HMS Enterprise, an Echo class survey ship, is to be decommissioned at the end of this month.

The vessel is following her sister ship HMS Echo which recently retired.

The vessel tweeted:

“Big news: 20 years after being launched ENTERPRISE is following in its sister ship’s footsteps by being decommissioned at the end of this month. To prepare to say goodbye we’ve got a number of events coming up, starting with an affiliates and families day this weekend.”

Enterprise and Echo are designed to conduct survey operations in support of submarines or amphibious operations.

She can provide tailored environmental information, and also has a secondary role as a mine countermeasure tasking authority platform, for which she is capable of embarking a dedicated mine countermeasures command team.

Replacements?

The current plan for the new Multirole Ocean Surveillance Ships will see the vessels take over some of the functions of HMS Echo and HMS Enterprise.

UK speeding up purchase of new ships to protect cables

In addition, the UK recently awarded contracts for a number of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, including survey drones able to submerge to 1,000m.

Britain orders new Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

The underwater vehicles are being procured as part of Project HECLA, which was established to optimise the Royal Navy’s ability to collect and exploit hydrographic and oceanographic information. Previously, Project Hecla looked at the use of underwater gliders.

In short, MROSS AND HECLA will be replacing the capabilities offered by Echo and Enterprise.

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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118 COMMENTS

  2. Fantastic news, good to see the current Government diverting money towards modern defensive systems such as :Twitter, Tik tok and Trans flags in which to better defend the country.

    Oh and before anybody tries to berate me, I will cancel you across Social media so there.😛

    • I hope you don’t intend to cancel me Farouk, I’m thinking of giving up my current profession of Business consultant, having my brains sucked out with a straw and becoming a Tik tok influencer.

      I’ve got to get upto speed on mirror makeup lessons and trying to curl (my remaining hair) with Dyson curling tongs on camera…

      Don’t get me started on nail products…

      If all that fails I will do a few piffy dance routines, the brain dead seem to love those.

      • Now there’s someone Who could make a fortune on the mature section on only fans😂
        If that’s what makes him/her/they happy it’s ok with me.
        If ur born a man but are only happy dressing as a woman crack on. Not everyone is going to understand

        • Exactly, be who you want to be. And accept others for who they want to be. It’s not difficult. And before anyone jumps down my throat you won’t get berated by accidently using the wrong pronoun, just gently corrected. It’s the effort that counts.

          • I believe you can get very sick indeed from gone off pronouns, or is that prawns, I always mix ‘they’ up…

            I keep away from prawns in general, I got very ill indeed from prawns once, but they were identifying as lobsters that evening, so I didn’t think I could refuse they.

      • Is Suzie going to be a Labour MP then Farouk, I thought she wanted to be one?

        Red frock and lipstick, so half way there.

        The prosthetics need a little work, perhaps sour faced Suzie could take a few outfit hints from an actually funny comedian like Les Dawson.

    • ‘You spelt Transylvania wrong …’

      That’s how he gets you …

      I met a woman from Transylvania once. In daylight obviously …

    • Howsit Farouk!(Saffer greeting) You can’t cancel me on social media coz I barely know what that means- don’t do Toktik, Fazebook ,Twotter any of that stuff so waagh! 🙂

    • It Gets worse sat in a meeting today for 2hrs on the introducing of Gender Neutral Disabled Toilets. and sat there and thought to myself. WTF have i been dragged into. Disabled Toilets are Gender Neutral by design and have been since the DDA act. but now we have to have a sign on them. Errrrrrrr No

  3. I thought these were one of the inly assets that made a profit for the MOD since they can seel the charts they make to commercial companies. Thought that would have guaranteed a like for like replacement.

    • I doubt they make a profit, if they didn’t it wouldn’t take the mod long to sell them to a private company to keep producing charts.

    • I figure government policy is that private-sector companies should make profit, not the government. Perhaps they will be sold off?

  4. Well the RFA weren’t going to get RFA Proteus and Island Crown for nothing. Most of the B1 Rivers were recommissioned, at the very least she’d make a good patrol vessel.

    • I was just about to say that it should be turned into a patrol mothership. It has room to deploy UAVs and fast patrol craft.

    • True but the other newer vessels coming online as stated will take over some of the roles of these older units and the MOD will still be able to update the charts and sell them as they do now. They both did spend a lot of time picking up those leaving North Africa for a better life in the UK.
      Someone will purchase them but a tad large for a patrol vessel. The River B1 are also doing other roles (training cruises) not just patrolling as the Fish role has been privatised too so are now showing the flag and not being paid for by other Gov Dept’s.

      • Losing Enterprise instead great, but these rummors that Astute boats 6 and 7 are bring sold the RAN would be nothing short of disastrous for that RN. Happy to see 2 additional ones being built for the RAN though.

        • I heard that from Sub Brief (Link). There’s a possibility it could be for training or a stopgap until SSBR is ready. It would also be a good opportunity for testing Astute in a pacific climate. Australia has really ballsed up their sub-procurement.

      • I assume RFA Proteus and Island Crown will be crewed by Wave/Fort 1 class ship crews.
        HMS enterprises crew will probably make up for manpower shortages.

        • I thought, maybe wrongly, that the Waves were laid up for lack of crew, so perhaps Austin and Rosalie.

      • Hello Daniele from Sunny Durban! Sad to hear that Echo and enterprise are going. One of them came to Durban about ten years back. Did I ever tell you the story of how my pal and I paddled up to her and…………? :😂Cheers for now my friend

          • Hello Klonkie-hanging in my friend-hope you are well and coping with the NZ weather! It’s been an uncomfortaby hot and humid Durban Summer. I was reminding Daniele how when Echo or Enterprise visited Durban about a decade back and docked near the Ocean Terminal, we paddled up to sailor manning the bow spot and engaged him in conversation. Next minute the Harbour cops raced up to us brandishing their 9mm autos and chased us off! Must of considered 2 sixty year olds on a K2 kayak a potential threat😅 Daniele reminds me I have told him that story..about 6 times!!
            Stay well!

          • Hi Andy, Thanks for your reply. I am really surprised by what you say re the QE. That is unbelievable!! Here in SA our useless government have just about stuffed everything but there remain little areas of excellence and our Harbour Patrol are pretty much on the ball. Also the fact that we didn’t fit the profile means they are not stuck on cartoon stereotypes. Even little old ladies can carry bombs!
            Cheers for now

    • New capability being prepared to pair the hydrographic survey work with the undersea cable protection. One ship bought and currently being refit in Merseyside and a second will be purpose built. Previously the RFA operated upto 5 ships which were all individually specialised (1x inshore, 1x arctic survey ship, 2x open sea survey, 1 dive support (retired 1990)).
      New survey fleet will be 1x Arctic Patrol Ship, 2x Multi Role Ocean Surveillance, 1x inshore.

  6. New paint job, a few water ski’s, couple of knock off paintings on the walls and bob’s yer uncle; Bojo’s stupid yacht.

    • HMS Britania bought billions into the UK during her lifetime…Blair showed his true colours with that decision…just saying.

        • Ah yes Tommo-the Relief of Ladysmith! I am sure many of you know of the origins of this event when a Royal Navy detatchment hauled some big guns up from Durban to break the seige at Ladysmith during the Boer War in an amazing feat of strength and tenacity. Re-enactments were staged for years up until fairly recently. The undulating topography of Natal and the crude infrastructure of that time marks that event and the hauling of the guns up hills surrounding the town as a memorable achievment. Mind you anyone who has visited the Kwazulu-Natal Drakensberg must also marvel at how the Boers handled their ox wagons over those 11 000 feet mountains in their Treks into the interior of South Africa. Tough opponents!

          • Cheers Geoff a feat that seemed almost impossible, the Boers must of been amazed at the audacity of the Blue jackets too haul those Guns and ammunition, .That action then replicated for the British public for nearly 100 yrs those involved with the Gun Run were at the peak of fitness a few losing fingers ,broken legs and I heard of one fatality when the A frame collapsed at Whale Island , during their work up prior to the Tournament, The Gun run now is one we called the Brickwoods run no Chasm, no Walls just a flat run with Wheel changes on the Gun carriage such a sad demise of a piece of Royal Navy History one that the World thought was the most extreme sport too watch the Yanks loved it thanks Tony Blair

          • Thanks for the info Tommo! I will do a little research this end and try get a bit more information on the re-enactments. I remember one or maybe more written up in the Natal Mercury some years back but cant remember any detail

          • If you have “YouTube ” Geoff there was an Earls Court Royal Tournament video of one of the Gun Runs I think it was Pompey verses Devonport there was also one that was narrated by a Yank for extreme sports

        • Yeah Andy ,the Daily Telegraph, would also put the prior Afternoon and Evening Gun run times for many a retired A and B team member

        • In 1994, the Conservative Government announced the yacht’s retirement:
          In January 1997, the Coservative government committed itself to replacing the Royal Yacht if reelected.
          After Labours election victory in May 1997, the new government considered multiple options for the future of a royal yacht, but concluded in October of that year that Britannia would not be replaced.
          so no Majors Tory government didn’t decide not to replace it Blair’s Labour did.

          source wikipedia

          • That’s BS the yacht was done for by the time Blair came to power the die was cast in 94 and any nonsense pledge by the Tory’s in 97 is completely meaningless. That same Tory government in 97 promised to build a new bridge near my house, they promised to build the same Bridge ever years since 1987 and never got round to it once despite winning the elections. The SNP finally built the bridge two decades later. Do I give the Tory’s credit for building the bridge?

          • If Wikipedia is wrong then I suggest you edit it….at least you can credit the SNP for something then.

          • That wouldn’t the bridge near the “Astute View” beauty spot would it ?
            I’m still waiting for BoJo’s lets build a bridge to NI over the biggest bomb dump in Europe.

          • Ah yes I remember doing an accident investigation on the old Road Bridge just before the new one opened. Have to say what an amazing view the new bridge with QE being fitted out and POW still in the drydock.
            The blizzard howling around wasn’t so nice though.

  8. So we are loosing two dedicated boats that are largely one trick Pony’s for a distributed capability not only able to do survey but also MCM and importantly sea bed war fare.

    Seems like a win to me.

    Not sure why anyone is upset. The RN has no space for expensive one trick pony’s anymore.

    • The old Hecla Class was once motherships for MCM ops running out of Jebal Ali UAE during the Iran/iraq war only good for stores and sickbay Jim

    • I think the two MROSS ships, each around 6000 tons, are an interesting and hopefully more than a sufficient replacement for the two 3,700-ton Echo class ships. But if they are also a replacement for 13,000-ton HMS Scott we’ll have to wait and see.

        • Protector was a replacement for Endurance, and I think our only ice-breaker survey ship will have enough work to do, not only covering the Antarctic, but with increasing calls in the High North (even assuming she’s not also going to be doing more hurricane seasons in the Caribbean).

          Besides the SASS IV low frequency sonar array on Scott is a whole different order of capability for deep sea work. There was a good Navy Lookout article a couple of years ago. Given that Britain currently headquarters the 2030 Seabed project to map the world’s oceans, it would be a pity if we lost out on deep ocean capability.

          I should probably add that DESA listed HMS Scott for sale again last week, according to Naval Technology. If you want to get depressed at all the stuff being sold that’s the place to look. (Although, I wouldn’t mind one of those Grizzlies.)

      • Reported by the telegraph website 04/10/22 quoting Ben Wallace:

        The first of the two ‘Multi-Role Ocean Survey Ships’, to be known as the Seabed Warfare variant, will be operational by the end of next year.

        The second ship, to be used for “deep water military data gathering”, will be a longer programme and built in the UK.

        To me that looks like the second MROSS is more likely a HMS Scott replacement.

  9. Very sad to see her being decommissioned 😢

    But more importantly, it should be ‘her’, not ‘its’

    This is the British Royal Navy, the finest navy in the world, it is not the Islington champagne socialists leftist woke virtual signalling sailing club

    • Yawn, David, sounds like a Tory rant. I don’t think most Tories have a clue what woke means or what its origins are, but heck, just chant it anyway if it makes you feel better.

    • What the hell are Star Fleet going to do now, after all it’s this ship’s ancestor that the Enterprise was named after. The Universe is lost I tells ya, our World no longer able to go where no one has gone before. Mind you the Channel might be a bit of a push at this rate for the fleet.

      • It’s all a rouse Spy the Enterprise isn’t disapearing, the MOD, has reversed engineered a klingon bird of Prey Cloaking device which will be used in the Channel too suddenly appear to stop IIs

  10. Scrap the bit of the Royal Navy that actually makes money…..genius!!!

    And of top of that the 2 MROSS vessels will have to also replace Scott, Echo and Enterprise…..sounds like a reduction in capability to me.

  12. Is it not worth stripping this ship, they’re not too old? Put a Lynx sized hangar on her, add a 40/57mm forward, maybe 6-12 CAMM and you’ve got yourself another cheapo patrol ship? Maybe gift to Ukraine if we don’t want them?
    These ships look a bit like the BMT Venari 85 concept vessel.

    • Sorry old bean but they are not in anyway like a patrol vessel, and were built for their role. The cost of trying to rebuild her into something they were not meant for would come close to building a new one if not more. They will get buyers easily enough and be gone this year as other navies still do such the old way. RN has moved forward with high tech going to undertake the role and the Hydro Service will continue to provide what it needs to for the Fleet Ops and other mariners.

      • Love the “old bean” tag, haven’t heard that term for ages. Just seems a waste. Not sure how old the River B1s are in comparison, but couldn’t these be utilised by the coast guard or border force. Anyway if they get a few pounds
        selling this then at least that’s something.

    • Yes, you try right. They still look very useful, functional and adaptable. At least this time they’re got the two new MROSS ships first before disposing of these!

  13. Just 20 years of service? In the army that would be considered to be in the ‘first flush of youth’!

  14. The question is will the replacement ships be in place BEFORE Enterprise is decommissioned? With the current state of the world would it not be prudent to not only keep Enterprise in commission AND recommission Echo, as it seems to me that two ships are not nearly enough to protect our strategic underwater infrastructure

  16. Pity. They are useful ships. The hull form and powerful sonar I’m sure could have had alternative applications.

    • Looks like it might be the Virginia’s over the Astute’s. It could all be wrong too as how does anyone in the media truly know? Didn’t think the US had space for any more subs. Hope the UK hasn’t lost out.

  18. Why RN so quick to decommission, this ship could easily be deployed for the channel crisis before it gets even worse!

    • Andy, you’re 1mm out “ol chap”… but we don’t have any 76mm’s left in the sheds. I was thinking the same, use it for them down around in the Falklands. Wish they’d kept the Clyde too.

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