The Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate, HMS Somerset, conducted a three-day surveillance operation in the English Channel on March 1, tracking the Russian corvette Boiky as it escorted the merchant vessel Baltic Leader returning from Syria. Using advanced detection equipment and radar systems, HMS Somerset monitored the vessels while deploying a Merlin helicopter from 814 Squadron, enhancing airborne intelligence gathering. The operation involved close coordination with British patrol aircraft and NATO allies, ensuring real-time situational awareness of Russian naval movements near British territorial waters. This mission marks the second instance within two weeks of the Royal Navy’s proactive maritime monitoring program, emphasizing the heightened vigilance required in response to Russian naval activities in Europe. The successful execution of this operation underscores the effectiveness of integrated naval and aerial surveillance within NATO frameworks to safeguard regional security.
