Skip to content
Recruiting now.Explore navy careers
Equipment / Ships
Archer class
Equipment / Ships

Archer class

These inshore patrol craft are based around the UK and are essential for safeguarding maritime security as well as conducting other operations within coastal waters.

Fast inshore patrol boats

The 16 fast patrol boats of the Coastal Forces Squadron are the Royal Navy’s experts in coastal tactics. They routinely undertake policing missions, maritime security, and inshore patrol, as well as guarding the nuclear fleet and cutting their teeth on other special coastal operations across the UK and northern Europe. Normally held at high readiness, the ships regularly deploy at short notice to react to incidents within UK home waters, working alongside our partner agencies. 

Archer class vessels lined up

Statistics

The ultimate troop-transporter

P2000 Archer Class Fast Inshore Patrol Craft, HMS Trumpeter at sea around Plymouth Sound

Training our troops

The Archer Class P2000 fast patrol boats have a top speed of 24 knots, which is delivered by two turbocharged V12 MTU diesel engines. These boats have a crew compliment of five full-time Royal Navy personnel, including the captain, and can also accommodate up to 12 students for training purposes.
Royal Navy sailor aims a large machine gun

Securing our waters 

Two Archer Class vessels – HMS Tracker and HMS Raider – are armed with pintle-mounted general purpose machine guns and armour plating. This is to provide protection to high value shipping in the Firth of Clyde and also so that they can act as escorts for transiting Royal Navy submarines.

Units and squadrons

 
Discover the global operations and base of the Royal Navy ship units. Track our missions, explore facts and figures, and check our current and past deployment locations.

Join the Surface Fleet

Ready to go places? A career in the Surface Fleet could take you all over the world - on missions as varied as the oceans we defend.

Featured Surface Fleet roles