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HMS Charger (P292)
H M S "Charger" (1) - geograph.org.uk - 189540
HMS Charger at Bangor in 2006
Career (UK) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom
Name: HMS Charger
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Watercraft Limited, Shoreham-by-Sea
Vosper Thornycroft
Launched: 1986
Commissioned: 1988
Homeport: Liverpool
Status: in active service, as of 2025
General characteristics
Class & type: Archer class patrol vessel
Displacement: 54 long ton
Length: 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in)
Beam: 5.8 m (19 ft)
Draught: 1.9 m (6 ft 2 in)
Propulsion: 2 shafts, Rolls Royce M800T diesels, 1,590 bhp
Speed: 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Range: 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi)
Complement: 5 (RN), 1 training officer (RNR), 12 students (URNU) or 12 (RN)
Sensors and
processing systems:
Decca 1216 navigation radar
Armament: 3 × 7.62 mm L7 GPMG (Cyprus Sqn.) (can be fitted with 20 mm cannon on fo'c'sle)

HMS Charger (P292) is an Archer-class patrol vessel built by Watercraft Limited, Shoreham-by-Sea and fitted out at Vosper Thornycroft. She is just over 20 metres long and 5.8 metres wide and powered by two Rolls-Royce turbo engines. The ship is based at the Royal Naval Headquarters (Merseyside) in Liverpool and was commissioned in 1988.[1] She has five full time RN crew, and sails with an RNR training officer and a maximum complement of 12 students. She is attached to the Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit.

Liverpool URNU[]

Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit (Liverpool URNU) is one of 14 URNUs in the country, and the oldest after the disbanding of Aberdeen URNU. The aim of the URNU is to 'provide high-quality sea training experiences to undergraduates from universities, developing seamanship, teambuilding and leadership skills in a maritime environment.' [2] Liverpool URNU recruits undergraduates from the Universities of Liverpool, Lancaster and John Moores. Over 50 students attend drill evenings and other activities ashore.[3]

Sea-time[]

Sea time is combined with time aboard HMS Charger at weekends, when she visits local ports such as Holyhead, Douglas, Preston, Fleetwood, Barrow-in-Furness, Salford, Ellesmere Port, Maryport and Whitehaven and deployments during the Easter and Summer holidays when she visits ports around the UK and Northern Europe. In 2011 Charger deployed to the Baltic, visiting ports in Belgium, Holland, Germany and Denmark and transiting both the Caledonian and Kiel Canals. The ship is affiliated to the Cumbrian town of Maryport and regularly visits the town during deployments and for Remembrance Day ceremonies.

In 2012, the ships frequent visits to Preston resulted in the ship being formally adopted by the people of Preston.[4] In 2013, HMS Charger, became the first Royal Navy vessel in the 21st century to make the journey up the River Weaver to Northwich.[5] HMS Charger flies the White Ensign at events such as the Liverpool Spring on the Waterfront, the Mersey River Festival, the Whitehaven Festival, the Northern Ireland International Airshow, the start of the 2007 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and the Honda Powerboat Championships.

Affiliations[]

  • City of Preston, Lancashire
  • Town of Maryport
  • HMS Liverpool
  • HMS Astute
  • HMS Eaglet
  • Liverpool University
  • Liverpool John Moores University
  • Lancaster University
  • Sandbach School[6]
  • Merchant Taylors' School
  • TS Tuscan
  • TS Caesar

External links[]

References[]



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