HMS Forth, a Batch 2 River class patrol vessel, set sail on Friday morning for the Falkland Islands to relieve HMS Clyde, a Batch 1 River class patrol vessel.

The Royal Navy say that it will be a number of years before the vessel herself returns, while her crews will rotate between the UK and South Atlantic.

The Batch 2 ships are fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the longer 90.5 metres long hull, a higher top speed of 24 knots, a Merlin-capable flight deck, a greater displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating personnel.

The Batch 2 ships therefore arguably represent a distinctly separate class to the preceding Batch 1 in everything but name.

Forth was commissioned into the Royal Navy in April 2018, following a ceremony at Portsmouth. However in June 2018 it was announced Forth would be entering dry dock for major rectification work likely to take more than three months. The Royal Navy reactivated HMS Tyne to cover planned patrols by Forth, with BAE Systems covering the additional costs.

Anderson Smith, BAE Commercial Director – Naval Ships, said at the time:

“There were a lot of minor defects and we hold our hands up to that the OPV programme was about the regeneration of shipbuilding capability on the Clyde In due course we can look back at it the positives, although it doesn’t feel like it at the minute if I’m looking at it from either a customer or a sales perspective, it found we had some shortfalls in some of our processes. We have now fixed them.”

The vessel is now fully capable of undertaking this deployment.

HMS Forth also recently monitored the Russian warship ‘Vasily Bykov’ through the English Channel and Dover Strait.

We also reported last year that Brazil is to take over HMS Clyde when the Offshore Patrol Vessel leaves Royal Navy service.

Local media have since reported that Rear Admiral Amaury Calheiros Boite confirmed that the Brazilian Navy has been in talks with the Royal Navy and BAE Systems to take over the lease of HMS Clyde when it expires at the end of 2019.

HMS Clyde is part of the Royal Navy’s Fishery Protection Squadron. The Offshore Patrol Vessel was designed and built by BAE Systems and is leased and operated by the Royal Navy, while the company provides maintenance and logistical support to the vessel.

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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42 COMMENTS

  3. “Thank you for the support of everyone who made this happen, supabond, gorilla glue and bostick, many thanks” ………….sorry couldn’t resist!

  5. Although it is true that the Batch 2’s h thet ave a number of upgrades it must be remembered the Clyde was a one off from the Batch 1’s already incorporating some of the upgrades in the Batch 2’s i.e. extended deck to accommodate Helicopters, larger ship than her sisters(2000 tons) and a 30mm Oerlikon as opposed to the 20mm fitted to the first three Batch 1’s

          • There is probably a lesson there somewhere! England looked unbeatable against NZ last week and got a thumping this week. Doesn’t matter how well prepared you are ….it’s all about the day. Time & Tide!

          • Yeah! And South Africa had nothing to lose and everything to gain, England had it all to lose, maybe that fact had a play in the game.

          • Yes the lesson is don’t knock one of your key players out cold….it’s not big and it’s not clever.

          • England was pretty much outclassed. We have a great selection of players, but today, RSA were the better team. But I have heard the loss will be debated in Parliament and, after a new law was passed in under an hour, there will be another game, but with the option of England having re-match after re-match until the right result is found. However the ref will be a member of the SNP and team coaches have been replaced by a selection of Lib dem MPs with Corbyn on the touchline! Shit this could take some time……”come on England”……..bugger!

          • Win or lose, right or wrong, we seem to have lost losers consent, and therefore we have lost democracy. Democracy seems to be a game to many. Right, off to watch the game again, hopefully different result this time.

          • Just a reminder; this country is not a direct democracy…have you got that one…I know that it is a difficult concept for some; but there it is! Anyhow, I think Boris will walk home with a Conservative majority…so all your fears should be allayed! Hurrah for a crap future…with a ‘fuck – Britain -up-the-arse’ trade deal with Trump! You intellectual sorts are so spot on!

          • Wow H lighten up, I’ve been pretty chilled and relaxed in our dealings. But alas here we go again, that reply has showed you to be a pretty aggressive and to be a possible very sore loser, which is an unfortunate trait we have seen with many remainers. And the election is not a given, and no matter who wins over half the country will not be happy, so we will stay divided and polarised, so no change there! You just need to stop getting on your high horse, and as we are back to normal, please answer those 3 easy questions I set you a number of weeks ago. And your presumption about my voting preference does make me laugh, so stop gnashing those chatters pal, cheers.

  6. Wouldn’t it have been better to keep Clyde in its role and use the B2s elsewhere? Is Clyde that knackered?

    A precious asset has been tied down when it could be used elsewhere.

    • From what I have read its at the end (or beginning) of its maintenance cycle – plus being leased it basically means the costs of a planned overhaul and its future fate lies with the leasers.The RN id guess is in an ideal situation as its a take it or leave it scenario,if it wants to extend the lease id guess it can,if not it walks away and Clyde is moved on to Brasil or whoever.

        • It’s likely that she is in a fairly well maintained state, given that she is built for and operated in an extreme environment. Like the other Rivers, she achieves a fantastic amount of ‘at sea’ time when compared to other assets.

          I think it more boils down to a couple of factors. Clyde is a unique ship – she’s not a batch 1 or a batch 2. We should seek to move away from individual, novel vessels. Secondly, she is built for specifically that environment/role and while she could be operated in UK waters, some might argue it as being overkill. I’d see it as an asset, but hey-ho.

          The biggest factor is that she is leased and the RN has just managed to more than double its OPV fleet. If the B1’s hadn’t of been retained then I would argue for Clyde to be kept, but with their retention I’m happy for Clyde to go. The current projected fleet of 8 OPVs is much better and offers greater flexibilities than the projection of 5 from a few years ago. The money saved from buying/leasing Clyde could go to further OPV improvements, such as looking into drones or martlet systems.

          ANyway, I share the hope that these ships can ease the pressure on the escort fleet. I have always argued that they should be based in the Caribbean to aid in drug/hurricane patrols as well as from Gibraltar – not to counter Spanish incursions but to bolster our presence in the region.

          • Thanks as always Lusty.

            Agree. I would like the B2’s used far and wide and even forward based.

    • I bet HMS Clyde will sail with the Brazilian Navy for decades more. I don’t get why the RN sells off ships that have lots of life left, Ok but I do know RN ships are worked harder than most nations ships but still couldn’t we keep more Royal Navy and especially RFA ships active that otherwise are being sold off!??

      • I believe the RN and wider armed forces have higher standards than many Cam. What is worn out for us is an asset for others. Like the 22’s with Romania and 23’s with Chile, though they are newer.

        And with our many ultra expensive systems to pay for they want to avoid high maintenance costs keeping worn out assets. Just my opinion and I may be wide of the mark.

        But that is for wider numbers of assets, I was only considering the case of Clyde and “wasting” a new ship for that role that I would like to see used in the Caribbean or Med, as Lusty mentioned.

    • Maybe we’ll lease it to the Scots as it’ll be the only ship in their joint European Navy……for about £50 million a year…??

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