UK Ministry of Defence, Reports in the media highlight plans by the Royal Navy to experiment with manning methods in order to maximise the use of ships and personnel.
The Royal Navy always aims to make best use of its ships. One option currently under consideration is to maximise time spent on Defence Tasks in the Gulf, Indian Ocean, South Atlantic and Caribbean and to reduce the time spent on transit from and to the UK.
To that end, three trials will be conducted to test different methods of maintaining ships on task for longer – up to 10 months – in remote locations. Whilst the RN has considerable experience of innovative manning regimes in Offshore Patrol Vessels, Hydrographic Vessels and the RFA, the concept of swapping entire ships’ companies while deployed is new.
So far as possible, Commanding Officers will be trying to ensure that individual harmony commitments are met. On completion of the trials, ships’ companies and individuals ‘swapped’ will be returned to their original units. The aim is to use military air transport where possible.
Feedback will be analysed and recommendations on future manning will be made.
HMS Edinburgh and HMS Exeter comprise just one strand of the sea swap experiment; Her Majesty’s Ships Sutherland and Monmouth – both Type 23 frigates – are also testing ways of keeping ships in theatre longer by rotating crews (Sutherland is in the Gulf, Monmouth is about to head off to the Far East).
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