HMS PORTLAND

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First Woman To Command British Navy Frigate

A 16-year veteran of the Royal Navy has achieved a significant first, becoming the first woman to command a British warship. Commander Sarah West (age 40) became captain of HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate, on May 22nd, 2012, The Guardian reported. The vessel is currently based at Rosyth in Scotland and is expected to be sent to the Persian Gulf or the South Atlantic after a refit. West called the promotion "the highlight of my 16 years in the Navy so far." "It is a challenge I am fully trained for and ready to undertake," she said. As the Portland's captain, West will be in charge of a crew of 185, most of them men. While women have been part of the Royal Navy since World War I and have made significant advances in the past two decades, the service is still about 90 percent male. http://www.military.com/news/article/woman-to-command-british-navy-frigate.html

UK waters left unprotected by Navy warships in October

As BBC reports, the UK was not protected by any warships during October, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed. The Royal Navy's cutbacks and presence in Libya meant UK waters were without the minimum coverage of a frigate or destroyer as Fleet Ready Escort (FRE). The last FRE ship, which can react to incidents such as terrorism, was Devon-based HMS Portland on 3 October. The MoD said although no warship was on FRE duty one could have been allocated within 24 hours. The FRE is a warship which is ready to react to an emergency, such as a terrorist attack, in UK waters or abroad. More to read at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15543382

1st woman to command Royal Navy frigate

An officer on track to be the first female commander in the British Navy is also on track to be the first woman to command a warship, officials said Monday, UPI reports. The Admiralty announced Lt. Commander Sarah West is to take command of the frigate HMS Portland in April 2012, The Guardian reported. She is scheduled to be promoted to commander at the end of the year. As commander of the Portland, West will be responsible for a crew of 185 and a vessel with more firepower than the entire fleet Admiral Horatio Nelson took into action at the Battle of Trafalgar. Women remain barred from a few naval positions, including the Royal Marine Commandos and submarine crews. About 15 percent to 20 percent of most ship's crews are now women.