HMS Spey on Ex Bersama Shield seaboat 170425 CREDIT HMS SPEY — The team have been deploying their oppos from 148 Battery ashore via medium inflatable boats (Picture: HMS Spey)

Navy

HMS Spey's crew among hundreds conducting warfighting scenarios on Ex Bersama Shield

Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey is hard at work in the Indo-Pacific as the warship participates in Exercise Bersama Shield.

The tactical integration exercise for the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) takes place annually in Malaysia and Singapore.

Approximately 800 military personnel from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom are participating.

HMS Spey strengthens security of vital sea lanes in Indo-Pacific as part of major exercise
HMS Spey's crew give turtles helping hand as part of conservation initiative
HMS Spey shows off her firepower – and practises putting out fire on joint exercise

The FPDA was established in 1971 and is a defence pact focused on regional security.

Bersama Shield provides an opportunity to demonstrate their long-standing commitment to peace, stability and military cooperation in Southeast Asia.

The exercise, which runs until 22 April, features seven surface ships and more than 30 aircraft conducting mock warfighting scenarios across the Malay Peninsula.

HMS Spey on Ex Bersama Shield — Escort duties were provided by two seaboats (Picture: HMS Spey)

HMS Spey has fully immersed herself in the high-end warfighting environment.

The crew have been deploying their oppos from 148 Battery ashore via Medium Inflatable Boats, with escort duties being provided by their two seaboats.

HMS Spey on Ex Bersama Shield seaboat dropping into water — Malaysia's blue skies and mountainous terrain provide a striking backdrop to the high-end warfighting environment (Picture: HMS Spey)

HMS Spey is the fifth and final of the second-generation River Class offshore patrol vessels built for the Royal Navy, and is considered the greenest ship in the fleet.

HMS Spey on Ex Bersama Shield sailing to shore — HMS Spey has been providing support and strength in multiple international waters this year (Picture: HMS Spey)

Earlier this year, the vessel took part in Exercise Komodo near Bali, joining international allies and partners for a week of training, talks and humanitarian work hosted and led by the Indonesian Navy.

The crew also took part in a rather unusual sea launch, releasing dozens of tiny baby turtles into Indonesian waters.

* Sailors from HMS Spey on Exercise Komodo release turtles into the wild — The conservation day also involved clearing up plastic waste which is potentially hazardous to the endangered sea creatures (Picture: MOD)

The UK sailors teamed up with personnel from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines to release the turtles at Nusa Dua Beach in Bali as a part of Exercise Komodo.

The conservation day also involved clearing up plastic waste which is potentially hazardous to the endangered sea creatures.

The initiative was led by the Indonesian navy to highlight the impact of climate change and human behaviour on marine ecosystems.

* Divers take part in a marine conservation day on Bali during Exercise Komodo — Divers took part in the marine conservation day (Picture: MOD)

The vessel also joined France and other nations in the Indo-Pacific for the major military mission La Pérouse 25, a multinational naval exercise led by the French Navy with the aim of safeguarding vital sea lanes.