According to information published by the UK MoD on January 26, 2023, the Royal Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tamar joined the Bangladeshi Navy for joint training in the Bay of Bengal, cementing relations between the two countries after a week-long visit.
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River class Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tamar. (Picture source: Indian Armed Forces)
The patrol vessel became the second Royal Navy warship in 16 months to foster naval, political, and economic ties after frigate HMS Kent visited the Commonwealth nation in 2021.
Divers from the Royal Navy’s specialist Diving and Threat Exploitation Group flew out from the UK to conduct joint training with their Bangladeshi counterparts.
Those links were reinforced with a combined sweep through the northern Bay of Bengal when Tamar sailed with Bangladeshi patrol craft BNS Durjoy and Nirmal.
With her sister HMS Spey the ship is on a five-year mission to the Indo-Asia-Pacific, with Tamar focusing her efforts over the winter/early spring of 2023 in the Indian Ocean.
About the HMS Tamar
HMS Tamar is a Royal Navy Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). The ship is designed for a variety of roles, including fishery protection, counter-terrorism, counter-piracy, and maritime defense operations.
The ship is equipped with a 30mm cannon, two miniguns, and a flight deck and hangar for a helicopter. It also has a range of sensors and communications equipment, including radar and an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) system. The ship also has a range of small boat and diving equipment, as well as a specialist boarding team.
The HMS Tamar was built by BAE Systems, and was launched in 2018. The ship has a length of 90 meters and a width of 14 meters, and is powered by two diesel engines that give it a top speed of 24 knots.
The HMS Tamar is one of the five Batch 2 River-class OPVs built for the Royal Navy and is currently based in Portsmouth. The ship's primary role will be to conduct patrols in the United Kingdom's waters, particularly in the English Channel, North Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The ship will also be used for maritime security and defense operations, as well as for search and rescue and humanitarian aid.
