a depot/support ship.

Turbs is now back at sea (she’s already steamed the equivalent of more than half-way around the globe since leaving home) carrying out more anti-submarine exercises with the US, Royal Australian and Royal Navies.

The boat’s due to return to Devonport in December and will decommission the following month, bringing to an end a career spanning 29 years, during which, says her CO Cdr Ryan Ramsey, “Turbulent has conducted covert operations all over the world and in doing so made a huge contribution to the defence of the United Kingdom.