HMS Archer, HMS Puncher, HMS Pursuer and HMS Smiter are heading to Norway for NATO exercises.
The vessels will also be working with HMS Albion as part of Exercise Joint Viking.
Nothing beats a sunset at sea. šø @HMSPuncher pic.twitter.com/iCoIaAjVdX
— HMS Smiter (@HMS_Smiter) February 18, 2023
Joint Viking is a Norwegian-run NATOĀ exercise, where the main goals are to practice crisis management and the defence of Norway. āāāāāāāāāāāāThe exercise also aims to increase the Norwegian Armed Forces ability to build up forces and manoeuvre across great distances alongside allied forces from around NATO.
The P2000 class patrol boat is a class of small military vessels used primarily by the Coastal Forces Squadron. They conduct Maritime Security operations and training support across the UK and Europe.
The boats are approximately 20 meters (65 feet) in length and have a displacement of around 54 tonnes. They are powered by two diesel engines and have a top speed of around 20 knots (37 km/h).
The vessels have a crew of up to five personnel and can accommodate up to 12 passengers or trainees. They are armed with two general-purpose machine guns, usually mounted on the foredeck.
The P2000 class patrol boats were first introduced in the 1980s and have undergone several upgrades and modernisations since then.
Would it make sense to buy a couple of these every year from a small yard rather than big bang the replacements in a few years? Perhaps get spiral improvements going in speed, range and so on.
Agree. I think there would be great utility in having a few dozen more of these small boats. Channel patrols. Inshore protection of national critical infrastructure. Protection of capital ships and subs entering and leaving harbour, riverine patrol. Ship to shore work etc
These, if I recall, are fibreglass hills that could be made by any yacht yard in the UK.
There comes a point where what you are buying is so close to COTS that it is a bit nutty to try and turn it into MOTS.
In this case commercial tendering is the way to go.
In that case now that we have dumped the new Royal yacht get Sunseeker to build them with all their additional added mod cons add a moon pool and get them based in the Med, would do wonders for recruitment and imagine the entertainment potential onboard for local dignitaries. RN would then be the go to navy surely.
There is a lot to be said for training in nice warm sunny places.
Nothing wrong with that for most training if it helps with retention.
Obvs cold weather training needs to be done somewhere errr cold?
from what I read there are 16 of these vessels. Many with University OTU’s and RNR.
Stop talking sense! (A steady programme would enable skill building in the workforce and integration of ever more capability as technology develops at pace. Good thinking.)
Hopefully hitching a ride onboard Albion. Otherwise an interesting journey to make across the North Sea during storm Otto.
I was wondering about the route, if they crossed the channel and coast hugged or something. I recall pictures of Pursuer and Dasher piggy-backed on a Point class travelling to Gibraltar.
Fast patrol boats…. 20 knots Max… I don’t think so. I believe I read somewhere that these boats are designed for up to 40 knots and can take a 20mm.
Quentin, your correct, I served on Archer when it was with the RNR based in Dundee. The hull is designed for 40 knots as is the engine space, bean counters put in smaller engines. Still lively in the North Sea during winter months but good fun. Strengthend postion forward for a 20mm again not fitted. Did a couple of trips to Norway from Dundee via Island hoping Orkney/Shetlands/Norway. Berthing and messing is tight, really tight, its not a good idea to have a curry night lets put it that way.
Lol Ron, better you than me. I have no real sea legs and very likely to be sea sick on the first day. After that a curry might be okay. Not sure I want to try… š
If you want something fast how about swappsies with a Kraken Technologirs Grouo (TKG) K50 maritime gunship… straight out of James Bond. Not sure where the market is for these types craft. UK company too.
Sorry I can’t copy the image over from Janes Defence 16 FEBRUARY 2023.
And this is why this site is so good! SMEs and people who have seen it, done it, regarding the stories posted, are there to chat and waffle!!! š
Must admit when I read that about āfastā I couldnāt help but have vivid memories of Brave Borderer and its sisters as I fondly remember them as a child. 52 knots now thatās what you call fast.
Jeepers, that’s fast!
I never understand why we don’t have dozens of these types of vessels, most other nations do it. The amount of work they need doing is always going to be there and is increasing, with the channel crisis would be a good idea to re-establish the Dover patrol? These are cheap and more importantly can be UK made to sustain low-key work plus can be manned with reserves/trainee personnel if numbers are a problem.
Don’t think we need more ships patrolling the channel. We just need Border Force to do their bloody job.
What we need is various models of these https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB90-class_fast_assault_craft
Can be used by RM for raiding FP at HMNBās hell they are light enough a River B1 can lift donāt the B2 can due to smaller crane, but these could be carried by nearly every class, use as close protection in confined waters of even as captains gig for port visits
How in any stretch of the imagination can these tiny terrors be considered ‘fast’?
Faster than a Somali skif, an illegal dingy with 25 Albanians or a dodgy fishing vessel, so fast enough probably šš!
They cannot even be considered as fpb’s when consider the royal navy’s dark class 1950s and brave class 1960s fpb’s who both had top speeds of over 40 knots
Meanwhile in the Far East the RN is deploying diplomacy in support of Chinaās neighbours.
https://www.forces.net/news/first-royal-navy-ship-visits-cambodia-65-years
Good work!
I could come up with some better navy ships, but all I can do is build a model to show what can be done. Just need sponsors as it will be quite big for a model. Not just one but a few. Gov should help me out but may not. So it would be up to the good people who would be interested. It will be good and in fine detail.
These cannot be classed as fast patrol boats when in the 1960s the Royal navy had in service the brave class fpb which had a top speed of 52 knots and were armed with 40mm bofors guns and 21 inch torpedoes and preceeding them the dark class fpb which similarly armed