HMS Raider, 2009
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Class overview | |
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Name | Archer class |
Builders |
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Operators | |
Succeeded by | Scimitar class; Cutlass class |
In commission | 1985–present |
Active | 17 (16 Royal Navy, 1 Royal Oman Police) |
General characteristics | |
Type | Patrol boat & training vessel |
Displacement | 54 t (53 long tons) |
Length | 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in) |
Beam | 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) |
Draught | 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Propulsion | 2 shafts, Cat C18 ACERT diesels |
Speed |
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Range | 550 nmi (1,020 km; 630 mi) |
Complement |
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Sensors and processing systems | Decca 1216 navigation radar |
Armament |
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The Archer class (or P2000) is a class of patrol and training vessel in service with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, commonly referred to as a "fast training boat".[1] Most are assigned to Coastal Forces Squadron. HMS Tracker and HMS Raider are armed and provide maritime force protection to high value shipping in the Firth of Clyde and are most commonly employed as escorts for submarines transiting to Faslane. Pursuer and Dasher were also armed during their deployment on maritime force protection duties with the Gibraltar Squadron from 2020-2022.
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An interesting quirk of the Archer class is that although the regular crew have their own cabins, the midshipmen sleep in the gun-room. Traditionally this is where midshipmen have always been berthed but in the Archer class it is literally true as they sleep in the magazine of the Archer class. Since such trips only occur in times of peace, the gun which an Archer class vessel is capable of carrying is not fitted and so there is no other use for the magazine.