Standing Royal Navy deployments Although the majority of the United Kingdom ' s Royal Navy fleet , unless required , remains training and exercising in and around Home Waters , the Navy has a number of standing commitments , including those held for contingent operations , to provide ships for various missions around the world : Response Force Task Group . RFTG is a new initiative announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and is intended to be the heart of the UK ’ s maritime contingent capability , held at very high readiness to respond to unexpected global events . The RFTG will be poised to respond to short - notice tasking across a diverse range of defence activities such as non - combatant evacuation operations , disaster relief , humanitarian aid or amphibious operations . In 2011 the first deployment of the RFTG , named ' COUGAR 11 ' occurred . Ships assigned to the task group were the destroyer HMS " Liverpool " , the frigate HMS " Sutherland " , the landing platform dock HMS " Albion " , the amphibious assault ship , HMS " Ocean " , nuclear fleet submarine HMS " Triumph " , the casualty receiving ship " Argus " , the landing ship docks " Mounts Bay " and " Cardigan Bay " , the replenishment ships " Fort Rosalie " and " Fort Victoria " and the fast fleet tanker " Wave Knight " . Several RN and RFA Ships will deploy on COUGAR 13 . Fleet Ready Escort ( FRE ) . This is a single warship maintained at high - readiness around the UK on short - notice standby for deployment anywhere in the world . The FRE destroyer or frigate has rapidly deployed for counter - narcotics operations as far away as the coast of Spain , embargo operations in the Adriatic Sea and short - duration training in the Caribbean , Africa and the Mediterranean . HMS Portland will be the FRE in August 2013 for two months . Nuclear Deterrent ( Trident ) . The Royal Navy regularly deploys a nuclear ballistic missile submarine ( SSBN ) maintaining a continuous at - sea deterrent . The four boats of the Vanguard class submarine s are each armed with 16 Trident II D - 5 submarine - launched ballistic missiles and 48 nuclear warheads . Atlantic Patrol Task ( North ) . ( Formerly known as the " West Indies Guard Ship " ) This is the United Kingdom ' s contribution to the North Atlantic and Caribbean areas , intended to protect British interests in the region . The deployment supports counter narcotics role and can provide humanitarian assistance where required ; following the regular hurricanes and tropical storms . It was announced on 6 July 2005 that by the end of 2005 , the Atlantic Patrol Task ( North ) was to be carried out by a single warship , a frigate or destroyer , only during the higher - risk months from July to October , while a Wave class tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary with an embarked Merlin helicopter would supplement the warship for the duration of the hurricane season from May to November . After 2006 , the House of Commons was assured in June 2005 , a frigate or destroyer would be on station 12 months of the year . RFA Wave Ruler ( A390 ) is the current Atlantic Patrol Task ( North ) ship as of June 2011 along with HMS Lacaster . Atlantic Patrol Task ( South ) . This deployment provides a British presence in the South Atlantic and West Africa and consists of a single warship accompanied by an RFA vessel . The patrol is tasked with maintaining the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia , and supporting the British forces in the South Atlantic . Falkland Islands Patrol Task . The Falkland Islands patrol ship is an Offshore Patrol Vessel that is permanently stationed around the islands , as part of the naval element of British forces in the South Atlantic . The Royal Navy ' s Ice Patrol Ship is deployed to the South Atlantic and the British Antarctic Territory . HMS " Clyde " is the permanent Falklands Island Patrol Vessel . She is designed to have her crew replaced periodically and does not need to return to the UK . The ship uses the deepwater naval base facilities of Mare Harbour , East Falkland . East - of - Suez . The Armilla Patrol was established to ensure the safety of British shipping in the Persian Gulf and is also responsible for maintaining a British presence in the region . A single warship and supporting RFA vessels are on - station as part of Operation Oracle another aspect of the UK ' s contribution to the War on Terror . The vessels are at - notice for deployments anywhere East - of - Suez . Currently UK Operations in the Gulf are under the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command . Though the permanent RN presence in the Far East and Pacific regions has ended , the RN regularly deploys ships for task specific operations or as part of the Five Powers Defence Arrangements ( FPDA ) . A recent deployment was the amphibious deployment " Taurus 09 " , led by HMS Bulwark . HMS Richmond was the next to visit the Pacific region ( specifically Singapore for a Five Powers Defence Arrangements exercise . ) This was after its operations in the Middle East . HMS Daring will be part of the 2013 FPDA exercises . Combined Task Forces . The UK contributes to the US - led Combined Task Forces ( CTF ) Combined Task Force 150 and Combined Task Force 151 . These are to combat terrorism and piracy respectively in the Gulf region and the Horn of Africa . The UK also contributes to the EU - led Operation Atalanta , which increasingly has taken the lead against piracy off Somalia . NATO Response Force . The Royal Navy provides a single warship to the NATO Response Force ( NRF ) , part of the Standing NRF Maritime Group 1 in the Atlantic and Standing NRF Maritime Group 2 in the Mediterranean . A latest parliamentary reply has confirmed that there has been no Royal Navy ship assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 , Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 or Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 since 2012 . Mine Countermeasures Force ( MCMFOR ) . MCMFOR ( Group 1 ) is a standing commitment to NATO to provide a Mine Countermeasures vessel to the Baltic , Northern Europe and Atlantic areas . Fishery Protection Squadron . The Fishery Protection Squadron protects both the United Kingdom fishing fleet and the oil and gas fields in the British areas of the North Sea .