READY FOR OST. Now that we’ve finished our refit in Middlesbrough, HMS PROTECTOR is now back in her homeport of Devonport and finishing her work-up ready for OST this March: “It’s been a long road to get here, but the ship is looking as good as new with upgraded sensors and equipment to better support our work in polar waters,” said Cdr Ballard, PROTECTOR’s second in command. “The Ship’s Company is excited to be back at sea and looking forward to a successful period of operational sea training” FOST will test our ability to respond to emergencies at sea to the limit– including complex firefighting and damage control scenarios PROTECTOR sailed south for Devonport from Teesport in February, meeting. a fellow icebreaker along the way (more on that later!). POET Maggie Edwards, one of the ships’ Weapon Engineers, is anticipating her first deployment in PROTECTOR: “After a long and intrusive refit it’s great to be back at sea! We’re looking forward to completing OST and beginning our deployment to polar waters”. HMS PROTECTOR conducting training at anchor in Plymouth Sound Credit: Defence Images UK We’ve come a long way since dry-dock! March 2021 Issue 1 A MESSAGE FROM THE CAPTAIN It’s been some time since we last produced a newsletter. The last year has been one of the most extraordinarily difficult periods for the nation in memory, and for the World beyond. Every one of us has been effected by the pandemic in ways both large and small; our thoughts and prayers are particularly with those who have lost friends and loved ones to the disease. We pay tribute also to key workers, especially those in the NHS and care sectors, who are our indispensable frontline – several of our shipmate’s have partners or spouses working there with such incredible selflessness and courage. In that context, HMS PROTECTOR’s challenges during 2020 are a small and insignificant footnote to this story. During the year, the ship has undergone significant work in partnership with our contracted provider UK Docks. The refit has taken place in Teesside and has seen the 60- ton crane refurbished, the flight deck removed and refitted to allow a stores complex to be built on the Quarter Deck, and a great number of other improvements made to the ship. These include substantial engineering and structural works, replacement of two diesel engines, addition of a 7-ton shore-power transformer, replacement of the ovens in the galley, refurbishment of all the communal mess recreation areas, the rearrangement of the holds to improve storage, and the installation of a £50,000 modular gymnasium, to name but a few. Along with re-classification as a Polar Class 5 vessel under the IMO’s recent Polar Code, together these changes will see PROTECTOR deploy in a greatly improved and fully environmentally-compliant state, and with an ability to sustain her Ship’s Company in the most austere of environments. The team here have been magnificent throughout the 10 months spent away from their Devonport base port– working in shifts and non-stop throughout 3 national lockdowns to ready the ship, despite frequent LS Ealey putting our newly-refurbished 60T hurdles and barriers. And whilst we were not able to make the crane into action at sea! 2020/21 deployment in time, I now hope to prove the success of this makeover through an intensive period of Sea Training and subsequent deployment to Polar Waters and Antarctica beyond for the 2021/22 Austral Summer. I am sincerely grateful to all of you for your support. I hope you will continue to follow our adventures, via the Navy News, the RN web page or our Twitter account, and that you will share in the pleasure we derive in ensuring the nation’s Ice Patrol Ship continues to support Britain’s interests around the globe. March 2021 Issue 1 ARCTIC ADVENTURES HMS PROTECTOR’s Ship’s Company take part in record-breaking US Coast Guard Deployment Junior Officers, Lt Jacob Stein and Lt Max Friswell have spent the last 3 months working with the US Coast Guard in their icebreaker, Polar Star, in the Arctic. They have gained valuable experience in working in polar conditions prior to PROTECTOR’s deployment later this year. Lt Stein said: “The deployment to the Arctic on the Polar Star has been a fantastic experience. The US Coast Guard are highly experienced in operating in the ice, and we have taken away a number of lessons that we will look to implement when we return to HMS PROTECTOR”. When we deploy later in the year, we look forward to hosting some US Lt’s Stein (L) and Friswell (R) with some of the Junior Coast Guard Officers in return!” Officers of the Polar Star The deployment, which saw the Polar Star deploy to the High Arctic, was a record breaking achievement for the US Coast Guard. The heavy icebreaker, which spends most of its time working in the Antarctic, has broken the record for the most northerly transit of any ship in US history. It was during this deployment, that Lt Friswell “striped up”, promoting to the rank of Lieutenant RN, where he had his epaulettes presented to him by the Captain of the Polar Star, Captain Bill Woitrya. Lt Friswell is presented his epaulettes in front of the crew of the Polar Star by Captain Woitrya. The US Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star working in the ice of the Arctic. Lt’s Stein and Friswell helped to navigate the Polar COMPETITION TIME!!! Star through treacherous and challenging conditions Our new newsletter needs a name! Our affiliated schools and sea cadet units are welcome to submit their suggestions– please send them to Lt Elmore at [email protected] by 30 March 2021 March 2021 Issue 1 BREAKING THE ICE Two of the UK’s Antarctic research ships ‘broke the ice’ when HMS Protector and Sir David Attenborough met up at sea for the first time. The icebreakers – operated by the Royal Navy and the British Antarctic Survey – sailed in company in the English Channel off Start Point in Devon as both gear up for missions around the frozen continent. The Royal Research Ship (RRS) Sir David Attenborough – which the public famously wanted to call Boaty McBoatface in a national poll to pick her name – is undergoing extensive sea trials around the UK before she debuts in the Southern Hemisphere in time for the austral summer at the end of 2021. “It was great to see Captain Will Whatley and his fabulous ship Sir David Attenborough at sea off Start Point. We are looking forward to joining them in the Antarctic soon,” said Captain Michael Wood, Protector’s Commanding Officer, RRS Sir David Attenborough who chatted with his opposite number over the radio. seen from our flight deck Logistics expert Leading Hand Kasey Easson said it was “brilliant to see Sir David through the rain- we look Attenborough up close for the first time! I can’t wait until we are working with forward to working together them in the Antarctic and would love to meet the ship’s namesake one day!” in the Antarctic! Ship’s Company and contractors alike were excited to see the RRS Sir David Attenborough at sea for the first time! We look forward to many more such meetings in the future. The RRS Sir David Attenborough is the United Kingdom’s newest Icebreaker and has state of the art laboratory and research facilities. Jackspeak phrase of the Month: Follow our exploits on Twitter Important Contact Details: @HMSProtector “Port and Starboard Scran Spanners”- Naval Families Federation: 02392 Your knife and fork! Friends and family closed 654374 group- HMS Protector RNFPS: 023 9272 8777 Community March 2021 Issue 1 .