Taurus 09

Royal Marines practise rapid roping from a Lynx helicopter onto the deck of Bulwark at sea in the Indian Ocean, 16 April 2009

Taurus 09 was a Royal Navy deployment in 2009. It was the largest for more than ten years, involving a maximum strength of 3,300 Royal Navy personnel working from seven Royal Navy vessels and four Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. One ship each from the US and French navies also accompanied the deployment.

The task group departed Britain in February and called at Cyprus where elements took park in Operation Cyprus Wader, practicing beach landings. In April the task group paricipated in Exercise Egemen, a NATO amphibious training operation in Turkey, alongside Turkish, Dutch and Belgian personnel. A reduced task group proceeded East of Suez, where underwater warfare exercises were carried out in the Arabian Sea. Elements took part in exercises in Bangladesh, marking the first time the Royal Navy had trained with that nation's navy for ten years. Royal Marines from the task group then took part in jungle warfare training in Brunei. The deployment ended in August when the last British vessels returned to Devonport.