HMS Ardent Association Visit to 1710 Naval Air Squadron

On 18 November 2025, Richie Gough visited 1710 Naval Air Squadron in Portsmouth Dockyard to share the HMS Ardent story on behalf of the Association. Our aim has always been simple: to remember the 22 shipmates lost on 21 May 1982 and to keep ARDENTS's legacy alive.

Richie spoke to a packed room of more than 100 members of 1710 NAS, a mix of sailors, engineers, scientists and aviation specialists who keep the Fleet flying. His presentation covered Ardent's gun-line mission in Grantham Sound, the role of Naval Gunfire Support at Goose Green, and how the ship and her people faced sustained air attacks throughout the day. The presentation also covered in depth the legacy of ARDENT and the Association's support for this mission over the past 40 years.

The Squadron gave Richie an exceptionally warm welcome, and the feedback afterwards reflected how well the session landed. One officer summed it up perfectly:

"Thank you so much for coming to talk to the Squadron today, and for the incredible amount of work and time you've put into your presentation. I've had a lot of people say how great it was — it went down a storm. It was a privilege to listen to you… and to be given an Ardent Association challenge coin."

As a thank-you for the invitation, Richie presented two HMS Ardent Association Challenge Coins to members of the Squadron. One was a Petty Officer who was in the Hanson division for basic training, and the other was Sub Lt Sam Wells, who organised the event. Sam had attended Britannia Naval College with Matthew Foster, the son of shipmate John Foster, and became fascinated by the ARDENT story and thought it worth sharing with a wider Royal Navy audience. This small gesture was very well received.

Before heading back to London, Richie also made a quick visit to the XV Patrick Blackett, hosted by WO Stuart More from the Disruptive Capabilities & Technologies Office which is part of the Navy's fast-paced Maritime Experimentation programme. It offered a fitting reminder of how quickly technology moves on, and how important it is that the human lessons of 1982 continue to inform the Navy of today.

The HMS Ardent Association would like to thank everyone at 1710 NAS for their hospitality, enthusiasm, and the respect shown to HMS Ardent and her ship's company. It was a pleasure to share our story with a team so clearly committed to the future of naval aviation.