Operation Weald

Operation Weald is the UK contribution to the European initiatives Triton (Italian and Maltese coasts), Aspida (Greek coast) and Poseidon (Bulgarian coast) to stem the flow of migrants from North Africa and Syria, into Europe, propelled by people traffickers. Triton is supported by Italy (search and rescue, and holding centres), France (maritime patrol aircraft) and Germany (two frigates) at present. Other nations have made smaller commitments such as Latvia and Lithuania (one helicopter each), Luxembourg (satellite surveillance time), Poland (maritime surveillance aircraft) and Belgium and Ireland (one naval vessel each).

The British Government committed HMS Bulwark for a two month Search and Rescue deployment in the Triton area of operations from early May 2015, together with a detachment of 814 NAS Merlins and two UK Border Force cutters. HMS Enterprise is due to relieve HMS Bulwark in Jul 2015.