After spending many weeks at sea, what better way to be welcomed to a New Zealand port than with a traditional Haka.
HMS Montrose is currently operational as part of the Joint Expeditionary Force, where she is ready to respond to National and Coalition Tasking.
As part of her deployment, she has visited New Zealand before also visiting Japan later on this year.
HMS Montrose will be the fourth warship to visit Japan in the last 12 months.
The announcement comes as Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll spent New Year’s in the region and took part in exercises with Japanese and US navies.
Fellow Plymouth-based frigate Montrose will head to the Asia-Pacific to monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of key imports and exports as part of the international pressure campaign against North Korea’s illegal nuclear programme.
During her deployment, announced by Prime Minister Theresa May during a visit by her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, the ship will follow in Argyll’s footsteps of taking part in anti-submarine warfare alongside the Japanese Navy (Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force).
Commander Conor O’Neill, commanding officer of HMS Montrose, said:
“HMS Montrose is looking forward to deploying further into Asia, heading deeper into this important region.
“As we prepare to take the baton from our sister ship HMS Argyll, we are seized of the opportunities that our presence offers, both to contribute to the maintenance of peace and security at sea and ashore, and to enhance the UK’s interests and relationships in this fascinating and complex region.”
If you have a story, video or one-off blog that you would like to share with us, then you can contact our team of former emergency services & armed forces personnel either through our Facebook page, via Twitter ( @ES_News_ ) or you can contact us via email: contact@emergency-services.news
If you run or manage a ‘job’ social media account and you would like us to share one of your stories then send us a tweet or a message!
If you would like to write an article that you would like us to share (it can be about anything to do with the emergency services / NHS) whether you serve in the emergency services / NHS or whether you are a member of the public that has had a good experience with the emergency services, then feel free to contact our team; anonymously if you prefer.
We are proud to act as a voice for the Emergency Services & Health Service, with over 500,000 people visiting our website each month.
