HMS Bulwark, flagship of the Royal Navy and the nation, has been exercising off the coast of south Cornwall. Bulwark came up into Falmouth Bay several times over the weekend deploying three of her landing craft.

Along with sister ship HMS Albion, her role is to deliver the punch of the Royal Marines ashore by air and by sea, with boats from the landing dock in the belly of the ship and by assault helicopter from the two-spot flight deck.

Bulwark can accommodate 256 troops, with their vehicles and combat supplies, and this can be increased to 405 troops.

She can carry 31 large trucks, 36 smaller vehicles such as Land Rovers and Vikings and armoured vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank.