HMS Somerset home after busy time tracking Russian warships and doing Nato drills

11th April 2025 at 4:20pm

HMS Somerset has returned after tracking Russian warships in UK waters (Picture: Royal Navy)

Royal Navy warship HMS Somerset has returned to Plymouth after more than 100 days at sea, including six missions tracking Russian naval vessels in UK waters.

The Type 23 frigate was recalled from Christmas leave to monitor a Russian task group moving through the North Sea, cutting short the festive break for the 200-strong ship’s company.

Since then, Somerset has sailed more than 18,000 nautical miles, mostly around the English Channel and North Sea, shadowing Russian corvettes, landing and support ships, cargo vessels and the intelligence-gathering ship Yantar.

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Commander Joel Roberts, HMS Somerset’s Commanding Officer, said: “After many months away, it is with immense pride and joy that I welcome our return home from a successful deployment.

“Our presence has made a real and tangible difference in delivering UK national security objectives and reinforcing Nato’s mission of collective security, unity, and deterrence.”

During the deployment, HMS Somerset also operated closely with Nato allies, making port visits in Den Helder, Bergen, Stavanger, Zeebrugge and Hamburg. The ship also stopped in North Shields, Aberdeen and Clyde Naval Base.

More than 1,000 members of the public visited the ship during an open day in Hamburg.

HMS Somerset’s Merlin helicopter, from 814 Naval Air Squadron, clocked up 100 flying hours. It was used to gather intelligence on Russian warships and took part in anti-submarine warfare training during Exercise Arctic Dolphin in the Norwegian fjords.

There, HMS Somerset and her Merlin crew worked with Nato submarines – some of whose captains were undergoing the Submarine Command Course, also known as “the Perisher”.

The exercise saw HMS Somerset simulate attacks and carry out high-speed manoeuvres to push trainee commanders to their limits.

The ship’s company is now back in Devonport and preparing for well-earned leave.

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