HMS Westminster Arrives In Brunei
By Azaraimy HH & Za'im Zaini

Bandar Seri Begawan - The British Royal Navy ship, HMS Westminster, arrived in the Sultanate yesterday for a four-day visit.

The HMS Westminster, which is the British fleet's most potent anti-submarine warfare platform, was open to several members ofthe media yesterday after taking part in multinational exercises in the South China Sea.

Crewmembers from the ship will be assisting in the renovation work at RIPAS Children's Ward and Pusat Ehsan in Kg Bengkurong.

Even though the Duke Class (Type 23) frigate has never fired its weapons in a real war, the HMS Westminster has achieved success in a number of missions, according to Lieutenant John Gunter.

The formidable 4,000-tonne ship can travel at speeds of up to 28 knots and is equipped with a range of weaponry including SSM-8 McDonnell Douglas Harpoon, SAM-32 British Aerospace Vertical Launch Seawolf, I Mk 8 4.5" Gun, 2 30mm Cannon and 4 MTLS Stingray Torpedo.

Since being refitted in 2004, the HMS Westminster has completed major trials and a rigorous training package to take her to the highest level of readiness for operations around the globe.

In October 2005, she was deployed to West Africa to take part in a multinational amphibious exercise.

Recently, she completed her task as part of the Royal Navy's contribution to a multinational task force patrolling an area covering two million square miles, bounded by over 6,000 miles of coastline that stretched across Pakistan, Oman, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Egypt.

The frigate is principally an anti-submarine warfare platform that is equipped with a range of sonars. It also has a Merlin helicopter, a highly capable multi role aircraft, which functions as an anti-submarine and anti-surface aircraft.

The HMS Westminster, whose motto is "For nation and for glory", has a mixed crew of 202.

The frigate's tour in the Far East includes stops to Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China, Brunei and Indonesia. During these stops, the crew and ship will be presented to companies and governments interested in the technology and equipment being utilised by the ship and its Merlin helicopter.

Numerous exercises will also be undertaken during the trip, before returning to the Middle East for Maritime Security Operations and back home to the United Kingdom in December.

After Brunei, the HMS Westminster will depart for Indonesia on November 2. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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