| HMS Spey (P234) | |
|---|---|
 HMS Spey during its sea trials in 2020 | |
| Career (United Kingdom) |  |
| Name: | HMS Spey |
| Operator: | Royal Navy |
| Ordered: | 8 December 2016 |
| Builder: | BAE Systems Naval Ships |
| Laid down: | 21 April 2017 (1st steel cut) |
| Launched: | 19 June 2019 |
| Sponsored by: | Lady Alison Johnstone |
| Christened: | 3 October 2019 |
| Commissioned: | 18 June 2021 |
| Homeport: | HMNB Portsmouth |
| Identification: | Pennant number: P234 |
| Status: | Active[1] |
| Badge: | File:HMS Spey badge.svg |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Batch 2 River-class patrol vessel |
| Displacement: | 2,000 tonnes |
| Length: | 90.5 m (296 ft 11 in)[2] |
| Beam: | 13 m (42 ft 8 in) |
| Draught: | 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Speed: | 25 kn (46 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) |
| Endurance: | 35 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | Two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) |
| Capacity: | 70 |
| Complement: | 34 |
| Armament: |
|
| Aircraft carried: | Merlin capable flight deck |
HMS Spey is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy. Named after the River Spey in Scotland, she is the eighth Royal Navy ship to be named Spey and is the fifth Batch 2 River-class vessel to commission.
Construction[]
On 6 November 2013 it was announced that the Royal Navy had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River-class design, at a fixed price of £348 million including spares and support. In August 2014, BAE Systems signed the contract to build the ships on the Clyde in Scotland. The Ministry of Defence stated that the Batch 2 ships are capable of being used for constabulary duties such as "counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations". According to BAE Systems, the vessels are designed to deploy globally, conducting anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling tasks currently conducted by frigates and destroyers. A £287m order, for two further ships, Tamar and Spey, and support for all five Batch 2 ships, was announced on 8 December 2016.[3]
Batch 2 ships such as Spey include some 29 modifications and enhancements over the Amazonas-class corvette built by BAE Systems for the Brazilian Navy.[4] Tamar and Spey have further modifications such as carbon dioxide reducing catalytic converters.[5]
HMS Spey at the Scotstoun dock, on its naming day.
Spey was formally named on 3 October 2019.[6] She began contractor sea trials in September 2020,[7] and after they were completed, left the Clyde on 28 October for the delivery voyage to Portsmouth.[8]
Operational History[]
On 7 January 2021, HMS Spey was handed over to the Royal Navy in Portsmouth. In late spring 2021, Spey received ‘Dazzle’ camouflage in Falmouth in preparation for deploying to the Indo-Pacific region with sister ship Tamar.[9] HMS Spey was commissioned into the Royal Navy at her affiliated town, Invergordon on 18 June 2021.[10]
References[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/HMS_Spey[bare URL]
- ↑ "Work begins on third Royal Navy Patrol Vessel". GOV.UK. 2015-10-07. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work-begins-on-third-royal-navy-patrol-vessel.
- ↑ de Larrinaga, Nicholas (9 December 2016). "UK orders two more River-class OPVs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. http://www.janes.com/article/66106/uk-orders-two-more-river-class-opvs.
- ↑ "Patrol Craft:Written question - 210211 - UK Parliament". United Kingdom Parliament. http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-13/210211/.
- ↑ "British Navy HMS Spey River-class offshore patrol vessel debuts at sea". https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/september/9010-british-navy-hms-spey-river-class-offshore-patrol-vessel-debuts-at-sea.html.
- ↑ "British Navy HMS Spey Offshore Patrol Vessel joins Portsmouth Naval Base". http://navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/october/9204-british-navy-hms-spey-offshore-patrol-vessel-joins-portsmouth-naval-base.html.
- ↑ "White Ensign Raised as HMS Spey joins the Royal Navy". Royal Navy. 8 January 2021. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2021/january/08/20210107-spey-ensign.
- ↑ Archus, Dorian. "The Royal Navy commissions 5th and final Batch II River Class OPV HMS Spey - Naval Post" (in en-US). https://navalpost.com/the-royal-navy-commissions-hms-spey/.
External links[]
- Official website
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The original article can be found at HMS Spey (P234) and the edit history here.