Inside A Warship’s Top Secret Mission To The Arctic Circle | Life At Sea | Spark

let's have a photo it'll keep my mom [Music] happy HMS North umberland is a Cutting Edge Royal Navy frig inbound height 180 ft where 200 Sailors live and work hi Jacob hello Chloe this is Daddy speaking heading to the Arctic Circle oh wow absolutely stunning in some of the worst conditions imaginable was getting continually smashed by waves it was unsafe frankly we got to get on top of it worst cases things could [Music] explain our cameras have been given access to HMS northland's secret 4mon [Applause] deployment at a time of unprecedented pressure from the Russian military Russian bear is inbound at red one at 60 it's a big big ass E I hold one Russian surface vessel at the baron of 275 Northland must defend the UK from enemies who are visible she is a strange looking ship and Hidden Side by Side submarine guys we are the close if we go to war quite simply it's too late and the crew must protect each other how have your feeling doesn't make you any less of a sailor we have Co on our ship what from The Perils of Life at Sea Cass Cass [Music] Cass it's early September and HMS Northumberland is in Port right [Music] morning 39-year-old Tom Hobs is the ship's Captain I've been at sea for most of my career and I love it tricks this is where I spend most of my time and people are in and out of here May 15 minutes every 20 minutes I don't think I ever dreamed of being a captain when I was selected there was a wow then I soon realized I was going to to BL that everyone else expects to know the answer Tom's been in charge of North umberland for just over a year I'm by myself quite a lot of the time it can be lonely and yeah you just have to accept it I belong to the ship and the ship belongs to me and that's the way it goes as a c I have three children so I have three sets of duvet I've got Paw Patrol I've got a sharks and I have the Stars my children picked to them so they know that every week I'll be sleeping under one of their duvet my kids they're proud of me but they also hate the fact that I go [Music] away right did they got the Ford gangway um open it's less than 4 hours until departure is this all counted am I just standing here doing nothing you're counting it Roger happy 28-year-old Megan Bey has been waiting for the last of the Food Supplies to arrive the stores arrived a little bit later then we had hoped we'll get all available Working Hands to come down to move the stores from The Jetty onto the ship I'm so excited I want to get like in amongst the action coming on board today are 10,000 sausages half a ton of salad leaves 66,000 tea bags and enough baked beans to fill 50 bathtubs spinach how much have you ordered mate is this a wind up spinach has got about a shelf life of an hour We're limited by our space so there's no quicker or more efficient way to do this than physically just manhandle it into into the fridges have we again on as the deputy Logistics officer Megan helps run a team of 40 people responsible for keeping the ship and the crew fully supplied is it all in well we B it all on okay go for a lot of milk Che go for about 80 l a day I did okay at school I wasn't particularly brilliant I was very shy the idea of going to sea was always bit exciting who white cabbage uh yeah that's that sorry I'm hearing things sorry I'm not from a naval background so nothing prepared me for what the Navy was going to be there was a spinach that we didn't want it's definitely exciting I think this is my mess 20-year-old sahal James is a brand new recruit I'm guessing this is my bed it's to midle Bunk HMS Northumberland is the first warship he's ever called home honestly I was not expecting to be big but I was not expecting it to be this small I'm going to have to make it work I just hope I don't fall out going to trying it's pretty cozy in perfect fit I'm a bit excited I am from s Vincent and the Grenadines I grew up in a I would say small tranquil Village sahil only passed last basic training a few weeks ago this will be his first taste of Life at Sea I'm nervous cuz I don't know what to expect I'm physically prepared but I don't think I'm quite mentally prepared cuz I I've never been on a ship so it's all new to me at the end of the day in the military self Anything could [Music] happen with just a few minutes until departure the crew have been told to gather for an important Mission briefing from the captain stand com stand the main reason I've got you all together now is um what are we about to go and do so we're about to go to the North Sea and we're going to be face with the Russians we don't decide when the Russians deploy we don't get to decide what route they're doing we don't get to decide the weather in which they do it in and we will find them HMS northland's been given urgent orders to head north in response to a new threat spy satellites have just spotted a large number of Russian warships heading towards the UK it's the latest sign of increased Russian activity in British Waters and the captain has been ordered to intercept them we will get one opportunity to get it right the Russians who are deploying against US are as good as or better than us I need you to bring your aame we have a responsibility towards our country to do our job right there's no one backing us up one chance one opportunity and we need to be at the right place right time and we need to seize it thank you very much cheers team it's really like exciting and a bit frightening cuz like you don't know what's going to happen you don't know what to expect so like bit of a mixed feeling definitely going to be hard work it's going to be a busy time we don't know what's coming but we're ready to [Music] go is it the right okay with supplies finally loaded I don't think it's going toit too big [Music] HMS Northumberland is ready to cast off personel to the FL procedure Al listen in then e just got to stand there all [Music] [Applause] [Music] right excited to get away now it's just good to to finally be on our way bye Captain has the ship slow ahead star I can't believe this is the last time I've seen land for a [Music] [Applause] while [Music] st5 that's our sales we can start to get really focused into what we're going to be doing the mission to the North Sea comes at a time of unstable relations with Russia there are Russian ships off the UK If God forbid things were to go War like the Royal Navy is ready to respond to that Russia's intentions are unclear but their warships are advancing it's northland's job to stop them it's 7 a.m. the Navy long clock has just gone off which I cannot stand I will wake up 2 minutes earlier so I don't have to listen to that piercing shriek HMS Northumberland is on her way to the North Sea where Russian warships have been spotted heading towards British Waters ah yes James that was handy you ready yeah yeah let's do this sahil is being being given a tour of his new home how's your day my day was all right was set in right yeah he needs to learn his way around the ship's eight decks mail junior R showers in there oh well acquainted and will be one of 80 men to share these five cubicles it's not too bad I can work with this so we just got the laundry down here as you can see oh nice you'll have your laundry bag shove it in there little and often is better than accumulating everything one laundry man handles over a thousand items of clothing each day our laundry man is super good so it'll be turned around in 24 hours oh nice the G please go ahead it's going to be your home 24/7 the chef will give you a pretty intense proof of how everything runs in here here for your day-to-day job sahil's never worked in a kitchen before but he's now one of the ship's nine chefs responsible for making over 600 meals a day it's a lot bigger than like in um rbe so I reckon it's going to be a bit different different ballpark working at Sea just the physical movement I don't even know if I'm going be seasick yet you don't know if you get seasick yet it's no shame in it everybody gets seasick there's a lot to take in he's obviously thinking about his job in the galley he's thinking about how he's going to cope in his personal time it's certainly nothing to be scared of because everybody does find their feet everything seems all right I think I would be able to cope with what I've seen so far I'm going to be in the showers a lot cuz I like taking showers so let's hope the what is war oh dear lots of dead sailor skin 56y old Darren Wallington is the oldest on board as a ship's sea daddy my job is to make sure that the ships a happy ship got few things to do tonight get something to give you a hand take you with the events as the executive warrant officer he's responsible for the welfare and discipline of the sailors it's my job to know everybody and I do looks like somebody sleeping with a dead animal that's his that's his bedd love it I do I you know it's just a great job all right let's get in one of Darren's not so great jobs is sorting through the rubbish a mountain of gash the crew generate up to a ton of waste a day separating the recycling is one of the dirtiest jobs on board this is just what's built up so we'll smash through some rocky food why am I getting food waste The Unwanted food should be thrown overboard but not everyone follows the rules there's a ton of shite in there there's anything that's not food contaminated he says CH go in there there he goes starting starting to go now so set at the moment [Applause] [Music] [Applause] an alarm has just gone off in an engine compartment who found it who found the in I'll tell you in a second it's right next to crucial Machinery you got to presume the worst that it's a fuel fire but the fire teams are struggling to get to it no foone blanket has been laid yet [Music] right 19 hurry up let down here now let's get that now come on they're in no fire no fire no and within minutes they've got it under control on here You've Got High explosives highly flammable fuels uh high voltage electricity pressure I systems add on that 200 Sailors and we've got no no nowhere to go and nobody to come and rescue us that's why so dangerous right okay team just wanted to chat to you about the stuff that we've been asked to do we have some intelligence come in we'll be going in to meet HS Queen Elizabeth HMS North umland is sailing North to intercept Russian warships heading for the UK it's become clear their target is the Royal Navy's Flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth currently stationed off the east coast of Scotland Russian boats are working in the vicinity unsurprisingly we don't want the enemies coming near to H Queen Elizabeth we should be prepared to push back against Russian aggression and demonstrate that there's a boundary and there's rules our role will be vital so we need to get there as soon as possible the Russians are likely to be trying to gather intelligence on M Queen Elizabeth thank you much if you have any questions I'll leave you cheers I would never underestimate the Russian Navy the danger is if you let them collect intelligence you never know which little piece helps to inflict cost against the UK so you need to stop them North umberland is still 300 M away from HMS Queen Elizabeth she needs to get there before the Russian [Music] I'm going to learn something new today it's Tuesday night in the galley is it just like doing Papa do I'll show you let the frer get to Temp it's sahil's first full shift as a chef and tonight is left overnight ooh now that looks like pork belly what sauce are they putting on it Marin the team are preparing two types of Curry but as the most Junior Chef in the galley sahil's role is limited to just helping out I don't have much experience with cooking I never really used to cook in a kitchen until I joined the Navy the most cooking I did would be my grandmother just a little bacon or frying chicken or something like that it's just minutes until Service 200 hungry Sailors need to be fed in under an hour this is when you're starting to rush to get everything out on the counter make sure everything looks nice it is time to open if the counter is not open on the time you're going to have people screaming at you oh this is just mindblowing for me the na has been short of chefs and recruited sahil straight from school in the Caribbean earlier this year ever since I was growing up people around my Village would have family members who are in the Navy so they would come and say oh it's great and after I keep pairing it all the time I was like yeah why not let me just see what it's about and I get in touch with my culinary skills if I have Absol Fe yeah let good definitely come around again just have to keep on top of everything now [Music] St we got the qes cing speed ready Z HMS North umberland is just minutes away from roving with HMS Queen Elizabeth the Russians are still nowhere to be seen how far away is she now uh k is 1.7 is there wow she a big ship it's a big [Music] [Music] ship North umberland is one of eight Royal Navy warships who've been asked to protect HMS Queen Elizabeth ahead of the most important Naval exercise in over a decade Revelations 90 check Waters as you can imagine bringing eight ships around Queen Elizabeth it's quite a delicate dance we're going to be 500 yards away on her star bow added to that we have got three and 1/2 to 4 M worth of swell going on tches to drive in before turn back on space yes please North umland must now position herself less than 500 M from HMS Queen Elizabeth to help build a ring of Steel around the carrier but sailing this close to another warship comes with huge risk the very worst thing that happen is like a drive into Q one of us has a bad day bearing 293 range 800 y next B clear visually Port 25 stair 0 7 4 she's doing 0 08 so don't go too quicking 3 0 4 here we go warships usually stay at least 2 miles from each other to avoid collisions range range 480 [Music] Ys it's the first time I've come this close to Queen Elizabeth well done team North umberland is in position joining one of the most powerful naval fleets Britain has ever assembled first escort in position we have brought ourselves into within 500 yards of the carrier we are where we need to be and they're ready for whenever the Russians [Music] arrive [Music] right there she got sleeves up watches off below deck EO Darren has an unexpected surprise for the crew drug testing is now in force on HS Northland Personnel advise not to consume excessive amounts of fluids during this time they you a flower pot the entire ship's company are being tested for drugs stand outside so you don't stop people going up well each person when they give their sample have to be escorted by somebody to make sure that they give a clean sample and no funny business goes on so each person gets escorted by a Wily Watcher 12 Sailors volunteer to Wily watch to ensure the samples aren't tampered with he likes the Wily watch you're next you're next but producing a sample on demand can take some encouragement you can do it you do a little wing for the EO I've been doing this for 34 years get out get out I am that focal point but discipline and and it's a very important Cog and making sure the whole Machine Works had a long day Wendy had a long day is this the key even the captain must take the test got to wait until I absolutely need to go for a week and then like my son I do like we dance where we go head this is not very dignified light straw color that's what they need isn't it yeah if anyone fails the test the consequences will be severe you can't use drugs in Navy not compatible with service life and if anyone's got stuff inside them that they shouldn't they will be discharged the results are du back in 48 hours off to watch AC you have 997 ship has door round North umland has received new military intelligence The Ring Of Steel around HMS Queen Elizabeth has been spotted by the ran and their warships have scattered or positions po revised command aim command a is to support Queen Elizabeth speeds up to 28 knots priority environment subsurface positioned at the front of the fleet northland's crew has been ordered to alert the other ships to any other threats new contact reported APS inves un 3 552 bar1 at 14 the team in the Ops room has just picked up a suspicious vessel 14 mil ahead of them suspect 2 3 7 8 opposition Sur investigate give us two seconds whoever it is is masking their identity from northland's radar unknown be in 275 range 10 and a half nor s all reports group line one uat people copying suspect 2378 remate it's coming closer ASM holds one racket opposition's po unknown 6762 baring 276 range 10 nor miles suspect vessel closing for contact of Queen Elizabeth and it's on an intercept course with HMS Queen Elizabeth no one is to leave the O room HMS Northumberland is at the head of the fleet guarding the Royal Navy's Flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth unknown 6762 baring 276 R 10 miles in the Ops room Lydia ATO is under pressure to identify a mystery vessel less than 10 minutes ahead of them all report grp by [Music] one let have somebody closed up on the cameras now it's hiding its identity from northumberland's radar but it's just come to view of the ship's long range cameras I hold one Russian surface vessel at the bearing of 275 at 10 or miles hands to action stations hands to action stations [Music] they've just identified the vessel as Russian Bridge MCO SEC Ops room of knowledge okay all positions contact visual she is a strange looking ship we're looking at a Russian uh intelligence ship the reason the Russians were hiding has become clear it's the Victor Leon of a military spy ship the Russian ship will be full of really kind of sensitive listening equipment effectively what it could do is it could coover up any kind of electronic emission from the ship do we want them to find out everything that we can do no do I work quite hard to protect some of my information yes [Music] absolutely how far away is she now 3 miles the Victor leonov is getting closer at just over 3 miles from HMS Queen Elizabeth Royal Navy secrets are at risk I need to do something about the fact that um they might in a position to start hacking our phones or start intercepting what we're saying uh you'll be aware of the presence of a Russian AGI up to the northeast of us and I've instructed the RPO uh to go around and make sure that we are collecting in mobile phone SIM cards shutting down Communications will cut North umland off from the outside world well that's SIM cards please thank you get more need Minister as possible foggy getting up to do is leaky is it it's just weird for me cuz like I've never like experienced anything like this we're going to go um come silence in 9 months of being in the Navy sahil hasn't gone a day without contacting his mom this is an old picture of me and my mom my parents are pretty proud like they're really really proud they always talk about me like they go to like din something they'll be like oh yeah my son is in the Navy [Music] yay my mom currently in the hospital she had a surgery on her back I'm not there to like take care of her I can't even message you to check on without his phone he has no way of finding out how his mom's operation went it's kind of hard to like work and not knowing that everything is all right X Captain can you um just pop up the CDT results in please thanks the captain has just received a secure message come on in it's been 48 hours since the whole crew were tested for drugs the results for CDT are coming uh and we have two individual ual both tested positive for cocaine so we'll have to go through the process tonight of me informing them me giving their initial interview and then I think my intention is to land them Al I don't want either of them on board I'll let the team know ad Ministry of discharge are you happy for the ship's company to know we'll need tell the individuals first tell the individuals first and my gut feeling is that everyone will know in about 20 seconds they need to know it's the whole purpose of it um it is the warming X yeah thank you very much the two Sailors will be taken ashore as soon as possible every year you have to go to a lecture where you're told that you're not allowed to take drugs in a Navy how do I feel about it frustrated mainly um disappointed you know they've gone from having a career possibly for the rest of their life to looking down the bowel of unemployment the guilty Sailors are being airlifted back to base where they'll receive their discharge [Music] papers he's gone left gone he's gone their friends are only just finding out you could get be a civilian right now yeah Zero Tolerance I used to be that you get away with it but now it's I've lost about five mates for it I've lost two now yeah you're not going to you're not getting out of that one no thing ready [Music] no [Music] Commander is lonely enough as it is at the best of times I mean I've been doing this for 21 years but still still there are days when you just want to go home several hours into the communications blackout it's beginning to have an impact on the crew even the captain when I speak to the kids sometimes they ask me oh you know whose duv set have you got on today daddy and I told them whichever one it is and it just reduces some of the separation anxiety that kids can have when their parents go to seea being away has never got easier I miss my wife and kids No One made us do this life um but it can ask a lot from you Port 35 altering 1 160 as we come around keep a good Lookout on the AGI the Russian spy ship Victor leonov is less than 3 miles away from HMS North umberland just giv us an Indian navigation radar in the Ops room the team has just received an update from HMS Queen Elizabeth ship's head reads one2 11 knots log Victor Le off is 2 and a half miles to the East Queen Elizabeth 2 and half miles to the West she's going to start flying operations in about 40 45 minutes um we've been directed to maintain the position between the two to make sure she can't close the QE whilst they start those flying operations and disrupt that HMS Queen Elizabeth can't launch her Jets if the Russians get any closer the eyes of the whole Fleet now on North umberland as she tries to stop [Music] them further right the better really s of the ideal is 040 Bridge ult cost started HMS Northland is trying to hold back the Russian spy ship Victor leonov so HMS Queen Elizabeth can begin vital flying operations acp1 cing speed will be a 040 speed 10 make sure we position ourselves no closer than 2 miles to the Russian and then uh close no closer than one mile to the queen lius operations officer Lydia ATO is tracking the Russians every move the altering backgrounds of course of uh 310 help put us in between the AGI and we're trying to put ourselves in a position to prevent QE becoming vulnerable we position ourselves between by doing that we form a barrier St 070 by sailing between HMS Queen Elizabeth and Victor leonov Northland is hoping to keep the Russian spy ship out of range [Music] Q just a p half of a quarter at the moment so I'm just going to turn inside half ahead both engines Revolution 65 the Aji is still pointing North that mean AGI hold off on our Port quarter now the Russians are at a safe distance the coast is clear to launch the Jets visual red 160 tracking left to right turning in Green at 3 z r [Music] mil [Music] time on top 30 [Music] seconds launching two squadrons of jets for the very first time this is the Navy's most important exercise in over a decade it's success for the ship as a team that we did that we're doing something that will support the UK we're actually doing something worthwhile the Russians didn't get too close that she might have been a danger to the Jets or a danger to the aircraft car we interposed ourselves and made sure that she didn't get that close we serve our country as part of the team and yes there is responsibility but that's the way that goes [Music] just take a little bit off and then you're right there not to be perfect it's homemade not short B [Music] beautiful with the phone Band still in force it's been nearly 48 hours since sahil last spoke to his mom my mom just s the for surgery and um just not knowing what's going on it's hard wondering if she's okay sometimes I'm p p v i just be like yeah what am I doing there I've never like been without my phone for that like this long halfway through his shift s's been told to report to the eo's cabin some people have noticed you've gone a bit inul in the mess when you joined you're a right Smiley guy everybody instantly Jess right and then you just kind of went inside a bit and that's fine I'm not saying you can't do I do that sometimes and that's fine and as as long as people know that's your coping mechanism and if you do feel a little bit weird don't worry about it everybody's copes with things in different ways however you're feeling doesn't mean you're weak doesn't mean you're rubbish at your job doesn't make you any less of a sailor if you're finding it a little bit hard have a talk with somebody I know it's going to be quite hard this Tri be quite hard really hard you all right all happy that all right right thank you sir no problem you know where I am if you need it I remember my first ship I I really wondered what the hell was going on I think I did about 38 countries on my first ship it's difficult you know this is a lot of of a serviceman I'd call as soon as we get back I some cards and just like trying my best to stay focused and continue doing my job North umberland is shadowing the Victor leonov off the east coast of Scotland but the captains just receiv received news of a new dangerous threat that's about to change their plan [Music] Land good afternoon Northland else this speaking we've been formally activated our tasking is to the far north so you need to make sure that you're prepared and ready uh that is all thank you very much Northumberland is one of the few ships in the Navy capable of hunting for enemies on the surface and underwater come on in UPS hi sir so we've had some intelligence come in there's a mission in the offing and it's quite high stakes Russian submarines are coming from over here so we uh have been directed to head up north yes sir their bases are up here in manans which is the very far north of Russia and they'll come over somewhere into the North Atlantic this way northland's orders are to find the Russ submarines and keep them out of British Waters hi sir I'll wa that so HP yes please thank you very much they must now leave HMS Queen Elizabeth and the other British ships behind steering at 235 Speed 8 Max possible 28 CBR DC State 3 condition xray they're trying to assert ownership over the ocean and like any schoolyard bully if you don't stop them they'll take and take and take so let us go [Music] north finding the Russian submarines is now top priority we find ourselves where the threat against the UK is probably the highest ever so we need to make sure that we can defend our H next time every time we wait we're up against it rough Seas flood the ship how do we keep on top of it oh wow that's awesome North umberland enters the Arctic Circle there we are we're in the Arctic absolutely stunning we've got it good timing that and the hunt for Russian submarines intensifies confirm contact bearing 144 possible dangerous submarine contact side by side with submarine guys at about 4,000 [Music] y [Music]

Channel: Spark

Views: 182,093

Keywords: Spark, command structure, crisis management, disaster resilience, fires, first-hand account, geopolitical tensions, high-pressure environment, international aid, international maritime law, military discipline, military life, military strategies, naval missions, naval operations, physical training, scientific research, security protocols, ship logistics, surveillance operations, tension with Russian ships

Id: URW1DPzlSvg

Length: 44min 51sec (2691 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 11 2024