The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship HMS Bulwark can be viewed across the Solent for the next two days as she begins Exercise Griffin Strike.
The amphibious assault ship is working alongside HMS Ocean, HMS Sutherland and also her French counterparts including the including the assault helicopter carrier FS Dixmude.
The aim of Ex Griffin Strike is to test the working partnership between the two countries and test the Ango-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force”, or CJEF. The exercise will show how UK and French maritime, land and air forces can be deployed rapidly together for a wide range of bilateral operations and, if called upon, work together as part of a NATO, EU or UN coalition operation.
Visitors to Browndown Beach in Gosport will witness Royal Marines storming the beach as they attack via sea and air, working with helicopters and aircraft from all three Armed Forces. Once ashore they will then link up with a considerable number of UK and French land forces as they continue the exercise on land.
