Royal Navy welcomes new vessel vital to protecting underwater infrastructure in new mission for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Newly acquired future Multi Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROS) sailing into Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, Liverpool.

THE first of the two new Royal Navy ships to protect key underwater infrastructure has been delivered to begin preparing for front-line duties.

The distinctive blue-white Topaz Tangaroa, which has arrived at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, will become the UK’s first ship dedicated to safeguarding vital seabed telecommunications cables and oil and gas pipelines.

The vessel, whose new military name is still to be announced, will be crewed by around two dozen RFA sailors, plus up to 60 Royal Navy specialists will operate the undersea surveillance systems and other survey and warfare systems when embarked.

It is due to being operations in just six months’ time.

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Commodore David Eagles RFA, the head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, said: ‘This is an entirely new mission for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – and one we relish.

‘We have been entrusted with supporting a key operation to safeguard the UK’s infrastructure, security and prosperity and that fills all of us in the RFA with pride. These are really exciting times.”

The 6,000-tonne vessel, which is equipped with a helipad, crane, and expansive working deck – 1,000 square metres, or the size of five tennis courts – has most recently been operating in the Pacific on underwater construction projects.

The ship also features a ‘moon pool’ – a large access point in the bottom of the hull through which robot submersibles can be launched.

Military equipment will be installed and the ship painted grey before the ship – the first of two planned Multi-Role Oceanographic Survey (MROS) vessels – begins training with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ready for its first front-line operations this summer.