UK carrier strike group sails to Bangladesh
Frigate HMS Kent of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) was welcomed by the Bangladesh Navy.
HMK Kent, part of the UK Carrier Strike Group, has been able to visit Bangladesh at such an important time in the country's history.
On the morning of 14 October, type 23 frigate HMS Kent of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) sailed to Bangladesh, arriving at the naval base in Chattogram. The visit will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and highlight the historic bilateral defence connections and people-to people relationships between the UK and Bangladesh. This year, with the spirit of Brit Bangla Bondhon, the UK is demonstrating the depth and significance of UK-Bangla ties through its commitment to engage more with Bangladesh as a partner of sustainable peace and growth.
The deployment of HMS Kent, as part of the Carrier Strike Group, highlights the UK’s commitment to defence cooperation and to an open and resilient international order in which open societies and economies continue to flourish and the benefits of prosperity are shared through trade and global growth.
During the visit, HMS Kent will engage in a series of events with the Bangladesh Navy and the local administration in Chattogram to maximise bilateral relations benefitting both countries’ military, trade and political alliances.
Commanding Officer of HMS Kent Commander Matt Sykes said: “We are hugely grateful to the Government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Navy for their support for HMS Kent’s visit. Bangladesh’s inclusion in the Carrier Strike Group deployment is very much a demonstration of the deep and longstanding UK-Bangladesh relationship.”
British High Commissioner HE Robert Chatterton Dickson said: “I am delighted that HMS Kent, as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group, has been able to visit Bangladesh at such an important time in the country’s history. Bangladesh’s golden jubilee celebrations provide a welcome opportunity to reflect on the country’s remarkable achievements since independence.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to the Bangladesh Navy for welcoming the Royal Navy today. This builds on a long history of defence cooperation that the UK is extremely proud of; we are committed to deepening our cooperation as a key part of the enduring relationship between our two countries.”
It is worth mentioning that a significant number of Bangladesh Navy personnel have trained alongside the Royal Navy in the UK, including at the Royal College of Defence Studies; on International Principal Warfare Courses, Royal Navy Young Officer Courses, Advance Marine Engineering Courses, Marine Engineering Application and Management Courses, International Midshipman Courses, and Underwater Medicine Courses; and through the UK government’s prestigious Chevening Scholarship.
Note to editor
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As a representation of the ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ in the UK’s foreign policy, the Carrier Strike Group made its maiden deployment in May 2021 and has successfully conducted operations and engagements in the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific. The Strike group will travel over 26,000 nautical miles from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Sea, and from the Indian Ocean to the Philippine Sea, engaging with 40 countries. This ambitious deployment will end in December 2021.
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Besides HMS Kent, The Strike Group is led by the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and is comprised of Type 45 destroyers HMS Defender and HMS Diamond, Type 23 anti-submarine frigates HMS Richmond, and tanker and storage ships Fort Victoria and RFA Tidespring.
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The UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG21) demonstrates UK leadership in NATO and European security and is the embodiment of NATO’s 2030 global vision.
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The UK has the world’s fifth largest defence budget – highest in Europe and second highest in NATO. It is also the second largest defence exporter in the world.
Further information
British High Commission Dhaka
United Nations Road
Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
Bangladesh
[Email: Dhaka.Press@fco,gov.uk]
Last updated 18 October 2021 + show all updates
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Edited few thinks.
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First published.