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Current Location
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
08:32 GMT - 13 May 2013
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
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HMS Atherstone
Minehunter HMS Atherstone is one of eight Hunt Class mine countermeasures ships based in Portsmouth. Built by Vosper Thornycroft, Atherstone (known affectionately as the Crazy A) was launched in March 1986.
MCM2 Crew 1 joined HMS Atherstone in early December 2012 and have since been a highly effective operational unit, working hard in support of UK interests in the area.
Lt Peter Davis, Atherstone’s Executive Officer.
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Royal Navy Ships Join Forces In The Gulf
HMS Monmouth and HMS Atherstone conduct joint training in the gulf. Over the past week, HM Ships Atherstone (a Hunt class MCMV) and Monmouth (a Type 23 Frigate) have been conducting joint training in the Gulf. The fortunate pairing came about as a result of HMS Monmouthâs role in providing force protection, while HMS Atherstone was engaged in routine tasking. The week saw numerous sorties conducted including a level 2 piracy takedown. During this serial the HMS Atherstone played the role of a pirated ship with armed rogues having taken control. HMS Monmouth was dispatched to retake the vessel using her embarked Royal Marine boarding team as well as sniper cover from her Lynx Mk 8 SRU helicopter, not to mention the formidable weaponry she carries as a Type 23 frigate.
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Royal Navy Ships Join Forces In The Gulf
HMS Monmouth and HMS Atherstone conduct joint training in the gulf. Over the past week, HM Ships Atherstone (a Hunt class MCMV) and Monmouth (a Type 23 Frigate) have been conducting joint training in the Gulf. The fortunate pairing came about as a result of HMS Monmouthâs role in providing force protection, while HMS Atherstone was engaged in routine tasking. The week saw numerous sorties conducted including a level 2 piracy takedown. During this serial the HMS Atherstone played the role of a pirated ship with armed rogues having taken control. HMS Monmouth was dispatched to retake the vessel using her embarked Royal Marine boarding team as well as sniper cover from her Lynx Mk 8 SRU helicopter, not to mention the formidable weaponry she carries as a Type 23 frigate.
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Royal Navy Ships Join Forces In The Gulf
HMS Monmouth and HMS Atherstone conduct joint training in the gulf. Over the past week, HM Ships Atherstone (a Hunt class MCMV) and Monmouth (a Type 23 Frigate) have been conducting joint training in the Gulf. The fortunate pairing came about as a result of HMS Monmouthâs role in providing force protection, while HMS Atherstone was engaged in routine tasking. The week saw numerous sorties conducted including a level 2 piracy takedown. During this serial the HMS Atherstone played the role of a pirated ship with armed rogues having taken control. HMS Monmouth was dispatched to retake the vessel using her embarked Royal Marine boarding team as well as sniper cover from her Lynx Mk 8 SRU helicopter, not to mention the formidable weaponry she carries as a Type 23 frigate.
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Atherstone silhouetted against the Gulf sky
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Athertson sets sail for a 3 year deployment.
HMS Atherstone from the Round Tower. Image taken by LA(PHOT) Ben Sutton.
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Atherstone Gunner
Pictured: Force Protection onboard HMS CHIDDINGFOLD with HMS ATHERSTONE in the distance.Focused Operation Ardent Remedy 'Operation Tecate' taking place in the Khawr Abd Allah waterway. 13/04/08Released by PRO Lt Ashwood RN CMF Bahrain
She is currently deployed in the Gulf, alongside sister Hunt HMS Quorn, and Sandowns HMS Shoreham and Ramsey. Royal Navy minehunters have been maintaining a continual presence in the Gulf, safeguarding the local waters for the benefit of all maritime vessels.
During that time, some 2,000 crew, 200 mine-warfare battle staff and more than 400 engineers have been rotated through the minehunting community that man the Naval ships and specialist staff based in Bahrain.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Ben Vickery
- RANK:
- Lieutenant Commander
- JOINED:
- 1999
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare Officer
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Montrose, HMS Ledbury, HMS Northumberland
Military experience
Born in Dorchester, Dorset in 1975, and educated at Chatham House Grammar School for boys and Southampton University, Ben Vickery joined the Royal Navy in April 1999, following a 2 year spell in industry.
After initial Officer training and Fleet time in HM Ships Cornwall and Middleton, he was appointed to HMS Montrose as Diving Officer, deploying with her to the South Atlantic.
With a keen interest in Diving he successfully qualified as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer in 2004, and was part of the team which conducted Under Water Force Protection for RFA and Merchant Shipping in support of OP Telic.
Thereafter appointed to HMS Ledbury as Operations Officer and then Executive officer, undertaking the On Call Force deployment to the Baltic, highlighted by the disposal of historic ordnance in the eastern Mediterranean.
Following initial Staff training he then undertook Principal Warfare Course in 2006-2007 in advance of appointment to HMS Northumberland as Operations Officer. Following work up the ship deployed on Counter Piracy Operations in the Gulf of Aden initially as part of OP Calash, and then latterly as the first unit to operate as part of the OP Atalanta Counter Piracy task group.
On return to UK waters operations included an extended and busy period as the Towed Array Patrol Ship in 2009.
Completing the Advanced Mine Warfare course at the end of 2009, he then joined the 2* UK Maritime Battlestaff, during which time he was the Deputy Staff Officer Operations to the UKMCC in Bahrain supporting the 12 RN Units in theatre, was part of the generation as the Maritime Component Commander for the NATO Response Force, was the lead planner within the staff for the Cougar deployment and Exercise Albanian Lion, before taking the role of COS Coord for his final 6 months on the staff.
Selected for Command in 2011, Ben joined the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron in Command of MCM 2 Crew 1, in HMS Hurworth in April 2012.
OPERATIONS
Operation Gulf MCMV
CURRENT STATUS: active
In support of wider British efforts in the region, minehunters are providing the capability to conduct route survey, sea-bed clearance, and mine clearance operations all over the Gulf. The operation also aims to provide a visible naval presence in a region where stability and good relations with local nations is vital. Much of the UK’s oil and gas, as well as other products, come from the Gulf region and as such these efforts are of vital importance to our economy and lifestyle.
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
M38
- Displacement
685tonnes
- Complement
45personnel
- Length
60Metres
- Beam
10metres
- Draught
3.4metres
- Top Speed
15knots
- Range (Nautical)
1500miles
- Launch Date
01/03/86
- Commissioned date
30/01/87
- Number of Officers
5
TAKE A LOOK
HMS Atherstone
'The Crazy A'
UNITS IN TIME
HMS Atherstone HISTORY
TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Atherstone
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