HMS Dagger at Gibraltar, 2022
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Dagger
BuilderMarine Specialised Technology, Merseyside
Laid downJuly 2020[1][2]
Commissioned14 July 2022
HomeportPJOB Gibraltar/HQ British Forces Gibraltar
IdentificationPennant number: P296
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeCutlass-class patrol vessel
Displacement35 tons (full load)
Length19 m (62 ft 4 in)
PropulsionThree Volvo D13 engines; triple MJP 350X waterjets[3]
Speed41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph)
Complement6 personnel + up to 6 passengers
Armament3 × general purpose machine guns (bow & stern-mounted); [For but not with: 1 × .50 machine gun]

HMS Dagger is a Cutlass-class fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy. She is a fast patrol boat with a maximum speed around 41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph) designed for sovereignty protection and coastal security duties. She is part of the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron and arrived in the territory in April 2022[4]

Along with HMS Cutlass, she is replacing the Scimitar-class patrol vessels in Gibraltar. The Scimitar-class boats were deployed in Gibraltar after 2003 but were withdrawn from the territory in 2020, being then replaced by two Archer-class boats on an interim basis until the arrival of the Cutlass-class vessels.

On 14 July 2022, she was commissioned into the Royal Navy.[5] In April 2023, Dagger was called upon to escort the Spanish patrol ship Infanta Cristina as she made an illegal transit. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht that Spain was signed included ownership of the land and the waters of Gibraltar.[6] In May 2023, HMS Dagger paid a foreign port visit to Tangier in Morocco.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Scott, Richard (24 July 2020). "MST wins UK MoD contract for new Gibraltar fast patrol craft". Janes.com. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Marine Specialised Technology (MST) Selects MJP Waterjets for UK Mod Gibraltar Squadron Contact" (Press release). Marine Jet Power. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Royal Navy's HMS Cutlass Jet-propelled Patrol Vessels Completes Initial Trials". 16 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Second new £5m Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Dagger arrives in Gibraltar". Royal Navy. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Commissioning of new patrol ship completes £10m investment in Gibraltar Squadron". Royal Navy. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  6. ^ @NavyLookout (21 April 2023). "@RNGibSqn escorting 🇪🇸Spanish corvette SPS Infanta Cristina making yet another illegal incursion into British #Gibraltar Waters" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 April 2023 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "Media Release: A short hop with a big impact" (PDF). British Forces Gibraltar. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
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