Two Royal Navy warships have completed a major ten-day workout in the South China Sea with Commonwealth allies.

Sister patrol ships HMS Spey and Tamar spearheaded UK Armed Forces’ involvement in Bersama Lima 2026, a demonstration of the resolve and ability of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore and Britain to safeguard the freedom and prosperity of the region.

The exercise—its name means ‘Together Five’ in Malay—tests the military of the participating nations by land, sea, and air, with authentic scenarios building up in complexity, culminating in a two-day war game.

Before participants set sail for the dynamic phase of Bersama Lima, they spent a week getting to know each other, including the capabilities of the respective vessels and systems, different ways of working, even down to language used to ensure when the pace quickened at sea, they could interact smoothly.

The maritime phase embraced the gamut of naval warfare involving a spread of vessels: corvettes, frigates, patrol ships, and a…