HMS Charger (P292)

	HMS Charger at Bangor, 2006
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Charger
Operator	Royal Navy
Builder	Watercraft Limited, Shoreham-by-Sea; Vosper Thornycroft;
Launched	1986
Commissioned	1988
Homeport	HMS Eaglet, Liverpool
Identification	MMSI number: 235009880; Callsign: GAAX; Pennant number: P292;
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Archer-class patrol vessel
Displacement	54 tonnes
Length	20.8 m (68 ft)
Beam	5.8 m (19 ft)
Draught	1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts, Rolls-Royce M800T diesels, 1,590 bhp
Speed	14 kn (26 km/h); 45 kn (83 km/h) (Hull design, but limited due to engine fitted);
Range	550 nmi (1,020 km)
Complement	18 (training); 12 (operational);
Sensors and ; processing systems	Decca 1216 navigation radar
Armament	1 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon on fo'c'sle ("for but not with"); 3 × General purpose machine guns;

HMS Charger is an Archer-class patrol vessel built by Watercraft Limited, Shoreham-by-Sea and fitted out at Vosper Thornycroft. She is just over 20 metres long and 5.8 metres wide and powered by two Rolls-Royce turbo engines.^[1]^[2] The ship is based at HMS Eaglet, the Royal Naval Headquarters in Liverpool and was commissioned in 1988. She has five full-time RN crew, and sails with an RNR training officer and a maximum complement of 12 students. She is attached to the Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit.

Role

Charger provides sea training for members of Liverpool University Royal Naval Unit. In 2011 she deployed to the Baltic, visiting ports in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark and transiting both the Caledonian and Kiel Canals. The ship is affiliated to the Cumbrian town of Maryport and regularly visits the town during deployments and for Remembrance Day ceremonies. In 2012, the ship's frequent visits to Preston resulted in the ship being formally adopted by the people of Preston.^[3] In 2013, Charger, became the first Royal Navy vessel in the 21st century to make the journey up the River Weaver to Northwich.^[4]

Refit

During a refit in 2016 she was fitted with upgraded engines.^[5]

Affiliations

City of Preston, Lancashire
Town of Maryport
HMS Liverpool
HMS Astute
Eaglet
Liverpool University
Liverpool John Moores University
Lancaster University
Sandbach School^[6]
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
TS Tuscan (Connah's Quay Sea Cadets)
TS Caesar (Maryport Solway Sea Cadets)
Market Drayton RNA

Notes

^ 5 ship's company, 1 training officer, 12 URNU students.
^ When operational and not in URNU role.

References

^ "Patrol Boats – Archer class". Royal Navy. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
^ "Archer Class P2000 (URNU)". Armed Forces.net. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
^ "Thousands at Preston docks for Riversway Festival". BBC News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
^ "HMS Charger to visit Northwich". Canal & River Trust. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
^ "HMS Charger back in the water just in time for Arctic Convoys commemoration". Royal Navy. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
^ "A Day Out on HMS Charger". Sandbach School. 11 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.

External links

"HMS Charger". Royal Navy.

[1] 5 ship's company, 1 training officer, 12 URNU students.

[2] When operational and not in URNU role.

[3] "Patrol Boats – Archer class". Royal Navy. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

[4] "Archer Class P2000 (URNU)". Armed Forces.net. Retrieved 8 March 2019.

[5] "Thousands at Preston docks for Riversway Festival". BBC News. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2013.

[6] "HMS Charger to visit Northwich". Canal & River Trust. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.

[7] "HMS Charger back in the water just in time for Arctic Convoys commemoration". Royal Navy. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2019.

[8] "A Day Out on HMS Charger". Sandbach School. 11 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.

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