Articles
During the summer, the Royal Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean was a memorable landmark on the Thames at Greenwich for the spectators heading to Olympic Games venues.
The ship’s provision of planned maritime support to the Olympics security operation offers an intriguing counterpoint to the period 18 months earlier when it had to break off from an international training exercise for an unplanned, emergency deployment to Libya.
Both operations presented challenges for the engineering personnel on board. The institution was invited on to HMS Ocean during its time at Greenwich to interview the ship’s Commander (Engineering), JJ Bailey.
“At times over the past eight weeks we’ve had our maximum of over 1,100 people on board, compared with our usual 400,” said Bailey. “And our kitchens, laundry and washrooms have been operational 24/7 as armed forces personnel have maintained round-the-clock support for the Olympics and Paralympics. Over 100,000 meals have been prepared, and we think the lavatories have been flushed 370,000 times. As you can imagine, this has been a massive engineering challenge.
“The contrast between our support for the Olympics and our deployment to Operation Ellamy in Libya could not be more stark,” he said. “Having to adapt last year from what was meant to be a seven-week exercise to a seven-and-a-half months operation in theatre inevitably took a toll on people and equipment.
“However, overcoming the challenges they faced really developed every one of the 85 engineering officers and technicians in my team, and demonstrated that the navy does indeed have very able engineering professionals.”
After deployment to Libya, Bailey’s team faced the lion’s share of maintenance duties. Bailey had to motivate the team as they prepared the ship for its static but large-scale operation during the Olympics and Paralympics. He said: “We were pleased to be supporting the police to deliver a safe games, all the while preparing our workspace on-board ship for a refit due to start later this year. It’s been a very full-on six months.
“Stepping in to Operation Ellamy last year to support the Libyan people as they sought to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi, then redeploying to the Olympics is just what the navy does. We have the flexibility in the design and operation of our platforms to achieve this.”
Operation Ellamy marked the first time that a Royal Navy ship had been the platform for Apache helicopters to launch into action. Bailey said that, because the transition had been planned for some time, “when we needed to do it, we simply activated the process, so it bodes well for future joint forces operations which will see Royal Navy ships acting as platforms for the full range of defence helicopters and those of our allies, supported by engineering technicians from all three services”.
The extended deployment of HMS Ocean in London during the games enabled engineer officers, technicians and apprentices to take the chance to consider their professional development. More than 140 officers and ratings met representatives from the IMechE and other professional bodies at an informal roadshow-style event in Ocean’s hangar to discuss the benefits of joining and registering.
Chief Naval Engineering Officer, Rear Admiral Simon Lister, a member of the IMechE, said: “Events such as this provide the perfect opportunity for engineers to understand properly the benefits of professional registration.
“Our officers and technicians are the people who will take this platform to war, fix it and maintain it. They are among the best engineers in the country, and I want them to think of themselves as part of a global engineering community.”
Bailey agreed, adding: “We are engineers first and naval officers second. Professional registration offers internationally recognised certification that navy personnel have reached a defined standard, granting greater opportunities after they leave the service.”