The Royal Navy said Merlin helicopters tracked a Russian intelligence ship near Scotland during a six-nation NATO exercise, as allied forces prepared for crisis-response operations in the North Atlantic.
The Viktor Leonov, which the Navy identified as a Vishnya-class intelligence-gathering vessel, was near Scotland’s Outer Hebrides from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8. The service said the ship was monitoring NATO warships participating in Exercise Strike Warrior.
Four Merlin Mk2 helicopters and about 90 personnel deployed from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall to Glasgow Prestwick Airport under Operation Iceblast, according to a Navy account published Oct. 14. The operation assessed whether the force could respond at short notice from a location outside its home base.
More than 2,000 personnel from the UK, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Norway and the United States took part in Strike Warrior. The Royal Navy said the exercise prepared allied forces for crisis response in the High North and North Atlantic.
Captain James Hall, commanding officer of Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, said the Merlin force was ready for rapid deployments. “The Merlin Helicopter Force stands ready to answer the call at a moment’s notice,” Hall said.
The Navy’s account also details two operations in the English Channel involving Russian ships. HMS Dauntless and HMS Tyne monitored the frigate Neustrashimy from Oct. 1 to Oct. 14 while it escorted sanctioned cargo ships, the Navy said. HMS Tyne was later tasked with intercepting landing ship Aleksandr Shabalin, which escorted cargo vessel MV Energy-2 and tugboat Proton from Oct. 11 to Oct. 14. The Navy said the three operations spanned 17 days.
The Navy said Russia had deployed Neustrashimy over the preceding three months to protect sanctioned shipments. It also said the UK had sanctioned more than 500 vessels and seized the tanker Smyrtos in June.
In an Oct. 26 written answer, the UK Ministry of Defence said Britain and NATO partners track Russian military activity and share assessments where appropriate.
