MoD says deployment of marines and ships to Mediterranean not linked to Libya 07.04.11
2The Ministry of Defence says its deploying naval ships and Royal Marines to the Mediterranean and Middle East but it is not related to events in Libya. It says they are a lead element of Cougar 11 - a multi-national amphibious exercise. HMS Albion set sail yesterday morning from Plymouth. Over the next few days she'll be joined by HMS Sutherland and RFA Cardigan Bay, together with elements of 40 Commando Royal Marines from Devonport and from Marchwood in Southampton. They are part of the Royal Navy's Response Force Task Group (RFTG). After completing exercises in the Mediterranean the ships will move further east through the Suez canal for further exercises in the Indian Ocean. Cougar 11 is designed to test the UK's ability to respond at short notice to a diverse range of defence activities such as disaster relief, humanitarian aid, or amphibious operations. In a statement the MOD says: "This deployment is not linked to events in Libya, which involve other elements of the UK Armed Forces."