Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tamar extended the hand of friendship to ‘the friendly islands’ when she paid her first to Tonga.
The latest leg of the Portsmouth-based warship’s Pacific patrol took her to the island chain to underscore ties between Britain and the Commonwealth kingdom.
The UK has long-standing ties with the archipelago – legendary Royal Navy explorer Captain James Cook famously labelled the chain ‘the friendly islands’ for the warm reception he received 250 years ago.
“Much more recently, Tamar’s sister ship HMS Spey – also patrolling the Pacific – was on hand to deliver aid and assistance to Tonga in the wake of the January 2022 Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami. Tamar’s Pacific odyssey – she’s been in the region for two and a half years – had not brought her to Tonga until now.
Barely had she arrived in the capital Nuku’alofa than she was hosting Tongan royalty: their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess who visited twice, the second occasion accompanied by Tonga’s Princess Royal and her husband Lord Tuita plus island dignitaries and civilian and military leaders for a demonstration of what the River-class ship and her crew can do, as well as traditional RN hospitality with a flight deck reception.
Strengthening the UK-Tonga partnership, Tamar hosted members of Tonga’s Legislative Assembly and regional Commonwealth partners and opened her gangway to Women in Uniform and school groups, furthering efforts to uplift and inspire marginalised and underrepresented groups.”
Underline not underscore
What an amazing job the Rivers are doing in the Indo-Pacific.
Considering the controversy about how the River B2s came to be, I think it is safe to say that the are doing a hell of a job in all the places they are stationed.
Missing Their family chugging around on pointless journeys to far flung places nobody cares about . but its good p.r
You don’t do defence diplomacy or soft power do you mate.😉
I’m pretty sure they are loving it..you’d don’t join the navy to sit in pompy.
🏄🤟
In many ways I agree, the batch2s are doing a good job. All I wish is that we could give them a bit more teeth. For example either keep the 30mm but with the LMM fitting or replace the 30mm with a 40mm forward with two 30mm midships, port/starb. Then add either two containers or two extensions that become container sized hangers 10ft by 30 ft for two possibly three S-100 RUAVs with a single control postion. Possibly replace the crane with 2 x 6 brimestone launchers and two sets of light wieght soft kill decoy systems forward. It might… Read more »
The danger with over arming a vessel like this, is that you are then tempted to deploy them into situations they aren’t up to.
Do we know why the RN has opted for Bofors 57mm over the ubiquitous Oto Malera 76mm on Tyoe 31? I’d have thought 76mm offers much better range of ammunition types?
Agree with you on “Mini Corvette” but I should think that 40mm and UAVs still falls firmly into OPV category.
It might be that the RN really wanted the 40mm, as it does seem the best option, and Bofors told them to get both or get stuffed. The 57 also offers a higher weight of fire that could be useful for swarms but is much more limited in range and as you say in the range of ammunition types.
I do think there could be some interesting things done with the Rivers. I often wonder how often the crane is an absolute necessity where if the Rivers didn’t have it there would have been no way to load or unload using port facilities or even hiring something portable locally capable of lifting whatever was required on or off the deck. If the crane isn’t 100% necessary then perhaps a fairly simple enhancement if a Batch 3 were ever to happen might be to replace the crane housing and open deck either side of it with full beam superstructure aft… Read more »
When the River 1s leave service I would build an additional 5 River 2.1s enhanced along the lines you suggest. 40mm, 2x30mm, Thales radar. But I would favour a different systems balance. I would keep the crane so it can launch USVs and UUVs and continue the diplomatic/ humanitarian / presence emphasis. Carry a containerised S-100 for constabulary surveillance. Embark a Wildcat when you need offensive capability.
Yes please. A well balanced light armament for a credible self defence without being seen as Frigate-y by those ignoramuses welding the purse. In the short term surely adding the ability to bolt on a Martlet pack on the 30mm should be considered? The crane should definitely be retained as a weapon for humane action. There was a picture on this site some months back showing a River unloading some “stuff”, aid or whatever on to a jetty in a remote location far from any mobile cranes and I thought at the time what a great asset it was. The… Read more »
Yes, I agree; a pair of LMM launchers / panniers would be an appropriate and desirable addition.
Wave the flag, there’s f***. All else to do out there
Except get sunburn
You clearly don’t remember HMS Spey’s visit to Tonga a couple of years ago.
Could one visit London?
HMS Tamar visited London in 2020 and moored up alongside HMS Belfast. Medway was at DSEI in 2019. I’d guess the best chance you have of seeing a River class in London these days would be a Batch1.
Hi folks hope all is well.
Good job too. Interestingly I was looking at the size of these OPVs batch 2 and was amazed at how big they are comparing with the average of a Second World War British frigate, the current OPVs appear to be a very capable ship indeed.
Cheers
George
I was recently reading up on a bit of history around the pacific islands and blackbirding…it was not something I knew a lot about…but it’s a fascinating bit of the darker side of imperial history… Basically blackbirding as the practice of raiding a south sea island and forcefully stealing all the people of working age..sticking them on a ship and then selling them to sheep stations in Australia as essentially slave workers…what is really dark is the hight of this trade was from the mid 19c to early 20c ending in 1904 when the Australian commonwealth decided it was going… Read more »
Gotta say, back in the day they’d have had to drag me kicking and screaming of those boats once my draft was up. I understand they work their butts off, but drafted to the far East/Pacific, a year or three be Awesome 😎. Just what I signed up for.
I expect these days crews rotate by air, so they get home frequently.
The batch 2 Rivers remind me of Hylda Baker. I think one one of her catch phrases was ‘be seen’ :-).
They do a valuable job and I have been quite a few posts arguing for another batch of 2 or 3. In anticipation of more contact with Chinese trawlers perhaps?
Maldives have just been bought politically, by the Chinese; who are want to do so again with other islands.
How useful are these jaunts?
Interesting. The Maldives are one of the least populated and lowest lying countries in the world. Wiki has the highest point as 2.4m above sea level. I feel a new Chinese concrete airstrip coming on…..
Indians kicked out and Chinese have taken over the facilities…