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Royal Navy’s new survey craft complete seven-year programme to replace small boats
19 July 2024
A seven-year £48m programme to deliver nearly three dozen crucial small boats to the Fleet and bases has completed with the final craft handed over in Devonport.
The Fleet Hydrographic and Meteorological Unit were recipients of the first boat in Project Vahana in the form of HMS Magpie… and now are the last to receive a series of new craft to support survey operations.
Project Vahana – the name comes from the Sanskrit for ‘vehicle’ (typically one ridden by Hindu deities) – has seen 35 new waterjet-driven boats delivered to both front-line units and training establishments since Magpie in 2018.
The boats follow the same basic design and concept, but differ in size and roles – the latter assisted by ‘interchangeable capability modules’ which can be fitted/removed so the Royal Navy can reconfigure the craft for different missions.
Collectively known as the SEA class, the boats range in size from 11 metres in length up to Magpie, the largest at 18 metres long.
The vessels perform numerous duties: diving support boats, officer and rating training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth and HMS Raleigh, future mine warfare capabilities and passenger duties moving personnel from ship to shore on carrier HMS Prince of Wales.
Dorset-based firm Atlas Elektronik won the contract placed by the MOD’s Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S) arm to provide the flotilla, work which has sustained 60 jobs over the course of the deal.
Due to the ‘family’ nature of the boats, training, spares and documentation for all systems has been significantly reduced.
And the hi-tech nature of the class means in the future some of the vessels could be operated remotely or autonomously – without a sailor at the helm.
“The acquisition of Vahana craft has played an important step in the modernisation of a range of operational and enabling capabilities across the UK Defence maritime operating environment,” said Commander Peter Ware, Fleet Navigating Officer.
“They will provide an important platform upon which we can continue to build towards further integration of autonomous systems and delivery of effect in remote environments.”