Royal Navy’s HMSML Gleaner officially retired
The Royal Navy’s smallest survey vessel, HMSML Gleaner, has been officially retired from service and decommissioned at Devonport Naval Base, the navy announced on 19 February.
HMSML Gleaner was in service with the Royal Navy for 35 years. Initially designated an inshore survey vessel for hydrographic survey operations along the south coast of the UK, the vessel later served around the UK and internationally.
Gleaner will be replaced by the 18m HMS Magpie. Magpie will be delivered to the Royal Navy later this year. The new ship is a modern catamaran design which will enable the navy to harness the latest technology and operate a more diverse range of survey equipment, including autonomous underwater vehicles.
In 2016, Gleaner conducted an extensive survey of the Firth of Forth, including accurately measuring the heights of the bridges over the Firth to ensure that the Queen Elizabeth carrier could safely depart Rosyth.
Gleaner’s final survey period was of the approaches to Portsmouth Naval Base, Queen Elizabeth’s new home, where the vessel ensured that the carrier could operate safely.
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN
The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.