The craft will replace HMS PURSUER and HMS DASHER and will be commissioned into the Royal Navy, once fully operational, in Gibraltar. They will be the first commissioned Royal Navy craft to be built on the Mersey since 1992, when Cammell Laird launched the Submarine HMS Unicorn, and the first Royal Navy surface craft to be built there since HMS Campbeltown was launched in 1987.

Developed jointly with BMT Group, the new craft is viewed as a step change for the Gibraltar Squadron, providing a larger platform with improved speed, handling, seakeeping and protection qualities in comparison to the current Archer Class.

Commenting on the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) project, Philip Hilbert, Sales Director for Marine Specialised Technology, said: “We are very proud to be working with DE&S helping to deliver tomorrow’s technology and ensure our UK Armed Forces are at the cutting edge of capability.

This contract is particularly prestigious and reflects just how far Marine Specialised Technology has come in the last eighteen years and is a commendation for all of the hard work and dedication that our team has put in.”

The 19.0m high-speed patrol craft will be the largest, most advanced vessel built by MST Group to date.