HMS ''Scimitar'' was a fast patrol boat of the

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. She is a Lifespan Patrol Vessel type boat and formerly served in inland waterway duties in

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as MV ''Grey Fox''. She was acquired to serve with the

Gibraltar Squadron The Gibraltar Squadron is a unit of the United Kingdom, British Royal Navy. It is the only seagoing Royal Naval unit based in Gibraltar, attached to British Forces Gibraltar. It currently includes two Cutlass-class patrol vessel, ''Cutlass''-cla ...

, tasked with policing, customs and

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

duties. This released an patrol vessel for tasking with the Cyprus Squadron.

Operational history

HMS DARING sails in British Gibraltar territorial waters MOD 45160521

''Scimitar'' was involved in a diplomatic incident between the United Kingdom and Spain in November 2009 after being alleged by the Spanish to have been using the Spanish flag as a target during gunnery practice. The

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stated that the ship had actually been shooting at a

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maritime signal flag, which is similar in appearance. On 3 May 2011 ''Scimitar'' was dispatched to intercept the Spanish patrol boat when she entered British waters around Gibraltar and ordered the Spanish ship to leave the area. ''Scimitar'' took part in another encounter with a Spanish naval vessel on 4 April 2017. It challenged ''Infanta Cristina,'' a that had entered British waters off of Gibraltar. ''Infanta Cristina'' left without further incident. On 8 November 2017, HMS ''Scimitar'' intercepted the Spanish corvette ''Infanta Elena'' trying to enter British territorial waters off Gibraltar.

Replacement

In July 2017 it was revealed that the Gibraltar Squadron would receive two new warships which will be more "capable", "faster" and have "bigger guns", to replace ''Sabre'' and ''Scimitar'' "within the next two years". On 24 July 2020, an announcement was made that the promised two new warships have been ordered from Marine Specialised Technology (MST Ltd) with the first to be delivered in (Q3 2021/22) and the second in (Q1 2022/2023). The contract is expected to cost at least £9.9 million. The patrol vessel replacements are initially going to be armed with X3 General Purpose Machine Guns (1 on the foredeck and 2 on the aft deck) as well as being fitted

for but not with In military usage, fit to receive or fitting "for but not with" describes a weapon or system which is called for in a design but not installed or is only partially installed during construction, with the installation completed later as needed. This ...

a 0.50 cal Heavy Machine Gun. The ships are going to be long, carry 6 crew and 6 passengers and travel at . In September 2020 ''Scimitar'', along with her sister ship ''Sabre'', returned to Portsmouth aboard having been replaced temporarily by and . After a period operating in UK waters ''Scimitar'' and ''Sabre'' were decommissioned in a joint ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on 30 March 2022. In 2024 it was reported that the former HMS ''Scimitar'' had been converted to medical vessel, MV ''Lady Jean'', and was transported to

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to serve as a medical vessel supporting remote island communities on

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References

External links

* * Scimitar-class patrol vessels 1992 ships {{Gibraltar-stub