One of the biggest warships in the Royal Navy will sail into Kota Kinabalu next week as part of the UK’s largest deployment to the region in more than a decade.

Amphibious ship HMS Bulwark is spearheading the ‘TAURUS 09’ deployment which aims to maintain the Royal Navy’s fighting capability as well as develop the UK’s capacity to operate with key partners and allies from NATO countries and other nations, enhancing interoperability and demonstrating the UK’s commitment to the stability and security of the Mediterranean, Middle East and South East Asia.

The 11 ships and one nuclear-powered submarine of the Task Group sailed from the UK base port of Devonport in February and will return to the UK in August

The visit to Kota Kinabalu marks the halfway point of the deployment and will enable the ship’s company and embarked headquarters staff the opportunity to take some well-earned rest and recuperation and discover the delights of this beautiful part of the World.

The Task Group sailed through the Mediterranean, exercising with regional defence forces in amphibious and anti-submarine warfare. It then scaled down to transit the Suez canal before completing a successful exercise with military forces from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

After transiting the pirate infested waterways between Yemen and Somalia, HMS Bulwark sailed for India and Bangladesh where she conducted a major multi-agency amphibious exercise with the Bangladesh Navy, aimed at integrating the two forces in order to share expertise to combat terrorism, enhance UK environmental training and preparedness for natural disasters in the region.

Whilst the remainder of the Task Group operates elsewhere, the flagship HMS Bulwark comes to Kota Kinabalu following a busy visit to Singapore where she joins 18 other warships to play a key role in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX).

The visit to Malaysia marks a poignant time for Task Group Commander, Commodore Peter Hudson CBE ADC, Commander UK Amphibious Task Group who will hand the title over to his successor Cdre Peter Bennett OBE. Cdre Hudson has been promoted to Rear Admiral and will depart in Kota Kinabalu to take up his new role as Commander UK Maritime Forces (COMUKMARFOR).

Speaking as his flagship sailed for Kota Kinabalu, Cdre Hudson said:

"I am very much looking forward to my new role but of course it is tinged with an element of sadness as I leave what has so far been an extremely successful deployment”.

“This deployment has been more than a year in planning so I have lived and breathed it with my staff for that period of time. I am delighted to be handing the reigns over to Cdre Bennett who will take the Task Group through its final stages and eventual return to the UK. I wish him well for what I know will be an exciting and successful final phase”.

While HMS Bulwark remains alongside in Kota Kinabalu, other ships of the Task Group are taking part in an exercise under the Five Powers Defence Agreement (FPDA).

The ships will come together once more for the final regional phase, a major multi-national exercise in Brunei where the participating maritime assets will inject the landing forces (40 Commando Royal Marines) ashore for a training package in the primary jungles of Brunei.

In exercising its ability to deploy globally, the Task Group will remain available for a range of potential missions as required, such as anti-piracy, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

HMS Bulwark

Additional Information:

Units currently involved in Phase Two of TAURUS 09:

Landing Platform Dock (LPD) HMS BULWARK
Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) HMS OCEAN
Type 23 Frigate HMS SOMERSET
United States Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS MITSCHER
RFA WAVE RULER
HMS ECHO
40 Cdo Royal Marines
820 Naval Air Squadron
847 Naval Air Squadron
539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines
Fleet Diving Unit

Notes for Editors

For further information or interview requests, please contact Press and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission, Shamila Othman tel  +603 2170 2263 / +6012 393 7592 or email Shamila.Othman@fco.gov.uk or email Lt Lindsey Ashwood RN embarked in HMS Bulwark 243-comatgmedia@a.dii.mod.uk

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