Description
Object description
Royal Navy Presentation Team film.
Full description
The film begins with scenes of Royal Navy warships in port and at sea, the Invincible Class aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (R.07) replenishing at sea and Sea Harrier aircraft landing on deck. Shots of Soviet submarines at sea are followed by the inspection of submarines and sailors in port. Onboard a Kiev Class aircraft carrier pilots man their YAK-38 Forger aircraft, amphibious operations are conducted, including the use of hovercraft, and Soviet sailors eat onboard ship. Preparations for a major exercise in northern Norway begin with the provisioning of ships in port; the Royal Marines embark, mine countermeasures vessels clear mines in advance of the taskforce and the narrator explains how the ships are divided into two groups, centred on HMS Ark Royal and the assault ship HMS Intrepid (L.11). The film explains the deployment of ships and aircraft to guard against the Soviet submarine threat, and the strategic significance of Norway in guarding the sea lanes around the UK and in the Atlantic. A Chief Petty Officer explains the use of towed array sonar and an anti-submarine engagement takes place, involving Sea King and Lynx helicopters. A Type 22 frigate, named by the narrator as HMS Campbeltown (F.86) but actually HMS London (F.95), prepares for an air raid and the use of combat aircraft such as the Sea Harrier, Tornado F3 and the US Navy's F-14 Tomcat in fleet air defence is explained. A Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) in the Type 42 destroyer HMS Cardiff (D.108) then explains the use of Sea Dart surface to air missiles. The film concludes with a series of scenes depicting Royal Navy operations around the world, including the Armilla Patrol in the Persian Gulf and the Type 21 frigate HMS Active (F.171) acting as West Indies Guard Ship, with comments by her captain on disaster relief work following a hurricane in Jamaica. The Hong Kong Squadron, hydrographic work, the Antarctic patrol ship HMS Endurance (A.171), and Farnborough air display are also shown. The role of the Royal Navy in assisting with the Piper Alpha oil rig fire and Herald of Free Enterprise disaster of 1987 are mentioned, and a television clip of a 19 year old Navy diver is shown, as he explains how he rescued two drivers from the flooded vehicle deck. The role of women, and the possibility of women serving at sea, is discussed, including comments by the then Second Sea Lord Admiral Sir Brian Brown, and University Royal Naval Units (URNU) are described briefly.
Physical description
16mm
