New Portsmouth warship HMS Forth is revealed

AFTER years of work the curtain has finally been lifted on the first of a fleet of new offshore patrol vessels.

By The Newsroom

Published 17th Aug 2016, 05:00 GMT

HMS Forth Picture: Iain Dick/BAE Systems

HMS Forth is one of three new ‘souped-up’ River-class warships set to enter service with the Royal Navy in 2017.

She was revealed by BAE Systems at the firm’s shipbuilding factory in Glasgow.

Forth, and her sister ships HMS Medway and HMS Trent, will all be based in Portsmouth. They were part of a £384m deal by the MoD to design the next generation of River-class patrol vessels.

Each of the 90-metre ships will displace about 2,000 tonnes and will be equipped with a 30mm main gun, 16-tonne crane for two sea boats and an extended flight deck to operate Merlin or Wildcat helicopters.

Forth is being towed from BAE’s Govan shipyard to Scotstoun for a final phase of work before her sea trials begin.