Shipbucket

HMS Plover Gibraltar

HMS Starling Akrotiri Cyprus

By the end of 2016 the UK government was faced with a number of issues in the Mediterrainean. At opposite ends the Syrian civil war had increased the pressure of refugees trying to get to safe havens like Cyprus particularly the British Sovereign Base areas in the hope of being allowed to go to the united kingdom. Coupled with a melt down of the Euro over the summer caused by the instability of the UK voting to leave the EU prompting the Cypriot government trying to exert pressure. An attempted attack on RAF Akrotiri by ISIS from the seaward side led to the deaths of an Royal navy officer and 2 ratings due to the inadequate P2000 patrol boats and their GPMG. It included one being sunk by a suicide boat.
At the other end of the Med Anger by the Spanish government at the EU referendum and the collapse of the Spanish economy caused by the instability and a series of attacks on tourists in North Africa and Spain by both terrorists and Illegal Migrants. Led to increased and more hostile actions and incursions into the waters round Gibraltar and the Spanish guiding migrant vessels onto Gibraltars beaches.
The New UK prime minister acted quickly being more Eurosceptical than her predecessor she saw that Homeland security and secure Borders was a part of the re-negotiations with the EU and as a priority to her government. There was a series of incidents involving the Royal Navy, Border Agency, the RNLI , Coastguard and local law enforcement as Immigrants aided by criminal smugglers and disgruntled fishermen. Attempted to land immigrants on British beaches away from the straits of Dover. The Border Agency and RN OPV fleet were seriously lacking. It was the recovery of 2 shipments of guns one landing in Yorkshire and one intercepted by the Irish Navy of the County Down coast traced to different causes that forced the governments hand.
The Border agency had its cutter fleet increased and it was decided to purchase vessels of the same type for the Royal Navy. The Border Agency to guard UK waters and the RN overseas. Due to the need to quickly source vessels it was decided to purchase off the shelf and a vessel type the Border service was familiar with. But in light of the enhanced missions it would need to be improved. So the decision was taken to purchase the Damen Stan 4708 as the Border agency already operated the Stan 4200 series. And the USCG version provided a better basis for the UK requirement. The Border agency vessels would remain unarmed but the Royal Navy versions were equipped with the DS30m and for the higher threat Cyprus vessels the DS30 SIGMA with LMM missiles. Both RN versions also carry 7.62mm Miniguns or GPMG's. 8 were ordered for the Border guard and 16 for the royal navy. 4 Being deployed to Cyprus and 4 to Gibraltar. of the remaining the Royal Navy operated 3 (for patrol and training) and the Royal Navy reserve the remaining 5 (for training) as they were tasked to provide some elements of the crews for the deployed vessels. The Vessels were purchased as a UOR and built in Netherlands and Appledore Shipyard in North Devon.



Border Agency Cutter Alert Falmouth

HMS Swallow Faslane (RNR FOSNI HMS Hibernia/HMS Dalriada/HMS Scotia)

Those look great Rifleman.

Great work

_________________
best regards
Martin

~~Normerr~~FD stuff~~

Not sure I'd want to be out in one of them off NI given the mininium spec the Irish Navy has for those areas to be honest.

NIPS used to patrol in vessels of this size to get into places like Carlingford and Strangford lough. They would be backed by the 5 river II class and the retained River I