HMS Magpie is the newest addition to the RN’s hydrographic squadron, commissioned in June 2018 to replace veteran survey launch HMS Gleaner. Here we examine this small and unusual vessel in detail.
Survey vessel, HMS Echo arrived in Portsmouth on 29 March. For the last few weeks she has been de-storing and has now joined RFA Wave Knight laid up in the non-tidal basin. She has not been decommissioned but her future is undecided. Here we look at why the RN will, at least temporarily, make do without another ship.
With no replacement in sight, the MoD has confirmed that HMS Scott will remain in service slightly longer than planned and is now scheduled to be withdrawn next year instead of in 2022.
Antarctic patrol ship HMS Protector has sailed to within 1,050 kilometres of the North Pole during her first patrol of the Arctic. Only the RN’s nuclear submarines surfacing in the ice have got closer.
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Amongst the announcements about naval construction made in November 2020, the Prime Minister stated the intention to build new “multi-role research vessels”. No further detail about these ships has been given, although more may emerge when the Integrated Review is published. Here we look at the background to this project. More
HMS Echo and HMS Enterprise are the Royal Navy’s hydrographic oceanographic survey vessels (SVHO). Designed to survey both coastal and ocean waters, they have also proved flexible and adaptable to a variety of other roles. Here we look at the history, design and service life of these two ships.
HMS Scott is the Royal Navy’s Ocean Survey vessel. Although the 5th largest ship in the RN fleet, she maintains a relatively low profile, spending long periods at sea on her primary duty, mapping the bottom of the world’s oceans. Here we look at the history, design and role of the ship.
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After 4 years away from the UK, HMS Protector returned to Devonport on 25th April 2019. Here we look at the history of Antarctic Patrol Ships, Protector and her role in supporting UK interests and global science in the region.
Despite pioneering an unmanned mine-hunting system used in the Gulf War as far back as 2003, the RN has since made very little progress in deploying Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) operationally. There has been a recent increase in development initiatives but integration of MAS into the core activities and operating doctrine of the fleet seems some way off.