More Scotland is hardly possible

A few fair-weather clouds drift gently across the sky in the north of the UK as Lady Alison Johnstone enters the small speaker's platform. She is President of the Scottish Parliament and godmother of HMS Speywhich will be put into service on this day. The Offshore Patrol Vessel is part of the second tranche of the River-class, Batch 2, as it is known in the Royal Navy. The Spey as the fifth and final ship in the series at BAE Systems in Glasgow, Scotland. Named after a river that meanders through the Cairngorms National Park around 40 kilometres south of Invergordon, she is now officially part of the fleet in the small harbour town. Invergordon also acts as a sponsor town for the ship and crew - it's hard to imagine more local colour than that.
The first three ships of the River-class were built in the early 2000s by Vosper Thornycroft, now part of Babcock International. A fourth, modified example, the Clydewas commissioned in 2005, but was only leased by the Royal Navy for a few years and now sails for the Royal Bahrain Navy.

HMS Spey, the fifth and last ship of Batch 2 of the River class

In 2014, a contract was signed with BAE Systems for the production and delivery of five new OPVs from the River-class. Even though they are fundamentally based on the older units, they are clearly recognisable with their own line. The adapted ships have grown in size in particular. They have grown in length by around ten metres to 90.5 metres, resulting in a displacement of 2000 tonnes, 300 tonnes more than their predecessors. Equipped with two modern MAN diesels each, speeds of 25 knots are now possible. In addition, the sea endurance was increased from 21 to 35 days and up to 50 soldiers can now be embarked. Instead of the 20-millimetre cannon, a 30-millimetre Bushmaster cannon adorns the forecastle of the Batch 2 ships. The flight deck can now accommodate medium-weight helicopters, such as the Merlin flown by the British.

Lady Alison Johnstone and LtCdr Ben Evans

With the new dimensions, the Batch 2 units have become significantly more seaworthy. This fulfils the Navy's requirement that they be suitable for worldwide deployment. The ships are intended for patrols in the fight against terrorism, piracy and smuggling. In some cases, they will replace the high-value ships, i.e. frigates and destroyers, that have been deployed in these areas to date. This not only saves a lot of money, but also allows the Royal Navy to provide more material for combat missions in an emergency.
Since October 2020, the 45-strong crew of the Spey under her commander, Lieutenant Commander Ben Evans, proved during sea trials that the navy is getting a fully functional ship. The new ship's first deployment underlines the UK's rediscovered ambition to take its rightful place on the world stage. Before the end of this year, HMS Spey together with her sister Tamar will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific. During their deployment, the OPVs will not only work closely with partner navies to ensure safety in the region. They will also proudly fly the British flag over the waves again. And, at least in the hearts of the crew members, the Scottish flag too.

Text: mb; Photos: Royal Navy/Crown Copyright