The author explains what the new OPV is, discuss what defines an OPV, look at its place in a balanced fleet and what it means in terms of tasking opportunities. The Batch 2 River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel (Batch 2 RCOPV), borne out of the ToBA1 agreement to maintain ship building skills on the Clyde, is without doubt a step forward for the Fishery Protection Squadron – but it is about much more than ‘Fish’. The build supports the national ship building strategy and fills a gap in production between T45/QEC and the T26 project ensuring the key skills are maintained. In short it keeps the shi…
