The multinational maritime exercise, conducted in the eastern Atlantic, showed off the UK and France’s shared commitment to regional security and operational excellence.
The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer played a major role in the exercise, providing advanced air defence capabilities. This included safeguarding against aerial threats from the French Navy’s Rafale jets and underwater challenges posed by a French submarine.
Alongside French submarine-hunting frigate Aquitaine, Dauntless also defended the exercise group from simulated naval strikes by Dutch and Spanish warships.
Exercise Sky Shark reinforced the longstanding partnership between the UK and France. Commander Ben Dorrington, Commanding Officer of HMS Dauntless, spoke of the importance of this collaboration:
“This exercise underscores the vital importance of the UK-French partnership. By working together in challenging maritime scenarios, we continue to strengthen our ability to respond effectively to shared challenges.”
HMS Dauntless marked a significant milestone during the exercise by successfully completing a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with the French naval tanker FS Somme. This was the destroyer’s first RAS in nearly a decade.
The successful completion of Exercise Sky Shark reflects the close ties between the UK and France, two of Europe’s leading naval powers.