AS HMS Bulwark, County Durham’s affiliated warship, ended a five-day stay in the region, reporter Duncan Leatherdale stepped aboard the Royal Navy’s flagship to see it in action.

WE were picked up from the Port of Tyne in one of the Bulwark’s four, 160-tonne Landing Craft Utility’s (LCUs), capable of carrying any vehicle up to the size of a 60-tonne Challenger tank.

It took us 40 minutes to get to the vessel, stationed three miles off the South Shields coast, and my stomach and I were rather glad when we arrived.

The rear end of the ship is an amphibious deck, where 4,000 tonnes of water are let in to effectively sink the rear allowing vessels to roll inside, the water is then pumped out again when the ship sets sail.

The LCU bumped in and we poured out on to the Bulwark’s vehicle deck, met by a fleet of men and women in crisp white shirts with black and yellow lapel’s, and a few intimidating marines in camouflage and green berets, just some of the 421 personnel on board.

The deck is home to a variety of vehicles, but has also been used as dormitory for hundreds of civilians evacuated from warzones and natural disasters.

The Bulwark has two main functions.

Firstly, it is there to insert the 80 or so marines where they are needed, with their large arsenal of machinery that would make even the Thunderbirds jealous.

The Bulwark’s second aim is to act as central command for the fleet. Its operations room is three times bigger than normal as it is the central point from which all other vessels can be managed.

It is the hub of the unit, and as a warship it needs to be able to defend itself.

We were treated to two demonstrations of the Bulwark’s magnificent defence and firepower.

In the operations room they simulated an attack from an unknown aircraft loaded with missiles aimed at the Bulwark.

After radar picked up the fictional craft 40 miles from the ship, the warfare team spent a hectic 30 seconds or so hailing the plane, asking its intentions and trying to find out as much information as possible.

Now established as hostile, flash-hoods went up to protect the crew from any potential electrical burns, and then the ship’s defence system, called Goalkeeper kicked in.

The Bulwark has two Goalkeepers which intercept any hostile invaders with a large and powerful gun.

Alternatively, the system can release chaff to divert any missiles or rockets, and if it is under multiple attacks, it will prioritise which threat is closest and deal with it accordingly.

Out on the deck we observed a training exercise where a second, much smaller ship, HMS Example, pretended to be a boatful of pirates.

As they charged at us, firing guns into the air, they were met with a barrage of bullets from the marines on the Bulwark’s deck.

Having disabled the smaller ship with their superior firepower, a team headed out towards the enemy in a small inflatable, which completed a 360 loop of the now stranded vessel before boarding.

"We wanted to show you what we are a capable of," an officer informs us, although I suspect somehow this is only a glimpse of the Bulwark’s true power.

Then to the bridge before enjoying lunch and then the ride back to land, the sun having come out now and the sea being pleasantly sedate.

The Bulwark has now headed home to Plymouth, but its crew will have to be prepared, because they could be redeployed anywhere in the globe with just two days notice.