LÉ Niamh (P52)

Niamh sailing in August 2013.
History
Ireland
Name:	LÉ Niamh
Namesake:	Niamh, an Irish mythological character
Builder:	Appledore Shipbuilders, North Devon
Commissioned:	18 September 2001
Homeport:	Haulbowline Naval Base
Identification:	P52
Status:	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Róisín-class offshore patrol vessel
Displacement:	1,500 tonnes standard
Length:	78.84 m (258.7 ft) overall
Beam:	14 m (46 ft)
Draught:	3.8 m (12 ft)
Speed:	42.6 km/h (23.0 kn) maximum
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 Delta 6.5 m (21 ft) RHIBs 1 Avon 5.4 m (18 ft) RHIB
Complement:	44 (6 officers and 38 ratings)
Armament:	1 × 76 mm OTO Melara Cannon 2 × 20 mm Rheinmetall Rh202 Canon 2 × 12.7 mm HMG 4 × 7.62 mm GPMG

LÉ Niamh (P52) is a Róisín-class offshore patrol vessel in the Irish Naval Service. The ship is named after Niamh, queen of Tír na nÓg, from Irish mythology. Commissioned in 2001, as of 2016^[update] the ship is in active service.

The ship was designed by STX Canada Marine (formerly Kvaerner Masa Marine) and has an all-steel hull based on the Mauritian patrol vessel Vigilant launched in 1995, but without the helicopter deck and hangar facilities. The level of automation incorporated into the ship's systems allows the ship to be operated with just 44 crew including six officers. The vessel is designed for winter North Atlantic operations.

The ship is armed with an OTO Melara 76 mm dual purpose gun installed on the bow gun deck. The gun fires 12-kilogram (26 lb) shells and is capable of firing up to 85 rounds per minute to a range of over 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). It also has two 12.7 mm (.50 inch) machine guns and two 20 mm Rheinmetall Rh202 Canon for anti-aircraft defence.

The main gun is controlled by an Ultra Electronics Command and Control Systems, Radamec 1500 optronic director with a daylight TV camera, thermal imaging camera and eyesafe laser rangefinder. System 1500 functions in automatic or manual mode. The system provides fire control for surface engagement with spotting corrections in both line and range and has an effective secondary self-defence anti-air capability. System 1500 can detect a small patrol boat at ranges in excess of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), night or day. The ship's Kelvin Hughes surface search radar, operating at E, F and I bands, is installed high on the main mast over the bridge. The Kelvin Hughes navigation radar operates at I-band.