The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Tyne has arrived at HMNB Clyde after a demanding year that has already seen her log more than 32,000 nautical miles – the equivalent of one and a half circumnavigations of the globe – without straying far from UK waters.
The Portsmouth-based ship, one of three first-generation River-class vessels still in service, has spent over 3,500 hours at sea in 2025, frequently tasked with monitoring ships and submarines transiting the Channel and the UK’s wider area of responsibility.
Her work has also included less-publicised missions supporting the survey of critical national maritime infrastructure.
In recent months, Tyne has served as a platform for Mine and Diving Threat Exploitation Group teams deploying autonomous underwater vehicles for detailed seabed assessments, as well as for Puma unmanned aircraft flights to extend her surveillance reach.
“River-class ships deliver week-in, week-out, across an array of tasking: homeland defence, supporting mine warfare and diving teams in underwater exploitation, to delivering future sailors and officers to the fleet through a multitude of training,” said Lieutenant Bailey Denyer, the ship’s operations officer.
When not engaged in front-line patrols, Tyne is used for intensive training, from basic seamanship for officer cadets to advanced navigation courses for future commanders of Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. Sub Lieutenant Paul Clark, currently undergoing specialist training aboard, said the ship’s tempo and variety of tasking offered “a clear insight of what to expect” in future roles.
Tyne’s duties this year have also included port visits in Northern Ireland, support for events in the Isle of Wight, and participation in the Shetland Islands’ commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe alongside the Royal Norwegian Navy.
We could do with a batch 3 of 5 vessels. These have really delivered value
It’s a no brainer, we need another batch to replace the B1s, perhaps as you say another 5 to even replace the current B2s in their role and bring them back for UK/NATO tasking.
Agreed, although I’d settle for a 1-1 replacement of the B1’s. A bronze solution would be a very similar design to the B1’s with no added capability, but if a landing pad and hangar could be added you might even bring 3 B2’s home like Smithy suggested.
I’d like to see a B3, with a hanger, not neccessarily for Merlin, as we are a tad short of them (or will be when T26/31 come on line) but maybe Wildcat as a permanant fixture. I reckon the Rivers have been a mighty success despite all the arguments.
Very much agreed they are a success. I doubt they’ll have a permanent Wildcat but the option would be good, and maybe we’ll get some UAV’s with Helicopter like endurance, so a hangar gives options (granted the B2’s could in theory have a containerised hangar for UAV’s too).
Everyones profile is the same, there seems to be an issue.
OK, scratch that, George explained the issue.
32k nm in one year for 1 ship, wow!
how many crews per ship?
That was my yearly total on motorbikes up to recently.
Roughly 600 miles per week, 85 miles per day. I guess that’s what a Patrol Vessel is built to do.
yes but it says it didn’t stray from UK waters, so doing 32kn in the Channel is a lot of circles
and there are 8 River Class OPV, so it’s a lot for just one boat. it’s not like OPV are going sub hunting in the GIUK gap
I was giving a comparrison figure just as some sort of yardstick. A daily commute to work of 80 miles is not that high, allthough I’d not like the fuel bill each week !
In fairness: https ://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/chart-images/eez-map-2020.png
UK waters are quite large. (third times a charm)