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Royal Navy’s third River-class OPV named

16th March 2018 - 09:30 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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The Royal Navy has officially named its third River-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) HMS Trent, BAE Systems announced on 13 March. The naming ceremony took place at BAE Systems’ site at Govan, Glasgow.

HMS Trent will support the navy in a range of operations including counterterrorism and anti-smuggling to secure the UK’s borders. The 90m vessels will be equipped with a 30mm cannon and a flight deck capable of receiving a Merlin helicopter.

Trent is now making final preparations to enter the water for the first time ahead of outfitting and systems installation. The vessel is expected to be delivered to the Royal Navy in the second half of 2018.

The first OPV, HMS Forth, joined the Royal Navy in January 2018. The second in class, Medway, is currently preparing for sea trials in the first half of this year. The fourth ship, Tamar, is now structurally complete, while the final River-class OPV, Spey, is under construction at BAE Systems’ Govan yard.

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