UK MoD invests £20 million for Royal Navy OPVs
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has committed £20 million to its plans to purchase three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Royal Navy, with the signing of a contract with shipbuilder BAE Systems.
The contract will enable BAE Systems to begin work on parts such as the engines and gearboxes ahead of the commencement of the main shipbuilding programme.
The MoD announced in November 2013 that it would purchase the OPVs to add capability to the Royal Navy fleet, while plugging a construction gap at the BAE Systems shipyards on the Clyde in Scotland.
Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, said: ‘This £20 million is a significant milestone, critical to the successful delivery of these three vessels for the Royal Navy. The OPVs will not only provide an additional capability for the UK but also at its peak, the OPV programme will safeguard more than 800 vital skilled roles in the shipbuilding industry.’
The plan is for the OPVs to support counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations in the waters around the UK and other UK interests abroad. Compared to the current River Class ships, the new OPVs will have more storage and accommodation facilities and a larger flight deck for Merlin helicopters. The first OPV is expected to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2017.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Competitive P17B tender marks a shift in Indian Navy frigate procurement]()
Competitive P17B tender marks a shift in Indian Navy frigate procurement
The Indian Navy's P17B programme is expected to combine greater weapons capacity with a competitive domestic construction model, although key systems could remain dependent on international supply chains.
-
![How France’s SNLE 3G programme is reshaping the naval nuclear industrial base]()
How France’s SNLE 3G programme is reshaping the naval nuclear industrial base
Extending far beyond a four-submarine replacement programme, France’s ballistic missile submarine effort is a decades-long industrial initiative designed to preserve the country’s ability to build and sustain nuclear-powered strategic platforms.
-
![China’s mineral processing dominance exposes naval supply chain vulnerabilities]()
China’s mineral processing dominance exposes naval supply chain vulnerabilities
Competition for critical minerals, and China’s dominance of their processing, is emerging as a decisive factor in future naval procurement programmes.
-
![Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition]()
Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
-
![Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?]()
Can the US Navy ask Indo-Pacific allies to do more while training with them less?
As the Iran War draws US ships and marine corps units away from the Indo-Pacific, curtailed exercises and a temporary carrier gap are exposing tensions between Washington’s demand for more self-reliant allies and the joint training needed to realise that ambition.
