HMS Medway fires 120 rounds during training near Falkland Islands

The British patrol ship HMS Medway fired 120 live rounds from its 30mm automatic cannon in the South Atlantic as part of a military training exercise. The ship, a 2,000-tonne River-class vessel, conducted the drills as part of sea trials to certify the crew for front-line operations.

Training and Operations

The ship’s company stated on X, “120 rounds downrange. We took the opportunity for further routine training and put our 30mm Automatic Small Calibre Gun through its paces again. Practice = Precision.” The exercise included personnel from Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) to provide specialist assessment of the vessel and crew.

According to the Royal Navy, the 30mm Automatic Small Calibre Gun is the main armament of the River class and can fire high-explosive rounds to approximately two and a half kilometres. The ship also conducts exercises with the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment and utilizes a Rigid Raider and two Pacific 24 seaboats for personnel and equipment transport.

Regional Tensions

The naval exercise occurs during a period of heightened diplomatic tension with Argentina. Argentine officials, under President Javier Milei, have protested British military movements in the region, describing UK patrols as an "illegal provocation."

Argentina has also taken legal action regarding the Sea Lion oilfield, a 1.7-billion-barrel deposit north of the islands. Argentina has lodged a formal case with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg to seek a halt to the project, which is scheduled to begin extraction in 2028. The legal action seeks to block British-authorised drilling and threatens sanctions against participating British and Israeli energy firms.

British Military Presence

HMS Medway is the only Royal Navy vessel permanently stationed in the region. The broader British garrison at RAF Mount Pleasant includes:

• Typhoon fighter jets
• Sky Sabre air defence batteries
• A permanent infantry detachment
• A radar station on Mount Byron
• A400M and Voyager aircraft

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Sources

• independent.co.uk: British patrol ship opens fire off Falkland Islands amid rising tensions with Argentina | The Independent
• ukdefencejournal.org.uk: British patrol ship ‘opens fire’ near Falkland Islands
• londonlovesbusiness.com: Royal Navy fires 120 rounds as Falklands patrol intensifies - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.