Scimitar-class patrol vessel

The Scimitar class were a class of fast patrol boat formerly in service with the British Royal Navy.

HMS Sabre, 2011
Class overview
BuildersHalmatic
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byArcher class
Succeeded byCutlass class
In commission2003–2022
Retired2
General characteristics
TypePatrol boat
Displacement24 tonnes (24 long tons)
Length16 m (52 ft 6 in)
Beam3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
Draught1.2 m (3 ft 11 in)
Propulsion2 × MAN 2480LXE diesels, 2 shafts
Speed32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range260 nmi (480 km; 300 mi) at 19 kn (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement5 (1 officer, 4 ratings)
Sensors and
processing systems
Racal-Decca Bridgemaster 360, I band navigation radar
Armament2 × General purpose machine guns (stern-mounted)

The two vessels of this class were of a commercial design known as the Lifespan Patrol Vessel built by Halmatic (now BAE Systems Surface Ships), and formerly served in an inshore waterways anti-terrorist role in Northern Ireland. They were acquired for the Royal Navy in 2003 for service with the Gibraltar Squadron, releasing two Archer-class boats that had filled this role for service with the Cyprus Squadron.[1]

With the decommissioning of the survey launch HMS Gleaner in February 2018, the two Scimitar-class boats became the smallest commissioned vessels in the Royal Navy.[2] The two vessels were returned to the U.K. from Gibraltar in 2020, having been replaced there by two Archer-class boats, but were reported as still operational in Portsmouth at the end of 2020. Both vessels were decommissioned in a joint ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on 30 March 2022.[3]

Vessels in the class

Name Pennant number Builder Commissioned Decommissioned Status
Scimitar
(ex-MV Grey Fox)
P284 Halmatic Ltd, Portsmouth 31 January 2003 30 March 2022 Awaiting disposal
Sabre
(ex-MV Grey Wolf)
P285 Halmatic Ltd, Southampton Awaiting disposal

See also

References

  1. "Patrol Boats - Scimitar class". Royal Navy. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  2. "Royal Navy decommissions inshore survey vessel HMS Gleaner". Naval Today. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. @HmsSabre (30 March 2022). "A bittersweet afternoon as HM Ships Scimitar and Sabre lower the White Ensign for the last time" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 April 2022 via Twitter.
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