Royal Navy gives a rare glimpse inside critical Portsmouth ammunition facility for Britain's warships

CURTAINS have been lifted on how military chiefs have kept Britain’s fleet of warships armed to the teeth while battling to keep coronavirus at bay.
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As well as being the home of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Harbour also houses the Senior Service’s critically-important ammunition facility.

The floating jetty located in the middle of the harbour, north of navy HQ on Whale Island, fits vessels with everything they need for battle – from missiles to bullets.

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Ammunition is supplied to the 279ft site from Defence Munitions Gosport, located at a 550-acre hub on the western shore of city’s marina.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal NavyType 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy
Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy
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Unlike other parts of the naval base, staff working at the re-arming centre have been unable to carry out their job remotely, so the site has remained open throughout the pandemic.

Steve Hopper, naval base director of operations, said it had been a huge struggle which required all of ‘Team Portsmouth’ to pull together to achieve.

‘Working with explosives is always complex and all involved have risen to the additional challenges of delivering this activity safely in a Covid environment to ensure that this key critical defence output has been maintained,’ he added.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal NavyType 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy
Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy
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Operating from the facility is a complicated challenge full of risks.

It involves a large number of individuals, from Portsmouth’s Queen Harbour Master team, Ministry of Defence pilots and experts from Portsmouth Explosive Safety Advisory Group as well as riggers and crane operators from BAE Systems, tugs from Serco, and sailors from the navy.

Gary Tuff, head of Defence Munitions Gosport, and site manager Mark Champion, oversaw many of the improvements needed to work during the pandemic, including Covid-19 risk assessments.

Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal NavyType 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy
Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond pictured alongside at the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility in Portsmouth, where warships are rearmed safely. Photo: Royal Navy

Gary said: ‘We’ve had to maintain operational output while facing the challenges of the new norm. For us, it’s been about safety and delivery. We’ve constantly delivered for the front-line commands, while addressing the challenges presented by Covid-19.

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‘All Defence Equipment and Support defence munitions sites have maintained outputs. Whether that’s the Sea Viper missile here or the Storm Shadow at DM Beith, Paveways at Glen Douglas or outfitting a Type 23 at Plymouth, we have consistently delivered to our front-line commands throughout the pandemic. I’m immensely proud of how DM Gosport has reacted. Their behaviours have been first class.’

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