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RN commissions HMS Spey

22nd June 2021 - 18:30 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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HMS Spey was commissioned into the RN on 18 June. (Photo: RN)

The fifth and final River-class Batch 2 OPV officially joins the UK fleet.

The UK RN commissioned HMS Spey as its final River-class Batch 2 offshore patrol vessel (OPV) on 18 June in a ceremony in Invergordon.

The RN operates two generations of River-class OPV.

The first – comprising HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey – were built by Vosper Thorneycroft in Southampton and have been operating since the early 2000s, primarily helping to protect fishing stocks but also fulfilling general duties at home and abroad.

The second generation, which includes HMS Spey, were Clyde-built and are larger, faster and even more capable, the RN noted in a statement.

HMS Forth is the UK’s permanent presence in the South Atlantic; HMS Medway supports British Overseas Territories in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, while HMS Trent is in the Mediterranean and HMS Tamar is available for tasking by the UK Government.

At just over 90m long, the ships feature a flight deck large enough for an RN Merlin helicopter and room on board for up to 50 embarked Royal Marines as well as 45 crew.

River Class Batch 2