Royal Navy Media Archive
MT130040
Amphibious Capability demonstration during Albanian Lion. Picture: LA(Phot) Arron Hoare
The ships company of HMS Illustrious have hosted the President of Albania, His Excellency Mr Bujar Nishani, as exercise Albanian Lion draws to an end.
Albanian Lion was the first major workout for the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) as part of Cougar 13 – a long planned deployment that left the UK in mid August.
Carried out in the waters and mountains around the coastal city of Vlore, this bilateral exercise provided the perfect training ground for amphibious assaults, deterring adversaries, supporting land forces, reassuring allies and the mass evacuation of British and EU citizens.
President Nishani said: “I believe that the biggest benefit of this joint exercise is indeed the establishment and consolidation of friendship and cooperation between our two armed forces.”
During his time aboard Illustrious, President Nishani reviewed a Ceremonial Guard, watched an aviation demonstration, discussed surveillance reconnaissance with Royal Marines and talked with the ships boarding party before being shown an amphibious capability demonstration.
President Nishani said: “I am aware of the fact that this is the biggest exercise of this magnitude that the British forces have conducted recently in the Mediterranean region.
Cougar 13 will now move into the red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa for further exercises.
This image shows the Amphibious Capability demonstration in full swing. Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC's) from the Royal Marines are operating alongside a vessel from the Albanian Navy. HMS Bulwark is in the background and is docked down inthe water to allow landing craft access.
MT130040
Amphibious Capability demonstration during Albanian Lion. Picture: LA(Phot) Arron Hoare
The ships company of HMS Illustrious have hosted the President of Albania, His Excellency Mr Bujar Nishani, as exercise Albanian Lion draws to an end.
Albanian Lion was the first major workout for the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) as part of Cougar 13 – a long planned deployment that left the UK in mid August.
Carried out in the waters and mountains around the coastal city of Vlore, this bilateral exercise provided the perfect training ground for amphibious assaults, deterring adversaries, supporting land forces, reassuring allies and the mass evacuation of British and EU citizens.
President Nishani said: “I believe that the biggest benefit of this joint exercise is indeed the establishment and consolidation of friendship and cooperation between our two armed forces.”
During his time aboard Illustrious, President Nishani reviewed a Ceremonial Guard, watched an aviation demonstration, discussed surveillance reconnaissance with Royal Marines and talked with the ships boarding party before being shown an amphibious capability demonstration.
President Nishani said: “I am aware of the fact that this is the biggest exercise of this magnitude that the British forces have conducted recently in the Mediterranean region.
Cougar 13 will now move into the red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa for further exercises.
This image shows the Amphibious Capability demonstration in full swing. Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC's) from the Royal Marines are operating alongside a vessel from the Albanian Navy. HMS Bulwark is in the background and is docked down inthe water to allow landing craft access.