HMS Roebuck (H130)
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| Image:HMS Roebuck.jpg | |
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | |
| Launched: | 14 November 1985 |
| Commissioned: | 3 October 1986 |
| Decommissioned: | |
| Fate: | Active in service as of 2006. |
| Struck: | |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,477 tonnes |
| Length: | 64m |
| Beam: | 13m |
| Draught: | 4m |
| Propulsion: | Four Mirrlees Blackstone ES8 supercharged diesel engines, driving twin Controllable Pitch Propellers via two gearboxes. |
| Speed: | 15 kt |
| Range: | |
| Complement: | 52 |
| Armament: | 20mm Bmark gun, Mini-Guns & GPMGs |
HMS Roebuck (H130) is a coastal survey vessel of the Royal Navy (RN). She was commissioned in 1986, and was the last traditional survey ship to join the fleet. Although nominally used for surveying along the United Kingdom continental shelf, with the downsizing of the survey fleet, Roebuck has been enhanced to enable her to operate overseas. She is fitted with a full suite of hydrographic sensors, and a Survey Motor Boat for inshore work. In addition, as with the other vessels of the survey squadron, she can also operate as a support ship for mine warfare vessels. Roebuck was due to be decommissioned in 2003 following the entry into service of the Echo class. However, the decision has since been taken to keep the ship in service until 2014. Roebuck was the first RN ship into Umm Qasr following the second Gulf War. The work she carried out prior to, and during, the war proved invaluable, allowing coalition ships to operate closer to shore than previously thought possible, and reducing helicopter flying time by ten minutes per sortie during the landings. Roebuck completed a Ship Life Extension Period (refit) towards the end of 2005, and then deployed to the Mediterranean, returning to the UK in April 2006. She is due to deploy to East Africa in June 2006. Roebuck has the distinction of holding more battle honours than any other ship in the RN, and more ships have been called Roebuck than any other name in RN history.
