HMS Medway (P223)

HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Navy. Named after the River Medway in Kent, she was the second Batch 2 River-class vessel to be commissioned and is assigned long-term as Royal Navy guardship in the Caribbean.

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

HMS Medway on sea trials in 2018
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Medway
Ordered: August 2014
Builder: BAE Systems Naval Ships
Laid down: 8 June 2015 (Steel cut)[1]
Launched: 23 August 2017
Sponsored by: Wendy Fallon
Christened: 20 October 2017
Commissioned: 19 September 2019
Homeport: HMNB Portsmouth
Identification:
Status: In Active Service
General characteristics
Class and 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: 24 kn (44 km/h)
Range: 5,500 nmi (10,200 km)
Endurance: 35 days
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 × Rigid-hulled inflatable boats
Capacity: 70
Complement: 40
Armament:
Aviation facilities: Merlin-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.

Medway includes some 29 modifications and enhancements over the Amazonas-class corvette built by BAE Systems for the Brazilian Navy.[3]

HMS Medway before her sea trials.

Steel was cut, marking the start of construction of Medway on 8 June 2015 at BAE Systems Govan shipyard in Glasgow. Rather than being launched in the traditional manner, Medway was rolled onto a semi-submersible barge and lowered into the water on 23 August 2017, and was officially named a few weeks later on 20 October 2017.[4] Builders sea trials started on 9 November 2018. On 11 December 2018 the ship completed her sea trials and on 5 March 2019 was handed over to the Royal Navy.[5]

Commissioning

HMS Medway was commissioned on Thursday 19 September 2019 at the former Royal Navy Chatham Dockyard in Kent and is sponsored by Lady Fallon, the wife of former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon.[6] In January 2020, Medway deployed long-term to the Caribbean as the Atlantic Patrol Task (North) guardship there. [7]

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References
  1. "Headway on Medway as steel is cut on Navy's new patrol ship". Royal Navy. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. "Second Scottish built Royal Navy warship moves closer to service". GOV.UK. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  3. "Patrol Craft:Written question - 210211 - UK Parliament". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  4. "Make way for Medway as second new patrol ship is named". Royal Navy. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. "Medway makes headway as new patrol ship completes sea trials". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. "HMS Medway ready for duty after Commissioning Ceremony". Royal Navy. Portsmouth. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  7. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/january/20/200120-hms-medway-sets-sail-for-the-caribbean

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