Page 16 - The Cormorant Issue 14

Maritime Combat Power Visit (MCPV)
By Lt Cdr Roger Noyce MBE RN
A life on the ocean wave, A-home on the rolling deep.
The aim of Combat Power visits is to provide a broad over- view of operational capabilities, and being the last of the 3 Front Line Commands to sell its wares, the Senior Service had to live up to some outstanding earlier demonstrations. Additionally, expectations were high as this was the first time that the ACSC would be treated to a RASON1 between the 2 days of capability displays. This caused some to ask what effect it might have on allowances, and others to start praying to Nep- tune for calm seas, in repentance for past sins committed against
the maritime kingdom!
As with the other visits, the MCPV started with a brief of the aims and detailed planning to ensure that everyone was in the right place at the right time. On this occasion, though, the allocation of 14 Sea Dads to look after each party caused some concern. For the RN personnel this meant that they had been selected for shepherding duties, but in the minds of the other Services were images more akin to Shawshank Prison. Nevertheless, the con- voy of coaches departed full of temporarily press-ganged stu- dents and, although it was highly tempting, enforced showings of The Cruel Sea during the coach ride to Portsmouth at 0630 was considered too early!
So it was that 5 coaches emerged from the mizzle at Unicorn Gate and Day One commenced. The day in Portsmouth dock- yard was a necessarily frantic dart from ship to ship in order to expose the visitors to as many aspects of RN capability as pos- sible in the limited time. A range of HM Ships took part in the alongside demonstrations including ARK ROYAL, KENT, TUR- BULENT and HURWORTH (assisted by the local area Fleet Div- ing Unit). The staff of the historic vessel HMS WARRIOR put on a bespoke tour for some groups which provided an excellent historical outlook; the coincident launching of the Poppy Appeal from HMS VICTORY together with an overflight by a Swordfish aircraft completed the sense of history and ceremony.
1 Remain At Sea OverNight.
All syndicates coincided for lunch in the Fleet Flagship, HMS ARK ROYAL, which was quite an emotional event since only days before they had been informed that the Fleet Flagship was to be removed from service. As with all the other the Ships Companies, everyone acted with great aplomb and presented their respective capabilities to the Course. A mixture of inclem- ent weather and mechanical breakdown earlier in the day high- lighted just how fragile maritime forces can be, but also gave half the Course a bonus afternoon to view the destroyers YORK and LIVERPOOL (co-opted into the visit programme at very short notice) as well as HMS VICTORY and the Historic Dockyard.
Late afternoon saw the programme re-synchronised and every- one embarked in, or on their way to, their ships to experience a taste of life at sea. Those embarked in KENT and ALBION were given an in depth introduction to life in a front-line warship, while the other half of the course in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary LARGS BAY only really experienced what in might be like to be a transit- ing marine. It is of course what the BAY class is designed to do, but sadly, with such a small crew it did not offer the same oppor- tunities, understandably leaving most wanting more. Overnight, however, the prayers paid off and sea area Wight was a con- genial host; all had a comfortable night s sleep, while the ships prepared for the next day.
An early 14 Call the Hands woke everyone up to Day 2 and pleasingly saw the return of HMS CHATHAM to join ALBION, LARGS BAY and KENT and the conduct of a combined mari- time effects demonstration. This included gunnery firings, an air- defence exercise including mock Harrier strikes, ASW helicop- ters showing off their 14 dipping sonars and simulated attacks by Fast Attack Craft. All in all, in a very short space of time, the serials had shown the range of activities that could be drawn upon to conduct Sea Control. They say timing is everything, just as the formation started the passage past the entrance to Ports- mouth Harbour on the way to Browndown beach for the finale HMS DAUNTLESS, one of the new Type 45 destroyers, emerged to show off her sleek lines and a vision of the future Royal Navy.
To end the 2 days of demonstration, the beach at Browndown drew the attention of a comprehensive beach assault by Royal
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