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HOT PURSUIT: A Jetpack2 speedboat is deployed on a mission

News Editor Andrew Clunis joins the crew of the Royal Navy war ship HMS Iron Duke as they hunt for drug smugglers in the Caribbean

For most people, a Caribbean cruise sits pretty close to the top of the ten-things-to-do-before-I-die list. The thought of slithering through the island chain taking in crimson sunsets while soaking up the sounds and spirits of the region makes daydreaming worthwhile.

Imagine then, my delight when the Royal Navy extended an invite for me to spend a couple of days onboard the warship HMS Iron Duke while she patrolled the Caribbean sea. After this trip I would say spending time on a warship should rise to the top of everyone’s wish list.

Perhaps my only disappointment was that there was no 50-metre pool with deck chairs and vivacious Caribbean lasses serving rum punch.

But whatever the experience lacked in leisure value, it overcompensated for in purpose and adventure.

MENACING

The menacing frigate has been on the high seas of the Caribbean since June conducting continuous surveillance and support activities. Iron Duke’s priorities in the region are listed as providing support and relief during the hurricane season. It also keeps an eye on volcanic activity in Montserrat and provides a reassuring big brother presence for British Overseas territories in the region. At least, that is the top line offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

But, those of us with a healthy dose of cynicism and enough knowledge of recent developments in the region would readily question her true purpose in the Caribbean.

Officially, the ship serves a secondary purpose of intercepting drug smugglers who traverse the Caribbean basin, seeking to move contraband between South America and the islands, with Europe and the United States being the final ports of call.

Some people are also of the view that the ship’s presence has far deeper purpose. It is thought that it is part of an effort to shake a fist at emerging ‘rogue’ nations in Latin America, like Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Sailors don’t talk politics so there was no way of confirming this ‘crazy’ notion while on board. What sailors do love to talk about however, is the capability of their vessel. Over two days I was shown the darkest corners of Iron Duke’s formidable gut. From an operations room stacked with cutting edge sonar technology and enough power-generating facility to run a small village, Iron Duke’s war chest is truly impressive.

The Type 23 Frigate was originally designed to patrol quietly, seeking hostile submarines without being detected. With the demise of the Soviet Union and the lessening risk from submarines of the Russian fleet, the role of the ship has changed. It is now deployed on missions such as this and other United Nations peacekeeping and relief missions.

This was my first visit to a warship and I was truly swept away by the precision of the co-ordination and the sheer intricacy and magnitude of the operation.

Escorted by Warrent Officer Don Shaw, a 31-year veteran of the RN, we boarded a commercial flight from London Gatwick to Antigua. During a riveting Caribbean night at Shirley’s Heights, a fantastic haunt overlooking Nelson’s Harbour, my thoughts kept drifting in and out of apprehension about what was to be expected the following morning. Live reggae and soca music, roasting food and local brew helped to keep the anxiety in check.

On Monday morning the ship’s Lynx helicopter picked us up at VC Bird International Airport. Fully suited and helmeted, we crammed into the stiflingly hot beast under the command of Captain Andy Dowling and flown by RN pilot Colin Kiernan.

Our departure was delayed as news came from the ship that they were in pursuit of two suspect boats. Our adrenaline was pumping and exacerbating our disappointment that we were not yet on board to observe the chase first hand.

When we were finally airborne the rush of the noise and maneuverings of the helo reminded me that this was not a usual Monday morning assignment down the local council.

As Antigua, with its numerous islets and coves, gently caressed by the milky swirls of the otherwise turquoise Caribbean Sea fell off in the distance, I bumped up my courage for what lay ahead.

TAKEOFF

Fifteen minutes after takeoff, the pilot points to a dark speck bobbing among the waves. Gradually HMS Iron Duke comes into full view. The Type-23 Frigate is majestic as she displaces the perfectly blue, choppy Caribbean waters with her 4,000 tons of steel. She’s cruising along at about 20 knots and I’m half expecting her to stop to allow the Lynx to hit the flight deck.

My first indication that life at sea is no ordinary experience was when I saw the flight deck crew executing those crazy hand signals you see at airports to direct the craft in to land on the moving ship.

Despite a high wind and 20-foot waves, Colin skillfully handles the craft and the Lynx and the deck embrace like newlyweds. We are officially on board.

Getting off the craft, the world begins to spin. Wobbly legs, churning stomach and oppressive Caribbean heat meant I would later lose my lunch in the confines of a small washroom. But we will not dwell on that small consequence of life at sea. A grand tour of the ship had my mind trawling through footage of the film The Hunt for Red October and gradually developing an appreciation for the role the RN played during the Cold War.

We are hosted by Commander Andy Jordan, who at 39 is one of the youngest warship captains on the oceans. An economist by early training, he’s a man who has found his soul at sea. You do not get to command one of the most fearsome vessels, a 32-missile bearing, 180-sailor-manned anti-submarine craft, without having special characteristics.

Captain Jordan is a stern man, belied by his disarming presence. Physically, he’s not the kind of individual you’d match up against Blackbeard or Jack Sparrow, but he’s earned the respect of a hard-working crew who make Iron Duke one of the most revered vessels in the RN fleet. Captain Jordan is well versed in the politics of the region and he’s aware of the tremendous impact his success, or failure could have, not only for Caribbean states, but for the streets of Britain and the US.

PREVENTION

“Any success we have here is important because the drugs that we prevent reaching the shores of the UK could potentially affect the families of the sailors on board. We have a total commitment to the cause. We are focused on the fact that should disaster strike the region, we are readily available to offer assistance.”

The British deployment is part of an international effort to combat drugs and terrorism. Several other nations also have vessels in the region, including the United States, the Dutch and the French.

HMS Iron Duke has a commando-type US coast guard squadron on board which assumes responsibility for law enforcement whenever there is an engagement. Britain’s Department of Defence is prohibited from undertaking law enforcement in the region but because of various treaties with Caribbean governments, the US carries heavy jurisdiction.

HMS Iron Duke is critical to the intelligence gathering aspect of the operation. While most interceptions are based on intelligence supplied by other agencies, the ship with its impressive radar capabilities often picks up its targets at sea.

On Monday morning they go after two suspect boats. They are hailed to stop but they decide to make a run for it. Iron Duke gives chase but the smugglers are clever. They know that the ship has to operate in international waters which is about 12 miles from shore. They turn and head south for Guadeloupe rendering the effort fruitless. But such eventualities do not deter the ambitions of the crew. “Even if our presence is just giving them a headache, it is worth it,” says Captain Jordan.

“Even by them knowing that we are here, many shipments would not have been attempted.”

Colombian drug cartels have been taking major hits since the operations in the Caribbean began. But desperation sometimes forces them to try against the odds to send shipments into the northern Caribbean, hoping they will get onto merchant ships heading for the US or Europe. The introduction of Ionscan technology at some of the major ports in the region has rendered drug couriers almost obsolete so the drug lords have had to be continuously reinventing their methods. A nifty approach these days is to fly the drugs out to sea by small aircraft where it is dropped at designated co-ordinates and then picked up by boat.

This kind of intelligence is often what springs Iron Duke into the swing of things.

The drug boats, known as ‘go fast’, are often kitted with up to four turbo charged engines and are capable of top speeds of up to 45 knots. This can pose a problem for Iron Duke which does up to 25 knots.

But on such occasions all the elements of the plan come together to execute the operation.

On sighting a suspect craft, contact is made with the vessel asking for identification and a declaration of its activities. If the vessel is registered to a port, contact is made with the authorities in that country advising them that the vessel is seen to be acting suspiciously. Permission is then sought to board the vessel.

When the order is given for the vessel to stop, if it decides to make a run for it, the ship deploys its two Jetpack2 speedboats manned by heavily-armed US coast guards. The process of getting the boats into water is a wonder to behold. It is an exercise in precision. The boats might struggle to catch the go fast boats so the ship launches the lynx helicopter which will quickly catch up with even the swiftest of go fasts.

By then the Captain would have taken command of the bridge. If his further orders to stop are ignored, one of the most menacing members of the crew is called into into action.

‘Skilly’ is a royal marine on assignment with Iron Duke. He is a sniper who hangs off the side of the steeply banking helo and shoots out the go fast boat’s engines with an Accuracy International rifle. It is a beast of a gun that can penetrate any kind of material.

Once ‘Skilly’ is given the order to shoot by the flight commander, he fires a few warning shots across the bow of the boat. Sometimes the smugglers would rather die at sea than fail their task masters. They continue to run. ‘Skilly’ then takes aim at the engines. He puts a half-inch armour-piercing round into each engine.

On occasions the smugglers throw themselves across the engines, knowing that they won’t be shot. They also travel with smaller boats which they use to try and escape, leaving the merchandise behind. They will also try to set fire to the boat and the drugs.

While all this is happening Iron Duke would have been closing in, and would then use its fire-fighting capabilities to put out the blaze. Believe it or not, the crew is also responsible for saving the lives of the smugglers.

They often have to fish them out of the water. Under international law, safety of life at sea is a priority which must be observed at all times. The smugglers are then taken on board while the diplomatic procedures of which country will prosecute them are sorted through.

We were given a live demo of how the sniper onboard the lynx operates. Even with full kit on, including ear protectors, the gun creates a mightily big bang. In fact, the crew have to fly with the windows open as the sound waves are powerful enough to shatter the glass.

Seeing all this unfold leads one to wonder just how much these smugglers who are given the treacherous task of outsmarting and outrunning anti-narcotic law enforcers know about what awaits them on the Caribbean sea.

Published: 13 November 2006
Issue: 1244

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