HMS Medway is sailing on her first deployment to patrol the seas in the Caribbean.

The crew set off from Portsmouth yesterday on their mission to protect countries in the region after she was commissioned in Chatham last year.

They will be tasked with disrupting drug smuggling routes while also supporting humanitarian relief missions to nations in the Commonwealth and British Overseas Territories.

The offshore patrol vessel will travel across the Atlantic for her debut deployment which is focussing on providing reassurance to British allies and protectorates.

HMS Medway's commanding officer Cmdr Ben Power praised his crew for getting ready for action in double-quick time.

He said: "It has taken an extraordinary effort to get Medway ready to deploy.

"Since leaving Scotstoun in June last year we have conducted the fastest generation of a surface ship in recent memory.

"This has only been possible due to the commitment, loyalty, grit and hard work of my superb ship’s company. I am indebted to them and their families."

Since she was commissioned in September, the crew has been undertaking final training to prepare for their first deployment including working with aircraft and other drills to make sure they are ready for the challenges they will face at sea.

The ship will relieve RFA Mounts Bay – a ship designed to launch amphibious landing operations – which has been at sea for almost three years.

HMS Medway – the eleventh to bear the name – is the second warship in her class to join the Royal Navy fleet.

She weighs 2,500 tonnes, is 91m long and is capable of more than 25 knots with a range of 5,000 miles.

Her sister ship HMS Forth was the first to be commissioned and arrived in the Falkland Islands in the new year to take up station there for a similar role.

They are faster, larger and have a flight deck to support the Fleet Air Arm's Wildcat and Merlin helicopters.

The new vessels' role means the Royal Navy is now able to keep its larger, more complex and capable vessels for more difficult tasks and missions.

These include operations such as escort duties for the main warships in the fleet and anti-submarine tasks.

Crew members – who have been given the Freedom of Medway – will spend 10 weeks on board and then four weeks off in a rotation system.

The company is larger than the crew required to man the ship on active duty meaning personnel can take leave, study for promotion courses and further training and the ship can still remain fully operational.

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