UK Defence Forum

Has this been noted before? ex-HMS Clyde is already in the INDO-Pacific:
River class, Batch 1, modified
Builder: Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilding, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.

STATUS:
Awarded: 2005
Laid down: 2005
Launched: June 14, 2006
Commissioned: January 30, 2007
Decommissioned: December 20, 2019
Fate: sold to Bahrain > renamed P-80 RBNS Al-Zubara

I really hope so, "Dazzling" the Rivers is probably the best idea the Royal Navy has had in quite a while, they look great and are a real boon for the PR people, and it does have a practical use in littoral areas, just look how the Scandinavians paint their patrol craft. Anyone for bolting two or four RBS-15s to the back of a few of the rivers after having the new paint job or just empty containers of a similar size to look they have.

(Navy Lookout) 20th May 2021

HMS Spey paint job coming along nicely at AP Group UK, Falmouth. #Speytacular

Soon the final two, HMS TAMAR and HMS SPEY will head west-about into the Indo-Pacific and join up with the Carrier Strike Group the long way round. TAMAR and SPEY will stay in the Indo-Pacific

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... power-conf

Beautiful photo.

A RN ship steadily covering her duty and responsibility as a guard-ship, alone, at the south end of UK.

May the force be with you.
From: ""

Repulse wrote:

Soon the final two, HMS TAMAR and HMS SPEY will head west-about into the Indo-Pacific and join up with the Carrier Strike Group the long way round. TAMAR and SPEY will stay in the Indo-Pacific

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... power-conf

Interesting they are west bound. Will have a chance to take a 3-ship photo with HMS Medway?

#If HMS Forth can visit Caribbean, it could be a 4-ship photo...

By the way, I guess this suggest that two River B2s will be stationed on Singapore (only guess). Their camouflage will also be efficient in the region. If so, it means always one ship will be deploying around the district, while another one is steaming around Malacca Strait (or at port). This is the virtue of River B2's "the best in RN fleet" capability = longer sea-going days. Even though its armament are not impressive, showing the while ensign frequently in the district, making friends with the ASEAN and Asian nations' Navy folks, and establishing "trust" will be very much meaningful. Currently it is almost zero presence there...

If you embarked around 20 Royal Marines you would have some real firepower.

donald_of_tokyo wrote:Interesting they are west bound. Will have a chance to take a 3-ship photo with HMS Medway?

Going through the Panama Canal, so would say a good chance.

donald_of_tokyo wrote:Even though its armament are not impressive, showing the while ensign frequently in the district, making friends with the ASEAN and Asian nations' Navy folks, and establishing "trust" will be very much meaningful.

Agree, a low key but strong signal - I was also thinking both in Singapore - though could also be Oman and Brunei. Wherever they are based, I’d say they will be roaming broadly between the Gulf and deep into the Pacific.

Great Video!!

The B2's are pretty good looking ships, especially Tamar in it "Dazzle", camouflage. But given their expanded role having them fitted with either the 40mm or 57mm earmarked for the T-31 on their next major overhaul would be welcome. The ability to use 3P ammo would greatly increase their effectiveness in their more aggressive roles.

Another 'Dazzled' River B.2 should be seen soon...HMS Spey now out of Dry Dock at Falmouth..

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Has this been noted before? ex-HMS Clyde is already in the INDO-Pacific:
River class, Batch 1, modified
Builder: Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilding, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.

STATUS:
Awarded: 2005
Laid down: 2005
Launched: June 14, 2006
Commissioned: January 30, 2007
Decommissioned: December 20, 2019
Fate: sold to Bahrain > renamed P-80 RBNS Al-Zubara

It was a pity she wasn't retained, a Batch 1.5 River Class, but she had been worked hard down south. Mind you I'm still gutted that we didn't buy the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Rivers that were sold for pennies on the £ to the Brazilians as the Amazonas Class.

Timmymagic wrote: the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Rivers that were sold for pennies on the £ to the Brazilians as the Amazonas Class.

Howabout the 'corvettes' for Brunei?
The dimensions had been adjusted for the local crewmen's height... but there were no 'local' crewmen to be found.

So the ships went to... Indonesia! Anyone still remember why we have (and are part of) a local defence pact down there?

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Howabout the 'corvettes' for Brunei?
The dimensions had been adjusted for the local crewmen's height... but there were no 'local' crewmen to be found.

The Bung Tomo Class were an even better deal...would have been ideal for the Gulf or Far East taskings that we're looking at now. But a larger crew would be required.

So with the RN's urgent request for a off the shelf rotary wing UAV to be in service by early 2023 on our forward deployed patrol ships will we see the over sea's B2's get a air asset.

the RN say the new UAV must have a radar and will be used to help build a picture against fast boats and other sea traffic at the moment this will be a 24 to 48 month lease

Tempest414 wrote:So with the RN's urgent request for a off the shelf rotary wing UAV to be in service by early 2023 on our forward deployed patrol ships will we see the over sea's B2's get a air asset.

the RN say the new UAV must have a radar and will be used to help build a picture against fast boats and other sea traffic at the moment this will be a 24 to 48 month lease

The rotary UAV is good news but with Spey and Tamar forward deploying EoS now is also the time for modest up-arming IMO.

I am not a fan of up-arming the RB2's but if RN really is going to forward base these vessels on the other side of the world a single 30mm is simply not sufficient.

Something like,

40mm with 3P
2x 30mm with LMM (Seahawk Sigma)
LRAD
2x containerised UAV's
Decoys/Soft Kill etc
Retain deck crane for HADR

This would seem proportionate and provide a reasonable degree of self protection for the crew without seeming overly aggressive.

Tempest414 wrote:So with the RN's urgent request for a off the shelf rotary wing UAV to be in service by early 2023 on our forward deployed patrol ships will we see the over sea's B2's get a air asset.

the RN say the new UAV must have a radar and will be used to help build a picture against fast boats and other sea traffic at the moment this will be a 24 to 48 month lease

This seems good news. Is there a link to the tender doc?

Yep the sooner they can see the enemy the sooner they can run away towards friendly real warships.

RichardIC wrote:

Tempest414 wrote:So with the RN's urgent request for a off the shelf rotary wing UAV to be in service by early 2023 on our forward deployed patrol ships will we see the over sea's B2's get a air asset.

the RN say the new UAV must have a radar and will be used to help build a picture against fast boats and other sea traffic at the moment this will be a 24 to 48 month lease

This seems good news. Is there a link to the tender doc?

Sorry I am crap with links but it is on the UKDJ site under sea it was released on the 26th May

So the The RN have asked for invites to the contract for support of the 3 B1's and 5 B2's starting in 2022

Tempest414 wrote:for support of the 3 B1's

It became a long 'two' years for them then

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

Tempest414 wrote:for support of the 3 B1's

It became a long 'two' years for them then

Exactly, time to get on with replacing them.

- Scrap or sell the RB1's.

- Keep at least three RB2's within the UK EEZ

- Build three RB3's to replace the RB1's.

The River Class has been a pretty surprising export success for the UK.

Replacing the RB1's with 105m RB3's or Leanders would give RN a class of long range OPV's more suited to forward basing whilst also giving UK shipbuilding another boost.

Poiuytrewq, a steady drum beat of evolving River variants, built in England, should be a central aspect to the RN strategy IMO.

What the B2s have shown is the flexibility of the design as a global forward based ship. In a world where low level engagement and presence to tackle grey-zone conflict, a Global Presence Vessel is key.

The 5 B2s will ultimately be sufficient for the UK & FI EEZ, but the RN should be looking now for the next batch of 5+ B3s which should be longer and cover the Echo role also.

I have to say I still think we are going down the wrong road with type 32 and instead of 5 T-32's we should be building 10 x 110 meter MHPC with a 140 million pound price tag armed with 1 x 57mm and 1 x 40mm able to operate all future unmanned kit