Royal Navy's OPV HMS Spey joins international exercise in Pacific.

According to information published by the UK MoD on November 22, 2022, the British patrol ship HMS Spey has taken part in one of the Pacific’s largest military exercises – the first time the Royal Navy has joined in Exercise Keen Sword.
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Royal Navy's River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Spey. (Picture source: Carolyn Davidson)

With 36,000 military personnel, 30 ships and 370 aircraft participating – drawn primarily from Japan and the USA, with Australia and Canada also joining in, the ten-day exercise is a major test of forces by land, sea and air.

This year the ten-day military workout focused on a combined response to armed attacks aimed at testing the readiness of participating countries whilst improving the ability of the participating nations to work seamlessly together.

Departing the Japanese base in Yokosuka, Spey – paying her first visit to the land of the Rising Sun – sailed with Japanese amphibious/landing ship JS Kunisaki, to link up with the core exercise task group and one of the largest gatherings of military naval hardware in the region in recent years.

Twenty warships were spearheaded by a Japanese attack submarine and flanked by the combined strength of the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the Japanese Helicopter Destroyer JS Izumo.

The second stage of the exercise built up to a full-scale amphibious assault on to the island shores of Japan with HMS Spey standing coastal guard to provide protection for the larger units against small, highly-maneuverable fast attack craft. Meanwhile, Japanese and other partner shipping put troops, armoured vehicles, tanks, and artillery ashore by helicopter, landing craft, and hovercraft.

‘Keen Sword’ was first held in 1985, with field training and command post exercises – also known as ‘Keen Edge’ – alternating every year. This year’s event is the 16th such training exercise.

Her participation in Keen Sword over, Spey has remained in Japan, visiting the port of Kure which allowed the ship’s company to experience the culture, traditions, and hospitality of the Japanese for the first time.

Spey is one of two Royal Navy patrol vessels deployed on a long-term mission to India-Asia-Pacific in company with her sister ship HMS Tamar, reinvigorating UK naval presence after a quarter century as part of the UK’s wider ‘tilt’ to the region.