Two Royal Navy warships have demonstrated Britain’s enduring commitment to international security, joining forces with four Commonwealth partners in a major military exercise in the South China Sea.
HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, both Portsmouth-based patrol vessels, have completed a ten-day multinational exercise alongside the armed forces of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, showcasing the strength of Britain’s historic defence partnerships and its continuing naval presence thousands of miles from home.
The operation, known as Bersama Lima 2026, brought together warships, submarines, aircraft and specialist military personnel to test the five nations’ ability to respond collectively to security threats in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime regions.
The exercise formed part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), a longstanding defence partnership established in 1971 between Britain and its four Commonwealth allies.
More than half a century later, the five nations continue to train together, maintaining military cooperation and a shared commitment to regional stability.
The latest exercise, whose name translates from Malay as “Together Five”, tested participants across land, sea and air, with increasingly complex scenarios culminating in an intensive two-day simulated conflict.
Warships involved included frigates, corvettes, patrol vessels and a submarine, while aircraft supported naval operations and simulated attacks.
Australian F-35A Lightning II fighter jets were among the advanced military aircraft involved, alongside Singapore’s newest submarine.
The participating forces practised responding to threats from the air and beneath the waves, locating hostile submarines, defending ships from aerial attack and carrying out maritime security operations.
Soldiers also directed naval gunfire towards land-based targets, demonstrating the coordination required between troops ashore and warships at sea.
One of the principal areas of training involved boarding and searching suspicious vessels, an increasingly important capability in tackling maritime crime, illegal fishing and drug trafficking.
HMS Tamar hosted a specialist Royal New Zealand Navy Deployable Boarding Team, whose sailors practised approaching and inspecting vessels suspected of illegal activities.
The exercises provided valuable preparation for future operational patrols, when the skills developed during the multinational training will be put into practice.
For HMS Tamar’s crew, the experience demonstrated the importance of close cooperation between Commonwealth navies.
Commander Tom Lindsey, the warship’s Commanding Officer, praised the exercise and the professionalism of the participating forces.
“Bersama Lima was an excellent opportunity to put my ship’s company through their paces and refresh their war-fighting skills with our Five Power allies,” he said.
He highlighted the variety of equipment and capabilities brought together during the exercise, including advanced fighter jets, international boarding teams and Singapore’s newest submarine.
The training, he explained, demonstrated how quickly the participating nations could bring together a multinational naval force and operate effectively across different military scenarios.
For sailors serving aboard HMS Tamar, the experience also provided a rare opportunity to work alongside international colleagues in realistic operational conditions.
Able Seaman Mansfield, one of the ship’s Seaman Specialists, described transporting a New Zealand boarding team towards a suspect vessel as a particularly memorable moment.
“Driving a Kiwi boarding team up to a suspect vessel with a second sea boat, armed to the teeth, was a surreal experience which really brought the exercise to life,” he said.
Not every exchange between the allied navies involved military equipment.
During a replenishment operation at sea, HMS Tamar’s sailors exchanged items from home with the Australian support vessel HMAS Stalwart, receiving packets of Tim Tams, one of Australia’s favourite biscuits, in return.
The cooperation reflects a much wider defence relationship between the five participating nations.
Established on 1 November 1971, the Five Power Defence Arrangements were designed to provide a framework for consultation in the event of armed aggression against Malaysia or Singapore.
Unlike NATO, the arrangements do not contain an automatic obligation for members to intervene militarily. Instead, the countries have agreed to consult one another on what measures should be taken in response to an attack or threat.
Over the decades, the partnership has developed into an important framework for regular multinational exercises, military coordination and defence cooperation across Southeast Asia.
The latest exercise comes as the Royal Navy continues its long-term deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, each operating with approximately 60 sailors, have maintained Britain’s persistent naval presence in the region for more than five years under Operation Highwall.
The two River-class offshore patrol vessels carry out a wide range of missions, including maritime security patrols, cooperation with regional partners, monitoring illegal fishing and supporting Britain’s diplomatic relationships.
Their distinctive presence thousands of miles from British shores is a reminder that the Royal Navy continues to operate well beyond European waters, working alongside longstanding allies and helping protect international maritime security.
HMS Tamar has already undertaken a busy programme of operations during 2026, including participation in the US Navy’s Pacific Partnership humanitarian exercise, engagement with Cambodia and a freedom of navigation activity alongside the Royal Australian Navy.
HMS Spey, meanwhile, returned to operational duties following maintenance work in Singapore over the summer.
Following Bersama Lima, the two British warships are continuing their separate missions across the Indo-Pacific.
HMS Spey is heading towards Southeast Asia for several weeks of maritime patrols and diplomatic engagement.
HMS Tamar will make her way towards Australia and New Zealand, travelling through Pacific island chains while conducting maritime security operations and patrols aimed at countering illegal fishing.
Their continuing deployment illustrates Britain’s longstanding relationships with Commonwealth nations in the region and the practical military cooperation that continues to underpin those ties.
As the Five Power Defence Arrangements approach their 55th anniversary in November, the successful completion of Bersama Lima 2026 is another demonstration of a partnership that has endured for generations.
From confronting maritime crime to preparing for complex military threats, British sailors are continuing to work alongside Commonwealth partners to protect regional security and uphold freedom of navigation.
More than five decades after the Five Power Defence Arrangements were established, the White Ensign is still flying proudly in the Indo-Pacific, and Britain’s Royal Navy remains an active and valued partner in safeguarding international waters.
Main Image: MOD Crown Copyright News / Editorial Licence.
