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Organisation / Units & Squadrons
HMS Blazer (P279)
Organisation / Units & Squadrons

HMS Blazer (P279)

HMS Blazer (P279) is one of 16 Archer-class patrol vessels assigned to the Coastal Forces Squadron, providing maritime security and operations within Europe’s coastal waters.

HMS Blazer

Role

HMS Blazer (P279) is part of Coastal Forces Squadron (West), based in HMNB Devonport. The ship, operated by a small team of 5 sailors and led by an experienced Lieutenant, regularly contributes to wider fleet training as well as international exercises ranging as far as the Arctic Circle in northern Norway.

Capability

HMS Blazer trains tomorrow’s talent by running weekly drill evenings in term-time, before heading off for adventurous deployments during holidays.

  • Young Officers gain their navigation stripes using Blazer, and it’s usually their first time at the helm.
  • Blazer is able to represent the Navy in smaller ports that the larger ships in the fleet are unable to get into.
  • She has an impressive an endurance of 550nm at 22kts. 
  • Though one of our smaller craft at 21 metres long with a 54 tonne displacement, she has deployed as far as the Baltic.
Archer Class

Crew

Led by Lieutenant F Howes, HMS Blazer is an Archer Class P2000 Fast Patrol Boat, built by Watercraft Marine in 1985 – one of five based in HMNB Portsmouth.

The ship’s motto is ‘Premier in the First’, and she has hosted royalty onboard, including Prince Michael of Kent.

HMS Blazer has a compliment (minimum) crew of five: one Lt, two CPOs, one LH and one AB. However, she can carry a maximum of 20 personnel on board and deploys twice a year, usually at around Easter and again in the summer.

Unit history

1797

The First Blazer

The first, a wooden gunboat, was named by the 2nd Earl Spencer, George John, First Lord of the Admiralty. He named it after a dog in his foxhound pack!
1800

The other Blazers

In the 1800s a further five ships, both wooden and steam-powered gunboats, carried the name, winning battle honours in 1814 and 1855.
1919

The Sixth Blazer

The last Blazer, a gunboat, was sold in 1919.
1985

The Seventh HMS Blazer

The current HMS Blazer was built in 1985.

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