HMS Mersey (P283)

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Career (UK)
HMS Mersey (P283)
Name:	HMS Mersey (P283)
Operator:	Royal Navy
Ordered:	April 2001
Builder:	Vosper Thornycroft
Commissioned:	28 November 2003
Fate:	Active in service as of 2008
General characteristics
Class and type:	River class patrol vessel
Displacement:	1,677 tonnes
Length:	79.9 m
Beam:	13.6 m
Draught:	3.8 m
Propulsion:	2 × Ruston 12RK 270 Main engines developing 4,125 kW @ 1,000 rpm
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h)
Range:	7,800 nautical miles (14,400 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Boats and landing craft carried:	2 × Halmatic Jet Pacific 22 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB)
Complement:	30 (+ Royal Marine boarding party)
Armament:	1 × 20 mm British Manufacturing and Research Company (BMARC) KAA 2 ×General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	Capable of supporting one small/medium helicopter (Sea King or Merlin)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Mersey.

The fifth and current HMS Mersey is a River class offshore patrol vessel of the British Royal Navy. Named after the River Mersey, the ship is the first to bear the name in 84 years.

She was built by Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton to serve as fishery protection units within the United Kingdom's waters along with her two sister ships Tyne and Severn. All three were commissioned into service in 2003 to replace the five older Island class patrol vessels. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 28 November 2003. At that time, Mersey was not expected to commence duties until February 2004.

[edit] Affiliations

HMS Eaglet — The third largest Reserve Training Centre in the UK with approximately 300 reservists there. They are based in the Liverpool area.
TS Ardent — A Sea Cadet unit operating in the Bollington and Macclesfield area. It provides young people with knowledge of naval life and enabling them to have a sense of achievement and responsibility that will keep them in good stead for many years to come.