HMS Sultan

17/08/2026

More snapshots from HMS Sultan's Families Day. From birds of prey to bouncy castles, Didi cars to the Tigers Motorcycle Display Team, there was something for everyone as families came together to celebrate 70 years of HMS Sultan in style. The support of our families contributes so much towards our success. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to our sponsors and charity partners for making it a free and unforgettable day for all.

14/08/2026

🎓 Congratulations to the Air Engineering Technicians from AETQC 25/014 on passing out of the Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival Equipment School (RNAESS)!

These skilled engineers are now ready to maintain and operate the advanced aircraft that keep the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm mission-ready, from F-35 Lightning jets to Wildcat and Merlin helicopters. Our engineers are essential to operations around the globe.

Well done to all the graduates as they head to their next assignments at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and RAF Marham. Your dedication to engineering excellence keeps Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
Royal Navy

13/08/2026

When the emergency service, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) found damage to the engine of their Inshore Lifeboat, Ian Fuller ILB, they were facing a costly commercial repair bill.

So, they turned to their neighbours at HMS Sultan, Britain's home of naval engineering, for help.

Trainee marine engineers from the Marine Engineering Training Group stripped down the outboard engine, working through a tricky diagnosis (what looked like a simple snapped bracket turned into a full engine strip-down) to get it back in working order. The repair gave trainee Leading Engineering Technicians valuable hands-on experience towards their Level 3 Apprenticeships, while saving the charity a significant bill.

Petty Officer Engineering Technician (Marine Engineering) Kieron Meehan, who led the team, said: "That's brilliant for the trainees to see, especially those who've never been on a ship before. It's about staying calm and putting what you've been taught into practice, and that's building resilience in our trainees for the jobs they'll encounter on board."

Ian Fuller ILB will now undergo sea trials before returning to service supporting HM Coastguard.

It's a great example of the kind of engineers HMS Sultan trains: people who can turn their hand to whatever is in front of them, whether that's aboard one of our aircraft carriers, or a lifeboat on the Solent.
GAFIRS is entirely voluntary, receives no government funding, and responds to more than 100 incidents a year on the Eastern Solent and Portsmouth Harbour.
Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service Royal Navy

12/08/2026

Congratulations to the Royal Navy Archery Association team on a fantastic silver medal at this year's Inter Services Outdoor Archery Championships, hosted right here at HMS Sultan. Brilliant individual performances too from Colour Sergeant Claire Walsh, Lieutenant Commander Nick Cowlishaw and Leading Engineering Technician Rich Bragg. Great to see Service sport bringing together competitors from across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF in true spirit of competition and camaraderie.
Navy Sport

The Royal Navy Archery Association welcomed competitors from across the Armed Forces to HMS Sultan as the annual Inter Services Outdoor Archery Championships returned for another fiercely contested day of competition.

12/08/2026

Summer holidays sorted!

Around 100 children from Naval families have been enjoying two weeks of sports and activities at HMS Sultan, thanks to Kings Camps funded by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC).

Delivered in partnership with The Kings Active Foundation and the Royal Navy, these subsidised camps are helping children aged 5 to 17 stay active, build new skills, and make friends during the school holidays.

Mandy Harding, Head of Commissioned Grants at RNRMC, said: "We recognise that the holidays can also bring additional challenges for working families, which is why RNRMC are pleased to support subsidised places that make these opportunities more accessible."

Great to see the energy and enthusiasm from all the children taking part at HMS Sultan this summer!
Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity Kings Camps Navy Sport

11/08/2026

Sports Day was in full swing this week as blind veterans from across the UK took on hoopla, basketball, deck hockey and skittles at the Blind Veterans UK Summer Camp, hosted at HMS Sultan.

Supported by their volunteer "dogs", a dedicated group from HMS Sultan and the retired Service community, 17 blind veterans and 15 helpers have gathered in Gosport for a week packed with activities including sailing, archery, lawn bowls and museum visits, all aimed at helping those with sight loss build confidence and independence.

Among this year's first-time campers is Steve Parnell, a former RAF steward who lost his sight to a degenerative eye condition in the 1990s. Steve has since rebuilt his life, becoming a fitness instructor, remedial massage therapist, and accomplished triathlete.

He said: "What I love about it is the camaraderie. Civilians don't really get it, but it doesn't matter if you were Air Force, Navy or Army, you've got that in common, and everyone gives you encouragement, with a bit of military humour thrown in too... Everyone here is friendly and supportive, and it doesn't matter your level of ability, there'll be something for everyone to do."

Captain Mark Hamilton, Commanding Officer of HMS Sultan, said: "It is a privilege to welcome the veterans into HMS Sultan, once again, for the Blind Veterans Summer Camp. Everyone of our campers provides an outstanding example of what can be achieved with the will to overcome adversity."

The Summer Camp has been hosted by HMS Sultan since 1996, with support from the Fleet Air Arm Field Gun Crew stretching back over 50 years.
Blind Veterans UK

11/08/2026

Congratulations to the Air Engineering Technicians from class AETQC 25/013 on passing out of RNAESS at HMS Sultan!

These highly skilled engineers are now ready to begin Phase 2b of their training, heading to their next assignments at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, and RAF Marham, where they'll work on some of the most advanced aircraft in service, from F-35 Lightning jets to Wildcat and Merlin helicopters.

Trained to maintain and operate the Fleet Air Arm's cutting-edge aircraft, our Air Engineering Technicians are essential to keeping the Royal Navy mission-ready across the globe. Their expertise underpins every sortie, every deployment, every operation.

Well done to all the graduates, your dedication to engineering excellence helps keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
Royal Navy

10/08/2026

⚓ Change of watch at HMS Sultan

HMS Sultan has marked the handover of the Executive Officer role, as Cdr Fergus Ochtman-Corfe hands over to Cdr Niki Clear.

Both officers are Marine Engineers by specialisation, bringing a wealth of engineering expertise to the leadership of Britain's home of naval engineering. Their shared background reflects the technical excellence that underpins everything HMS Sultan does, from training the next generation of Royal Navy engineers through the Marine Engineering Training Group to supporting our equally talented Air Engineers in the Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival Equipment School and the wider Fleet.

We thank Cdr Ochtman-Corfe for his leadership and wish him every success in his next appointment, and we extend a warm welcome to Cdr Clear as she takes up the role of Executive Officer.

07/08/2026

BZ-Thank you to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity for supporting HMS Sultan Families Day and Service personnel and veterans 365 days of the year! 👏⚓️🫡

07/08/2026

Families celebrate HMS Sultan's 70th anniversary with action-packed day of fun

HMS Sultan celebrated its Families Day, giving all Royal Navy personnel, civil servants, contractors at the base and their families the chance to come together for an afternoon of fun, entertainment and activities, as the establishment carried on its 70th anniversary celebrations in style.

Birds of prey, a petting zoo, inflatable axe throwing, a variety of bouncy castles and inflatable attractions, Didi cars with track, and the spectacular Tigers Motorcycle Display Team were just some of the activities on offer. Steam waggon rides, live music, kids' circus skills, face painting, balloon animals, glitter tattoos and a roaming magician added to the festive atmosphere, alongside food, drink and ice cream.

Thanks to the generous support of sponsors and charities, this year's event was free for all attendees, giving personnel and their families the chance to learn about the wider support available to them from service charities and organisations.

Commanding Officer Captain Mark Hamilton said: "Today's Families Day perfectly captures what makes HMS Sultan so special, our people and the incredible support of their families. This year is particularly poignant, as we mark seventy years of this extraordinary establishment."

HMS Sultan was commissioned on 1 June 1956 and today trains more than 7,700 trainees annually from across the UK Armed Forces, NATO and international partners. Thank you to everyone who supported this year's event, and to all our families for their continued support.
Images by LPhot Damien Bye.