As announced on social media by the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron (RNGibSqn), the unit commenced its first sovereignty patrol of 2025 in the British Gibraltar Territorial Waters on January 1st.

The tweet, posted by @RNGibSqn, highlighted the squadron’s ongoing commitment to securing the waters around Gibraltar.

The Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron is integral to maintaining British sovereignty over the waters surrounding Gibraltar, a vital point for both national and international maritime operations.

HMS Dagger

HMS Dagger is a Cutlass-class fast patrol boat serving in the British Royal Navy, primarily tasked with sovereignty protection and coastal security duties. With a top speed of 41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph), the vessel is a crucial asset in safeguarding the waters surrounding Gibraltar.

Part of the Royal Navy’s Gibraltar Squadron, HMS Dagger arrived in the territory in April 2022, replacing the older Scimitar-class patrol boats that had been in service since 2003 before being withdrawn in 2020.

Commissioned on 14 July 2022, HMS Dagger, alongside HMS Cutlass, took over patrol duties previously handled by interim Archer-class boats. These vessels are tasked with ensuring British sovereignty over Gibraltar’s territorial waters, particularly in light of ongoing territorial disputes. In April 2023, Dagger was called upon to escort the Spanish patrol ship Infanta Cristina, which Britain considered an illegal transit through Gibraltar’s waters. Spain, however, contended that the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht only recognised British sovereignty over the land, not the waters, of Gibraltar—a view Britain firmly rejected.

In addition to its operational duties, HMS Dagger made a foreign port visit to Tangier, Morocco, in May 2023. The vessel continued to play a key role in territorial security, and in August 2024, Dagger was once again tasked with escorting the Spanish Navy patrol vessel Rayo.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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24 COMMENTS

  2. There was a time when a Royal Navy Patrol Squadron had some teeth. Although this is Gib and it’s not as if the Spanish are going to invade the place.

    • To be fair, your lot did manage to ‘accidentally ‘ invade La Linia back in 2000/2001!ish!! Caused quite a stir the ‘Royals’ landing on that beach…..

    • Issue isn’t the Spanish. Key Risk, for which it should always have some fire-power ready, is fundamentalists from Morocco or Algeria in RIB / FAST ATTACK craft attacking the coast line as has happened to tourist beaches in Tunisia and Egypt. Gib must be a tempting / potential target.

    • 1 B2 River is also apart of the squadron and has its home port in Gib but is often forward deployed, a number of RHIBs are also based at the naval facility for both RN and Gibraltar police use. Dagger and Cutlass are there 24/7 and have access to, and routinely carry, GPMGs on three ballistically protected mounts; they are more than enough for sovereignty patrols and a potent deterrence against any would be sea bourn terror attack as have happened in various places now across the Mediterranean.

  5. I don’t think Spain needs to invade just apply diplomatic pressure and starmer will hand Gibraltar to them.

    • Andalusia gets a lot of money with Gibraltar being British. A Spanish Gibraltar wouldn’t generate the same money.

      • Gibraltar is in the top 3 places of per capita personal wealth in Europe along with Luxembourg and Monaco. Meanwhile Britain will end up the Cuba of Europe if Labour dont shape up PDQ. They have their own autonomous Parliament in Gibraltar which works because everyone agrees that they will grow prosperous by having low taxes and strict controls on who lives there!

  6. I don’t doubt the professionalism and dedication. Just the point of patrols with a small basicslky unarmed ‘speedboat’. Fitted for a gpmg mount I think.

  7. I thought the Standard small weapon of choice was now the M2 0.5 Browning. One of those plus a GPMG would fix most things until its a real war!

  9. How could the Treaty of Utrecht include the waters as they were never Spain’s to cede due to the concept of territorial waters not existing at the time.
    We need a sizeable RN vessel based at Gib.

    • No we don’t, what would the point be? Basing a larger vessel at Gib would be unnecessary and escalatory whilst taking up more resources for no worthwhile return.

  12. Nothing to see here.
    Armament is appropriate to the task.
    Gibraltar remains British.
    The waters are contested.
    Spain plays it’s games.
    We respond.
    Repeat.
    Changes nothing.
    Moving on.

    • Realistically the gateway to the Med remains a responsibility that UK delivers for NATO and is able to document non compliance by passing delinquents who are a hazard to shipping when they disable their transponders.
      The recent changes in Syria highlights why this matters including the incompetent passing of the Ursa Major.
      Five eyes are watching..

  13. Let’s face reality – this sovereignty patrol is completely notional and Spain’s claims to the area are well founded and reasonable. The concept of the British Empire in a modern day world is archaic and quite frankly I’m embarrassed to be British.

    • You dont know about the rule of law? The fact is Gibraltar is content to remain British and does this as an outlier of the UK much the same way Hawaii is a state of the USA. If you’re embarrassed its because you chose to ignore all the good things Britain brought to places.

    • Good, off you go. May I buy you a ticket to your destination? So you may live happily ever after?
      Either a Troll who is not British at all or another far leftist that links Empire with modern day British world interests.
      Whichever, I’ll wave.

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