HMS Protector (A173)

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

HMS Protector in 2011
History
Norway
NamePolarbjørn
NamesakePolar bear
OwnerGC Rieber Shipping,[1] Bergen, Norway
Builder
Yard number076[2]
Laid down30 September 2000[2]
Launched21 July 2001[2]
Completed22 October 2001[2]
HomeportBergen
Identification
Badge
United Kingdom
NameHMS Protector
Owner
OperatorRoyal Navy
In service2011
HomeportHMNB Devonport
Identification
StatusIn active service, as of 2019
General characteristics [2]
TypeResearch ship & Icebreaker
Displacement5,000 t (4,900 long tons; 5,500 short tons)[4]
Length
  • LOA 89 m (292 ft 0 in)
  • LBP 80.4 m (263 ft 9 in)
Beam18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Draft
  • 8.35 m (27 ft 5 in) (max)
  • 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) (as icebreaker)
Ice classDNV ICE-05
Installed power2 × Rolls-Royce Bergen BR-8, 2 x 3,535 kW (4,741 hp)[5]
Propulsion
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
Complement88 (accommodation for up to 100)
Armament
Aviation facilitiesHelicopter deck

HMS Protector is a Royal Navy ice patrol ship built in Norway in mid 2000. As MV Polarbjørn (Norwegian: polar bear) she operated under charter as a polar research icebreaker and a subsea support vessel. In 2011, she was chartered as a temporary replacement for the ice patrol ship HMS Endurance and was purchased by the British Ministry of Defence in early September 2013. As DNV Ice Class 05 the vessel can handle first year ice up to 0.5 metres (20 in).

  1. ^ "Ice / Support". GC Rieber Shipping. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Protector (22866)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV.
  3. ^ a b "Polarbjørn". VesselTracker. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Ice Patrol and Survey Flotilla". Royal Navy. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Polar Research/Subsea Support M/V Polarbjørn" (PDF). Multi Maritime AS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  6. ^ "ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK SEA Class – Delivering an Innovative, Flexible, Cost-effective Solution to the UK MOD". thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ^ "In focus: the versatile new workboats being built for the Royal Navy". Navy Lookout. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  8. ^ "In focus: HMS Protector – the Royal Navy's Antarctic patrol ship". Navy Lookout. 7 May 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Bush, Steve (2014). British Warships and Auxiliaries. Maritime Books. p. 31. ISBN 978-1904459552.
  10. ^ "In focus: the 50 cal heavy machine gun in Royal Navy service". Navy Lookout. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.