RFA Stirling Castle will act as an offshore forward operating base, deploying Mine Countermeasures Maritime Autonomous Systems (MCM MAS), drones and other crewless systems “to find and neutralise sea mines and other seabed threats”.
RFA Stirling Castle, previously the MV Island Crown, arrived in Plymouth earlier this year and is presently undergoing maintenance work to prepare for its integration into the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s front-line operations.
Acquired from Island Offshore, the ship is presently located in Devonport, where it is undergoing minor conversion efforts, primarily focused on the integration of military communication systems. The vessel is expected to be transferred to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary later this year.
Head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Commodore David Eagles, was quoted as saying:
“The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is excited and honoured to be charged with bringing this impressive new vessel into service. We are looking forward to working alongside our Royal Navy colleagues to roll out this new MCM capability which will provide enhanced operational resilience to the continued preservation and safeguarding of the Nation’s Territorial Waters and sea lanes. The introduction into service of RFA Stirling Castle will also provide opportunities to both upskill RFA personnel and to pilot a more flexible appointing model for our seafaring workforce.”
Based at His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the 96.8 metres long vessel will work side-by-side with autonomous mine-hunting systems already operated by the Royal Navy out of Faslane under Project Wilton.
Defence Procurement Minister, Alex Chalk KC, was quoted in a news release as saying:
“This is another significant step forward in the modernisation of Royal Navy capabilities and use of autonomous systems to complement our crewed fleet. This vessel will play a crucial role in the detection of undersea threats, keeping our personnel out of harm’s way while they conduct vital operations.”
Operated by specialist teams on board, the Royal Navy say that “these innovative systems will allow the Royal Navy to protect UK waters, also providing support to the North Atlantic and European waters if required”.
Commodore Steve Prest, Director Navy Acquisition, said:
“The delivery of this ship is an important step in the Navy’s transformation to conducting mine countermeasures using distributed offboard systems-of-systems. The ship will be used to extend the range of our Maritime Autonomous Systems from coastal waters to conducting offshore survey operations in Defence of the homeland.”
The uncrewed systems will include the joint French-UK Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) system, the Combined Influence Sweep (SWEEP) system and Medium Underwater Autonomous Vehicles (MAUVs). The purchase of the £40m ship was carried out by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the MOD, and the ship is intended to enter service in Spring 2023.
Will all future lead ships will have to be named Scottish to keep them happy? That being said… Stirling Castle is underrated, if you’ve not been, give it a go. A compact and imposing fortress, well cared for.
If they are I vote for HMS BigBaws,
HMS Stitch that ya bas!
HMS Get it right up ya
😝
Yeah, all calls for independence have been added becuse two classes in the Royal Navy have Scottish place names 😀
Lead ships, specifically. And three technically: Argyll, Glasgow, Stirling Castle. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Scots and they have a strong heritage in the British Armed Forces, but one cannot help but notice a pattern. Similar comments were made I believe regarding the names of QE and POW, from a royalist perspective. I’ll be keen to see how FSS turns out. There are three major contenders for names I think; Leaf, Ness and Fort, the latter two (especially Ness) might contribute to the pattern.
Obviously Boaty McBoatface does not count because it’s not the the navy or RFA. 😀
its called that as its controlled by the English, just keeps the Money Laundering SNP on there accounts toes
Nice name for a ship. These could turn into a class of ships. The castle class, again.
I see HMS enterprise name is free again. It’s a real nice name for a ship.
I’ve read that is indeed the plan. The Castle Class. Of 4 vessels, one of which will be in the Gulf.
Four vessels?
Yes, so I read. Thought it was on Navy Lookout, unsure.
🤞🤞🤞🤞please let that be true.
Well it would be a likely number for the systems we already have plus the ones to come we’re procuring with the French. I per HMNB if necessary plus 1 deployed.
Good Morning Daniele. Long time my friend. The ship is due to enter service in Spring 2023. Isn’t it already Spring in the UK? Exciting times for the RN with this new venture but I still wonder if, on balance this is a great leap forward. The RN loses the secondary roles of traditional MCM ships and has not their flexibility been compromised? 14 manned minesweepers can be in 14 locations simultaneously whereas only 4 groups can be assembled with only 4 mother ships, albeit much more capable in a larger regional area. Also I should imagine the Mother Ship… Read more »
Totally, need more MCM “mother shops” or dedicated support vessels. Not sure how much the T26 can also do in this role or if this will maybe more for the T32s to come. There are some nice role variations of the T31 base design, including MCM. And is this capability something that should added to the upcoming T31s?
I thought these motherships were for sanitising the access and exit routes for nuclear subs, clearing sea lanes close to major ports and naval bases and protecting our offshore infrastructure. Seems a bigger job then 4-5 motherships can provide and hence why type 32 was originally intended to have a MCM role as a mothership as well.
The hull numbers do trouble me. Doesn’t seem to be an adequate capacity being planned for here.
And Good Morning to you my friend! Yes, it is spring now, the garden is looking lovely and the birds singing is fantastic.
I share your concerns. I did make a post a while back on some of the pros and cons as I see them, especially the secondary roles.
There are still elements of this new tech that remain manned, though your mother vessel comment being a target is an interesting point? Assume as with current MCMV ships the threat environment is taken into account and there would be an escort of some kind?
Hi DM
Hope you’re enjoying your English spring! I think it would be useful to add modular mcm equipment to the River call OPVs – in a secondary role. A useful force multiplier in a crisis.
Loving it mate, gardens coming along nicely.
I guess so, I’m not up on this sort of thing.
👌
morning Geoff, winter is around the corner- grrrr! I think it would be useful to add modular mcm equipment to the River call OPVs – in a secondary role. A useful force multiplier in a crisis.
Howsit Klonkie. Indeed and as you know, KZN winters in particular are the best in the world and probably warmer than NZ Summers 😀 but then we have other Cross’s to bear!
Very good idea re spreading the MCM mother ship capacity and the OPV ‘s would be perfect
Good one Geoff – enjoy the balmy weather!
I think HMS DEFIANT a really good for her.
In other words do not mess about with this ship.
Hello Derek. Defiant would certainly have been the name of one of the 6 cancelled type 45’s but in general the RN seems to retain these more aggresive names for the top end of the fleet
Systems-of-systems? I see nothing has changed since I left the mob (RN). The flags are still talking rubbish nonsense.
System of systems…Well understood WE Dept term. Individual systems are combined to provide an overarching system capability