Archer class patrol vessel
HMS Raider, 2009
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Archer class |
| Builders: |
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| Operators: | Royal Oman Police |
| Succeeded by: | Scimitar class |
| In commission: | 1985 – |
| Active: | 17 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Patrol boat & training vessel |
| Displacement: | 54 tonnes |
| Length: | 20.8 m |
| Beam: | 5.8 m |
| Draught: | 1.8 m |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, Cat C18 ACERT diesels |
| Speed: | |
| Range: | 550 nmi (1,020 km) |
| Complement: |
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| Sensors and processing systems: |
Decca 1216 navigation radar |
| Armament: |
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The Archer class (or P2000) is a class of patrol and training vessel in service with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, commonly referred to as a Fast Training Boat. Most are assigned to University Royal Naval Units, although HMS Tracker and HMS Raider are armed and provide maritime force protection to high value shipping in the Firth of Clyde although are most commonly employed as escorts for submarines transiting to Faslane.
Ten vessels were ordered as the P2000 class, based on a design of an Omani coastguard cutter, from Watercraft Marine. They are twin-shaft vessels with moulded glass-reinforced plastic hulls. After that company went into liquidation, the balance of the order was completed by Vosper Thornycroft.
The Archers were initially used as Royal Navy patrol craft and as training tenders for the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and University Royal Naval Units (URNU). Four identical vessels were ordered for the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) as Example-class tenders. When that service was disbanded in 1994, the Examples were transferred to the Royal Navy for similar duties as their Archer-class brethren (under the same names under which they served as "XSVs", all of which begin with the first syllable "Ex"). Until 2005, the four Examples were still painted with a black hull.
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Wikipedia