Sea-class workboat#Autonomous minehunter
{{Short description|Twin screw boat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
| {{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:New_survey_ship_HMS_Magpie_(H130)_debuts_on_the_Dart.jpg |Ship image size=300px |Ship caption= HMS Magpie (Sea class 18 m variant) }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Sea class |Builders= |Operators={{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} Royal Navy |Class before= |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range=2017–2024 |In service range=2018–present |In commission range= |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=35 + 6 (Arcims-class) minehunting variants |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active=35 + 6 |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Workboat/training/diver support/survey/minehunting vessels |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement={{cvt|15|to|23|t|LT}} (11-15 m Workboat variants); {{cvt|37|t|LT}} (HMS Magpie) |Ship length=* {{cvt|11|m|ftin}}
|Ship beam= |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Yanmar diesels; twin waterjets |Ship speed=up to {{convert|40|kn}}{{Cite web |title=SEA Class Marine Craft |url=https://www.atlas-elektronik.com/solutions/surface-vessel-systems/sea-class-marine-craft.html |website=Atlas Elektronik |access-date=18 June 2024}}{{Cite web |title=Influx of new birds on the Dart spurs on naval leaders of tomorrow |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/march/28/2250328-influx-of-new-birds-on-the-dart-spurs-on-naval-leaders-of-tomorrow |website=Royal Navy |date=30 March 2025}} |S3hip range= |Ship endurance= |Ship boats= Remus UUV (11, 15 & 18 m survey modules); SeaCat UUVs (Arcims-class variants){{Cite web |title=Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-autonomous-mine-hunting-at-the-sharp-end/ |website=Navy Lookout |date=30 March 2023}} |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement= 2 berths (11 m variants), 4 berths (13.8 & 15 m variants), up to 9 crew (HMS Magpie); up to 36 passengers (13.8 m variant); up to 12 cadets (15 m officer training variants) |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
The Sea-class workboat has been procured for Britain's Royal Navy to undertake a number of roles, including: logistics and transport tasks, inshore and harbour survey work, diver training and support, officer training and providing passenger transfer modules for the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Prince of Wales|R09|6}}. An autonomous minehunting variant of the class has also been procured.
A procurement contract for £48M was awarded to Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) in September 2017 for the delivery of up to 38 vessels under the program. Thirty-five vessels were ultimately built, with deliveries beginning in 2018 and completing in 2024. Only {{HMS|Magpie|H130|6}} (the largest boat in the series) is formally a commissioned warship of the Navy. The remaining boats are not technically commissioned warships.{{Cite web |url=https://www.navylookout.com/in-focus-the-versatile-new-workboats-being-built-for-the-royal-navy/ |title=In focus: the versatile new workboats being built for the Royal Navy |website=Navy Lookout |date=6 August 2018}}
Vessel types and roles
The Sea-class workboat incorporates hulls that are interchangeable allowing them to adapted for different tasks. As initially acquired, the class includes several variants:
- 10 x 11 m standard workboats for transport and logistics tasks;
- 3 x 11 m small survey modules assigned to the Hydrographic Exploitation Group based out of HMNB Devonport ;
- 3 x 13.8 m passenger transfer modules (assigned to HMS Prince of Wales);
- 18 x 15 m workboats for officer training, diver training/support and survey/hydrography duties; and,
- 1 x 18 m inshore survey unit (HMS Magpie).
Eight 15-metre officer training vessels are assigned to the Britannia Royal Naval College,{{cite web |title=Up close with the Royal Navy’s new officer training boats |url=https://www.navylookout.com/up-close-with-the-royal-navys-new-officer-training-boat/ |access-date=31 May 2024 |website=Navy Lookout |date=27 September 2021}} while the six 15-metre diver training and support vessels are assigned to HMNB Portsmouth (three units), HMNB Devonport, HMNB Clyde and to the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron (one unit each). Three of the 15-metre vessels are configured for survey/hydrographic work, with one of the vessels (Salamander) being based with the Hydrographic Exploitation Group in HMNB Devonport.{{Cite web |url=https://des.mod.uk/vahana-boats-atlas-royal-navy/ |title=Final Vahana Workboats delivered to complete Royal Navy fleet |website=Ministry of Defence |date=19 July 2024}}{{cite news |title=The final of six new boats to improve support to Royal Navy divers has been delivered |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/february/23/230127-diving-support-boat |access-date=3 July 2023 |website=Royal Navy |date=23 February 2023}}{{cite news |title=ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK SEA Class – Delivering an Innovative, Flexible, Cost-effective Solution to the UK MOD |url=https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/teaser/atlas-elektronik-uk-sea-class |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com }}
The vessels have been constructed to be fully compatible with AEUK’s autonomy engine enabling an unmanned capability to be integrated as a future need arises.{{cite web |title=Royal Navy: Advanced Vahana SEA-class boats all built - ships set to support HMS Prince of Wales and UK fleet |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/royal-navy-advanced-vahana-sea-class-boats-all-built-ships-set-to-support-hms-prince-of-wales-and-uk-fleet-4709528 |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The News |last=Webb |first=Freddie |date=19 July 2024}}
=Autonomous minehunter=
File:FUTURE MINE HUNTING SYSTEM COMES TO CLYDE MOD 45166088.jpg
A specifically-focused autonomous minehunting vessel, also produced by Atlas Elektronik, is a derivative of the class (being identified by the navy as the Arcims-class).{{cite web |title=Autonomous minehunting test team mark one year in the Gulf |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2024/march/13/240313-harrier-in-the-gulf |access-date=12 June 2024 |work=Royal Navy |date=13 March 2024}} Five 11-metre variants of the type (RNMBs Hussar, Hazard, Halcyon, Harrier and Hydra) were acquired by the Royal Navy and assigned to the Mine Threat and Exploitation Group at HMNB Clyde. The vessels have been procured under the Mine Hydrographic Capability (MHC) programme and are fitted with acoustic, electronic, and magnetic payloads that can emit signals through a towed craft to trigger mines into thinking that a target ship is passing by.{{Cite web |title=Beating the Minefield with Autonomous Countermeasures |url=https://issuu.com/vishmeh/docs/arm_2212_2301/s/24697925 |website=issuu.com |last=Fish |first=Tim |date=December 2022}} The boats can operate crewed, be remotely controlled or be pre-programmed to conduct missions autonomously.{{Cite web |title=Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-autonomous-mine-hunting-at-the-sharp-end/ |website=Navy Lookout |date=30 March 2023}}{{cite news |title=ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK SEA Class – Delivering an Innovative, Flexible, Cost-effective Solution to the UK MOD |url=https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/teaser/atlas-elektronik-uk-sea-class |access-date=11 March 2023 |website=thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com }} The 11 m boats can be transported on either the RAF's A400M or C-17 transport aircraft.{{Cite web |title=Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-autonomous-mine-hunting-at-the-sharp-end/ |website=Navy Lookout |date=30 March 2023}}
An additional 15-metre minehunting variant (RNMB Hebe) was also procured and similarly assigned to the Clyde naval base. The greater size of Hebe permits her to accommodate a Portable Operations Centre Afloat that allows her to control her sister vessels while also coordinating autonomous operations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/august/21/20200821-future-mine-hunting-system-comes-to-clyde|title=Future mine hunting system comes to Clyde |website=Royal Navy |date=21 August 2020}}
In 2023, RNMB Harrier was tasked to undertake trials with the Royal Navy's 9th Mine Counter-Measures Squadron based at {{HMS|Jufair}} in Bahrain. It is planned that autonomous minehunters, operating from command "mother ships", will incrementally supersede crewed minehunters operated by the Royal Navy.{{Cite web |title=Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-autonomous-mine-hunting-at-the-sharp-end/ |website=Navy Lookout |date=30 March 2023}}{{Cite web |title=Up close with RFA Stirling Castle – first of the navy’s new motherships |url=https://www.navylookout.com/up-close-with-rfa-stirling-castle-first-of-the-navys-new-motherships/#:~:text=Force%20protection%20weapons%20have%20not,be%20added%20in%20the%20future |website=Navy Lookout |date=4 July 2023}}
See also
- {{sclass|Archer|patrol vessel|1}}
- {{sclass2|P1000|picket boat|1}}
- Patrol Craft Fast - the "Swift Boats"
- {{sclass|Cutlass|patrol vessel|1}}
References
{{reflist}}