Navy Ship Fires 120 Rounds in South Atlantic Drill
HMS Medway conducted 30mm gunnery training with Flag Officer Sea Training assessors embarked during its South Atlantic deployment.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Military
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HMS Medway fired 120 rounds from its 30mm automatic gun during training in the South Atlantic, with Flag Officer Sea Training staff aboard to assess the ship. The training was conducted to put crews through warfighting serials and certify the ship for operations.
Why it matters
The live firings and assessment were designed to confirm that the ship's crew and weapons are ready for operational duties in the region. The exercise shows how the Royal Navy certifies patrol vessels before they deploy.
The training used a 30mm Automatic Small Calibre Gun, the main armament of the River class, which fires high-explosive rounds out to roughly two and a half kilometres. The source does not report the assessment results or the specific targets engaged.
The players
HMS Medway
A River class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy, commissioned in 2019 and carrying a Rigid Raider and two Pacific 24 seaboats.
Flag Officer Sea Training
The Royal Navy organisation that sends assessors to sea with warships to certify their readiness for operations.
The details
HMS Medway carried out live machine gun firings at the edge of the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone during Operation Southern Vigilance, a patrol that ran from 26 to 29 July. The ship's weapon engineers maintained the armament through South Atlantic weather.
Timeline
26 to 29 July: Operation Southern Vigilance patrol with live machine gun firings.
2019: HMS Medway was commissioned as a River class offshore patrol vessel.
Military Context
The 30mm Automatic Small Calibre Gun is the main armament of the River class offshore patrol vessels, and this live-fire serial shows the weapon being put through its paces on a South Atlantic deployment near the Falkland Islands.
The training and patrol reflect the Royal Navy's routine readiness checks for ships operating in the South Atlantic. Readers following defence policy can see how such certifications feed into the Falkland Islands patrol schedule.
The takeaway
Live-fire certification is a routine but essential step before a Royal Navy ship can be committed to operations in distant waters. The 120-round serial shows how crews prove their weapons work in harsh South Atlantic conditions.
Further reading
Explore more Military coverage for context on naval operations and defence readiness.
Source note: This article includes information reported by UK Defence Journal.
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