SAILORS on board a Royal Navy destroyer seized the opportunity to work alongside a US aircraft carrier.
HMS Dragon joined the USS Nimitz and her carrier battle group in the Gulf of Oman as they conducted maritime security operations.
It is a glimpse of the future for the Portsmouth-based sailors, who will provide air defence to the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers when they enter service.
Flying Officer David Bowl is an RAF officer embarked in HMS Dragon for her deployment.
It is his job to ensure the skies are a safe place to be and that the carrier battle group knows what by is in the air surrounding them – whether it is friend or foe.
He said: ‘Working so closely with the Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing 11 was a superb and unique opportunity and has definitely been the highlight of my navy exchange so far.’
Joining the carrier group straight after a two-week refit and maintenance stop in Dubai, HMS Dragon and her crew spent several days working with the group, providing air defence and allowing her crew to get used to operating with lots of aircraft nearby.
