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Current Location
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
08:32 GMT - 13 May 2013
Atlantic, Caribbean & USA
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HMS Sabre
HMS Scimitar and her sister Ship HMS Sabre form the core of the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron. Operating from HM Naval Base Gibraltar the two Scimitar-class patrol boats, 21 personnel, and three Pacific rigid-hulled inflatable boats are an efficient and effective unit. The role of RNGS is to provide Force Protection to visiting coalition warships, conduct maritime security patrols within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and support a variety of operations within the Joint Operating Area. A small unit at high readiness Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron performs a broad array of tasks in a dense shipping environment.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Ollie Hucker
- RANK:
- Lieutenant
- JOINED:
- 2001
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Brocklesby, Exeter.
Military experience
After joining the Royal Navy as a Midshipman (Naval College Entry) in 2001, Lieutenant Hucker completed Common Fleet Time in HMS Cumberland and Specialist Fleet Time in HMS Brocklesby, including service in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
After rehabilitating from a serious knee injury sustained at the annual Army Navy rugby match he went back to sea serving as OOW3 in HMS Exeter. During this period the ship deployed to Norway, the Mediterranean and West Africa tasked to conduct MSO and various multi-national exercises, as well as being the escort to one of the UK carriers.
In early 2007, he completed ICSC(M) and then joined the Naval Staff in Whitehall as the Flag Lieutenant to the First Sea Lord and Admiralty Board. An appointment that gave a rare insight into the dynamics of the upper echelons of Defence.
Leaving the Ministry of Defence, on the supersession of 1SL in July 2009, he returned to mainstream warfare, successfully completing Preliminary and Fleet Navigating Officers’ Courses before joining HMS Cornwall as the Navigating Officer.
During this appointment the ship conducted a busy UK running programme, BOST and subsequently deployed on Operation Calash as the Command Platform to the embarked Pakistani CTF 151 Battle Staff, conducting Counter Piracy Operations East of Suez.
Bringing the final Type 22 into Devonport for the very last time, under the White Ensign, he then assisted in the Decommissioning and Disposal process before joining the Navigational Training Unit at MWS Collingwood as a Navigational instructor, teaching the Initial Warfare Officers, pre and post their Specialist Fleet Time.
During this appointment Lieutenant Hucker was selected for Command and subsequently joined as the Commanding Officer of HMS Sabre in June 2012.
OPERATIONS
Gibraltar Squadron
CURRENT STATUS: active
Provide force protection and security to Gibraltar's maritime environment, enforce and assert the sovereign integrity of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, whilst contributing to the overall defence effort
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
P285
- Displacement
24tonnes
- Complement
5personnel
- Length
15.9Metres
- Beam
4.4metres
- Draught
1.2metres
- Top Speed
32knots
- Range (Nautical)
260nautical miles
TAKE A LOOK
Image Gallery
UNITS IN TIME
HMS Sabre HISTORY
TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Sabre
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