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XV Patrick Blackett opens up broad range of experimentation possibilities, says RN

12th August 2022 - 13:00 GMT | by Ian Parker in Portsmouth

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The RN experimental platform XV Patrick Blackett. (Photo: RAdm James Parkin/Twitter)

The RN will push 'hard' to operate the optionally crewed experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett as an autonomous platform.

The 42m, 270t vessel XV Patrick Blackett arrived in Portsmouth in July, as a visible sign of how the UK RN aims to operate at the leading edge of naval experimentation with a highly flexible and accommodating ship.

RAdm James Parkin, director of development in the RN, told Shephard that the RN may make the new experimental platform available to other users, including academia.

Although no sister ship for Patrick Blackett is planned at the moment, one may be acquired if the demand is there.

‘We may have more trade that we can cope with,’ Parkin said.

Patrick Blackett

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Ian Parker

Ian Parker became an aerospace and defence journalist in 1980 on Flight International and started …

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