Batumi port hosting HMS Dragon of Royal Navy Surface Fleet
The British destroyer carries an illustration of the Welsh Dragon on both sides of its bow. Photo via Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
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A Royal Navy Surface Fleet vessel has docked in Georgia's Black Sea port city of Batumi in what the Embassy of the United Kingdom has called a "clear demonstration of enduring strong partnership" between the two countries.
HMS Dragon, a Daring-class air-defence destroyer with 8,500 tons of displacement, is in the port hosted by the Georgian coast guard, with the visit set to involve a NATO-level evaluation of the performance of the coast service's boarding groups.
The destroyer's Commanding Officer Giles Palin and his British delegation were hosted in Batumi by Georgian dignitaries including Captain 1st Rank Ramaz Papidze, Director of the Coast Guard Department, and Archil Chikovani, Acting Mayor of Batumi. The welcoming also involved Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Brumwell, the UK Defence Attaché to Georgia.
HMS Dragon is in #Batumi #Georgia as a clear demonstration of enduring strong partnership between the #UK & Georgia that is built on mutual interests and shared values.
— UK in Georgia (@UKinGeorgia) October 15, 2020
ბრიტანული ხომალდი @HMSDragon უკვე ბათუმის პორტშია.
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The visit marks the first docking of HMS Dragon, a 152-metre-long ship commissioned in 2012, in Georgian territorial waters.
Armed with surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, naval guns and cannons, the warship carries Wildcat and AW101 utility helicopters and has conducted patrols and rescue operations in the Atlantic, as well as security operations in the Arabian Sea. Last year the vessel took over Middle East patrol responsibilities from HMS Montrose.
The ship is expected to stay in the Batumi port until October 18.
USS Porter, a United States Navy destroyer, is on its third visit to Georgia's Black Sea port city Batumi, as the ship's docking on Tuesday was welcomed by Georgian officials and the US Embassy in the country.
The Georgian Border Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is hosting Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) in the territorial waters of Georgia in the Black Sea port town of Poti. Within the visit SNMG2 will conduct combined maritime exercise training with Georgian Coast Guard vessels Ochamchire and Dioskuria.
The Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo arrived in Georgia’s Black Sea port of Batumi earlier today. The British Embassy to Georgia said the ship’s visit further demonstrates “the ongoing strong and vibrant cooperation” between the United Kingdom and Georgia.
HMS Echo, a multi-role hydrographic survey ship commissioned by the Royal Navy, has entered Batumi Sea Port today.
The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, an immediate reaction force of the alliance, is in Georgia's territorial waters for drills with the Georgian Coast Guard service.
Georgian Coast Guard service and a group of NATO vessels joined forces in drills in the Black Sea, the interior ministry reported on Friday.
British Royal Navy air defence destroyer HMS Defender is making a port call in the Georgian Black Sea port in Batumi. The British Embassy in Tbilisi says the purpose of the ship visit was 'to demonstrate close cooperation between UK and Georgia promoting defence and security in the Black Sea region'.
Vessels from two nations have been involved in surface manoeuvres in the Georgian territorial waters this week, as the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender was joined by Georgian coast guard for drills. The Georgian interior ministry - under which the coast guard department operates - said the manoeuvres served to share experience, develop local capabilities and hone the skills of joint operation.
Five vessels of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) were welcomed into Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi earlier today, with the interior ministry's coast guard department hosting the group for joint drills. Involving ships from Bulgarian, Italian, Romanian, Turkish and Spanish navies, the immediate reaction force fleet was welcomed by local authorities in Batumi before the Georgian coast guard and the NATO group embark on manoeuvres.