| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Currently unnamed class |
| Builders: | Babcock Marine |
| Operators: | Ireland Navy |
| Preceded by: | N/A |
| Succeeded by: | N/A |
| In commission: | Planned January 2014 |
| Planned: | 2 |
| Completed: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Offshore patrol vessel |
| Displacement: | 1,900 tonnes |
| Length: | 90 metres |
| Beam: | 14 metres |
| Draft: | 3.8 metres |
| Propulsion: |
Two Wartsila medium speed diesel engines (5,440 kW each) 450 kW bow thruster |
| Speed: |
Baseline speed 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)[1] |
| Endurance: | 21 days |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
2 x RHIB (8m) |
| Capacity: | 3 x 20 ft sea container, 1 x 5 ton, 9.56m crane aft |
| Complement: | 44 + up to 10 trainees |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Fire Control:Electro Optical |
| Armament: | 1 x 76 mm Oto Melara cannon 2 x 20mm Rheinmetall cannon Mountings for heavy MGs & GPMGs |
| Aircraft carried: | None |
| Aviation facilities: | Landing pad for small helicopter |
The Babcock Marine OPV is an as yet unnamed class of two offshore patrol vessels ordered by the Irish Naval Service in October 2010. They are to be built by Babcock Marine in England for service entry in January 2014 and January 2015. An option also exists for a third vessel.
Contents |
In 2007 it was reported that the Defence Forces expected to spend the region of €180m on a replacement for LÉ Emer.
In July 2010 the Irish Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen, announced that the Department of Defence and Naval Service would be entering into talks with UK shipbuilder Babcock Marine on two vessels worth €50m each, with an option for a third.
In October 2010 contracts were signed.
The two vessels are expected to enter service in January 2014 and January 2015 and serve for about 25 years.
The vessels have been designed by STX Canada (formerly Kvaerner Masa Marine) and have much in common with another STX design, the Protector Class, in service with New Zealand. The Protectors were in turn based on an earlier design, the Róisín Class, in service with the Irish Naval Service since 1999.
The ships have not yet been named.