HMS_Blazer_(P279)

HMS <i>Blazer</i> (P279)

HMS Blazer (P279)

Archer-class patrol vessel of the Royal Navy

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Blazer.

HMS Blazer is an Archer-class patrol vessel of the Royal Navy. She was built by Vosper Thornycroft. She is 20.8 metres (68 ft 3 in) long and 5.8 metres (19 ft 0 in) wide and powered by two Rolls-Royce diesel engines.[1][2] The ship is based at HMS Nelson, the shore base in Portsmouth and was commissioned in 1988.

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Blazer carries a crew of four, plus a commanding officer. A training officer accompanies up to 10 students when Blazer is operating in its URNU capacity. The ship is affiliated to both the Southampton University Royal Naval Unit (SURNU) and Portsmouth University Royal Naval Unit.[3]

Tasking includes: officer cadet training with Britannia Royal Naval College; VVIP visits and security patrols.

On 29 March 1993 Blazer was involved in a fishing incident with French trawlers at the port of Cherbourg. According to witnesses,[4] Blazer was seized by French fisherman while manoeuvring outside the port and sailed to Cherbourg harbour. Her crew of 16 were forced to remain below the deck for three hours, while the ship's White Ensign was burned. French authorities subsequently put an end to the situation and forcibly expelled the fishermen from Blazer and placed them under arrest. The French Navy, meanwhile, dispatched the patrol boat Coriander to Cherbourg to restore order.[5]

In the early 2020s, Blazer, along with other Archer-class vessels, was given a more operational role as part of the reconstituted Coastal Forces Squadron. In early 2024, Blazer and three of her sister ships deployed to northern Norway as part of the NATO exercise "Steadfast Defender".[6]

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    5 ship's company, 1 training officer, 10 URNU students.
  2. [N 2]
    When operational and not in URNU role.

References

  1. [1]
    "Patrol Boats – Archer class". Royal Navy. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  2. [2]
    "Archer Class P2000 (URNU)". Armed Forces.net. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  3. [3]
    "Special ceremony for opening of new Early Years Department". Attain. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  4. [4]
    Daily report. West Europe, 1–15. United States. Foreign Broadcast Information Service, p. 27.
  5. [5]
    Arlidge, John (29 March 1993). "French fishermen burn patrol boat's ensign: Minister warns Navy will get tough after two new humiliations in fishing rights dispute". The Independent. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  6. [6]
    "Royal Navy's smallest ships take on huge challenge as they brave weeks of rough seas". ForcesNet. 5 February 2024.
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