HMS Trent (P224)

HMS Trent is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, named after the River Trent. This is the sixth Royal Navy ship named Trent. She is the third Batch 2 River-class vessel to be commissioned and is forward deployed long-term to Gibraltar.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Trent.

HMS Trent entering Portsmouth for the first time
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Trent
OperatorRoyal Navy
OrderedAugust 2014
BuilderBAE Systems Naval Ships
Laid down7 October 2015 (Steel cut)
Launched20 March 2018
Sponsored byPamela Potts
Christened13 March 2018
Commissioned3 August 2020
HomeportHMNB Portsmouth[1]
Identification
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeBatch 2 River-class patrol vessel
Displacement2,000 tonnes
Length90.5 m (296 ft 11 in)[2]
Beam13 m (42 ft 8 in)
Draught3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi)
Endurance35 days
Boats & landing
craft carried		Two rigid inflatable boats
Capacity70
Complement34
Armament
Aircraft carriedMerlin capable flight deck

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.

Steel was cut, marking the start of construction of Trent, on 7 October 2015 at the BAE Systems Govan shipyard in Glasgow. Trent was officially named – the equivalent to a traditional slipway launch – on the south bank of the Clyde at BAE's Govan yard on 13 March 2018, completing her first sea trials in June the following year.[3] She made her first entry into Portsmouth Harbour on 19 December 2019.[4]

Operational history

She was commissioned on 3 August 2020[5][6] and deployed to the Mediterranean for NATO Operation Sea Guardian, before returning to the UK in September. The 2021 defence white paper announced that HMS Trent would be permanently based at Gibraltar as part of the Gibraltar Squadron for operations in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Gulf of Guinea.[7][8] Trent arrived at Gibraltar in April 2021.[9]

References
  1. "River class". Royal Navy. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. "Work begins on third Royal Navy Patrol Vessel". GOV.UK. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  3. "HMS TRENT COMPLETES SEA TRIALS". Royal Navy.
  4. "Early Christmas Presence as HMS Trent Debuts in Portsmouth". Royal Navy.
  5. "HMS Trent departs on her first deployment" (Press release). Royal Navy. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  6. "HMS Trent Commissioned Into Royal Navy In Portsmouth". Forces News. Portsmouth. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  7. "What the 2021 Integrated Review means to the Royal Navy ?". 23 March 2021.
  8. "HMS Trent leaves Portsmouth as she heads to her new role in the Mediterranean".
  9. "HMS Trent arrives in Gibraltar, its new operating base".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.