CDR Salamander - Fullbore Friday

There is no greater partner for the US Navy than the Royal Navy. I wish they had more units, but more often than not, they will sail with us into harm’s way.

Great to see this.

The Portsmouth-based warship came under sustained missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea over a six-month period from December 2023 until June last year as she strove to protect merchant shipping and allied warships targeted at random by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In response, her Sea Viper missile system and 30mm gun destroyed a string of drones, even one ballistic missile.

For their actions, HMS Diamond has been awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation by the US Navy.

Her Commanding Officer during Operation Prosperity Guardian, Commander Peter Evans, was invited to Washington DC to formally receive the commendation in person on behalf of the 200 men and women he led.

Awarding Diamond a Meritorious Unit Commendation, US Secretary of the Navy John C Phelan said: “By their truly distinctive accomplishments, unrelenting perseverance, and unfailing devotion to duty, the officers and enlisted personnel of HMS Diamond reflected credit upon themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

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Throughout the Type 45 destroyer was operating with the US Fifth Fleet which directed the overarching security mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, and whose vessels – such as the USS Gravely – worked side-by-side with Diamond to engage the incoming swarms of robot aircraft.

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In the most dramatic action on January 9 2024, Diamond downed seven drones aimed at merchant shipping – the highest number of aerial threats neutralised by a Royal Navy warship in modern times in one day.

Diamond conducted 12 ‘opposed transits’ of the narrows – escorting seven high-value merchant ships in the process. Just for good measure, she joined the international fight against the illegal narcotics trade, seizing (and destroying) 2.4 tonnes of drugs.

Always be prepared to take your ship into battle.

If your job is to equip those who go into battle, give them what they need to win and come home.

A series of videos below tell the rest of the story.

Some interviews with the Skipper and discussions with the crew in this short BBC clip from the time…but mostly I want to post this so we can behold the battle-beards.

A bigger picture from Sky News.

One editorial note about a mention in the Sky News video. Have they upgraded the 4.5” gun to bring back its anti-air capability?

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