Royal Navy: Portsmouth warship HMS Spey affiliates with Gurkhas following intense training exercises in Brunei

HMS Spey visited the Southeast Asian country while on deployment, with the crew linking up with the Gurkhas. Both parties agreed an affiliation after the patrol vessel visited Brunei to improve land and sea integration. The sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo is home to a permanent British military presence.

This includes an army garrison (1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles – typically shortened to 1 RGR), the Jungle Warfare School and a supporting RAF Squadron, 230, and its Puma helicopters. Leading Weapon Engineering Technician Ben Smythe said: "It was an excellent opportunity to test and develop our skills in an urban environment. It is a great opportunity to work with the Gurkhas and improve our ability to train together."

HMS Spey's protection force - who defend the ship against hostile boarders and carry out board-and-search operations - was taken to the Gurkhas' close-quarters training area at the Tuker Lines barracks to practice clearing techniques. The River-class offshore patrol vessel alongside her sister ship HMS Tamer are deployed in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theatre for various tasks, including visiting Malaysia for a diplomatic mission. Both ships have the capacity to carry a Gurkha detachment of up to 50 personnel.

Colonel Hugo Stanford-Tuck, Commander British Forces Brunei, said: "The Gurkhas in Brunei are the UK’s largest and most persistent military presence in the region and have been for over 25 year.The formation of the Indo-Asia Pacific Task Force based on 1 RGR is recognition of the capability we offer to allies and partners in the region as well as to UK Defence." He said working alongside and training alongside HMS Spey was "brilliant". "We really welcome their renewed focus on this part of the world. Our work together has been a fantastic demonstration of how well we can operate with each other and sets us up to contribute more effectively to addressing any regional security and humanitarian challenges.," he added.

Commanding Officer Commander Paul Caddy added: “Like HMS Spey, the Gurkhas, and British Forces Brunei form part of the UK’s commitment to Southeast Asia and the wider Indo Pacific. By deepening our co-operation with 1 RGR, we can improve our ability to work jointly on the full range of operations from security assistance to humanitarian aid and disaster relief in the region.”