The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that funding has been allocated to replace HMS Protector, the Royal Navy’s ice patrol ship, but says the timeline for delivering a successor depends on a procurement method that has not yet been decided.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked by when the department plans to replace the ship, referencing paragraph 52 of the Defence Investment Plan. Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard replied on 8 July: “The Defence Investment Plan has allocated funding to replace HMS Protector but the exact timeline for this replacement is subject to further work. This will depend on the method of procurement which is yet to be decided.”
HMS Protector is the Royal Navy’s ice patrol ship, operating primarily in the Antarctic in support of the British Antarctic Survey and the UK’s obligations under the Antarctic Treaty, providing hydrographic survey work and a British naval presence in the region during the southern hemisphere summer.
The vessel was bought in 2011 as an interim solution, a converted Norwegian-built icebreaker originally named Polarbjørn, after the previous ice patrol ship, HMS Endurance, was seriously damaged by flooding in 2008 and later scrapped.
Surely another STUFT type?
This is an area of greatest need – the opening of the Arctic and American comments about defending the area suggests that one extra at least will also be needed for the Arctic.
Yup, It’s a new Cold War we are seeing at both ends !
Sounds like they’re deciding whether to go purpose-built, or a merchant conversion.
If we decide to go purpose-built, perhaps a small hangar/support facility might be useful for various small remotely-operated vehicles used in ecological surveying. Obviously, I don’t think it needs anything more than small arms for defence.
Why not a pair of ships? One for north, one for south patrols? Would something like the Canadian Harry de Wolf AOPV be okay for the UKs needs? And is hangered.