HMS Protector
HMS Protector is one the newest additions to the Fleet, an impressive and incredibly versatile survey and ice patrol ship preparing for her first deployment. The ship is on loan to the Navy to plug the gap until the fate of Britain’s long-serving Antarctic patrol ship, HMS Endurance, is decided following her flooding in late 2008.
The ship's company are absolutely fantastic - they work exceptionally hard. I couldn't have asked for more.
Capt Peter Sparkes
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HMS Protector
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
Protector began life as the MV Polarbjørn (Polar Bear), a Norwegian icebreaker and polar research vessel which has shown her flexibility by also acting as a support vessel for an oil platform in the Caribbean. Now she’s been fitted with an echo sounder and a temporary flight deck and will receive other specialist equipment over the summer to turn her into a Royal Navy vessel. We have set out on our inaugural deployment to Antarctica in late 2011 – the austral summer, and the 100th anniversary of Capt Scott’s fateful attempt to reach the South Pole.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Peter Sparkes
- RANK:
- Captain
- JOINED:
- 1990
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Cumberland, HMS Norfolk
Military experience
Born and educated in Liverpool, Peter Sparkes joined the RN in 1990 as a full career graduate Seaman Officer. He experienced a range of junior Warfare Officers' appointments in HMS Edinburgh, Gloucester, Southampton and Monmouth; and operations in the Gulf on Operation Armilla, the Adriatic on Operation Sharpguard and the Western Atlantic on counter-drug operations, hurricane and volcano relief.
He then qualified as Principal Warfare Officer Communications and Electronic Warfare, winning the Jackson-Everett prize for the top CEW student in 1998. He then served as the Operations Officer of the amphibious flagship, HMS Fearless, on operations in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Appointed to the MOD in 2000, he was responsible for the development and acquisition for Offensive Information Operations capability and the provision of PsyOps equipment to Operation Herrick (Afghanistan).
Thereafter Peter returned to sea as the Executive Officer and Second in Command of the frigate HMS Norfolk and was engaged in Operations Fresco (Military Assistance to the Civilian Authorities) and Telic (Iraq).
Promoted to Commander, he recoiled back to the MOD Equipment Capability Customer in early 2004 and was responsible for the introduction into service of the Fleet-wide Warship Electronic Charting Capability (WECDIS) and the Warship Automatic Identification System (W-AIS).
After a short tour at the Maritime Warfare School (MWS), as Commander Resources and Plans, Peter commanded the Type 22 Batch 3 frigate, HMS Cumberland on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden; a deployment which included the interdiction of four pirate groups and the successful, landmark prosecution of pirates in Kenya. Post command he was assigned to the Directorate of Naval Personnel, where he was responsible for the career management of 1,300 Warfare Officers.
He was promoted captain in November 2010, and joined the Ice Patrol Ship (interim replacement) project team, prior to assuming command of HMS Protector in January 2011.
He has recently been appointed as a Younger Brother of Trinity House, and is an Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers.
Peter is married and lives in Hampshire with their son. They enjoy a variety of outdoor pursuits including walking, cycling and skiing.
LATEST NEWS
TOP STORIES
Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
18 April 2012The Navy’s Antarctic patrol ship HMS Protector ventured further south...
HMS Protector punches through Antarctic ice in a race against time to pick up scientists
16 March 2012Worsening ice conditions forced survey ship HMS Protector to cut...
Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
02 March 2012Sailors from HMS Protector have returned to the exact spot...
Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze ripping through Antarctic research base
27 February 2012Sailors from ice patrol ship HMS Protector tackled a ferocious...
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
A173
- Displacement
5000tonnes
- Complement
88personnel
- Length
89.7Metres
- Beam
18metres
- Draught
7.25metres
- Top Speed
15knots
- Commissioned date
23/06/11
TAKE A LOOK
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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Protector visits ice paradise as she sails further south than ever
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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HMS Protector at James Ross Island
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Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
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(top) Shackleton's party at Point Wild in 1916, as captured by pioneering Australian photographer Frank Hurley, and (bottom) the same spot revisited by Protector in 2012, as captured by ship's photographer LA(Phot) Arron Hoare
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Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
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Elephant Island
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Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
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HMS Protector's Survey Motor Boat James Caird IV dwarfed by Elephant Island
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Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
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Ship's away team land on Elephant Island
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Protector sailors revisit legendary explorer’s Antarctic refuge after 100 years
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Elephant Island
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector sailors tackle ferocious blaze
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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HMS Protector at Deception Island
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Maxwell Bay
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Image taken during the Surveying of Potter Cove in the Antarctic Peninsula by the Survey Motor Boat (SMB) James Caird the IV
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HMS Protector in Maxwell Bay
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HMS Protector in Maxwell Bay
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HMS Protectors survey boat
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Captain Sparkes (right) is greeted by the Station Commander (2nd left) and staff members
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HMS Protectors crew in Maxwell Bay
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HMS Protectors survey boat
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Survey Motor Boat James Caird IV surveying in Potter Cove
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HMS Protectors survey boat
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HMS Protectors crew in Maxwell Bay
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HMS Protectors crew in Maxwell Bay
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Maxwell Bay
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
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HMS Protector deploys to Antarctica
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HMS Protector visits Dartmouth
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HMS Protector visits Dartmouth
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HMS Protector visits Dartmouth
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HMS Protector visits Dartmouth
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HMS Protector visits Dartmouth
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110913-Protector-Helo Landing
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HMS Protector
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protector (MV Polar Bjorn) in Refit.
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HMS Protector Naming Ceremony
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HMS Protector Naming Ceremony
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HMS Protector Naming Ceremony
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HMS Protectors commissioning Ceremony into the Royal Navy on the 23rd of June
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HMS Protectors new hull markings and penguin emblem
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Sub Lt Trudgeon of HMS Protector is photographed surveyin
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HMS Protector's seaboat with RFA Black Rover
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One of HMS Protector's BV all-terrain vehicles during a disaster relief exercise
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An actor is treated during Protector's disaster relief exercise
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Chef Neil Lyndsey helps an actor during Protector's disaster relief exercise
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A BV all-terrain vehicle is craned onto the jetty from HMS Protector
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Leading Seaman Nicholas Cook and Able Seaman Ashleigh Smith drive Protector's seaboat in Dartmouth
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A firefighting exercise on board HMS Protector
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HMS Protector's gunline crew pass lines to RFA Black Rover
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Leading Seaman Jamie Gallienne who was responsible for shooting the lines over to RFA Black Rover
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Survey Motor Boat James Caird IV and one of HMS Protector's Pacific 22 RIBs
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Leading Seaman Nigel West and Able Seaman Smith in one of HMS Protector's RIBs
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A firefighting exercise on board HMS Protector
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