A specialist minehunting ship has sailed for the first time as a Royal Navy warship after being officially redesignated earlier this year.
Four months after she was handed over from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), HMS Stirling Castle departed West Float, Birkenhead, for sea trials and training.
Stirling Castle had been formerly operated by the RFA since 2023 but was formally commissioned into Royal Naval service in July of this year. Since then, her 55 crew have worked alongside RFA personnel to prepare the ship for sea, conducting essential maintenance, safety checks, and training to ensure her readiness for operations.
Having now completed those checks and sea safety training, Stirling Castle will undertake a series of trials and assessments.
As Stirling Castle is designated a warship and will be committed 100 per cent of her time to front-line operations, this would allow her former RFA crew to focus on their primary task of operating the tankers and support ships across the auxiliary fleet.
The ship will carry advanced equipment, including autonomous surface and underwater vehicles, for specialist mine countermeasures operations, primarily in UK waters.
Stirling Castle will be homeported at HMNB Portsmouth.
The ship began life as the offshore support vessel Island Crown but was acquired by the UK Ministry of Defence in 2023 and underwent conversion at HMNB Devonport to transform her into a vessel dedicated to supporting MCM.
The ship will also be repainted in grey in line with international warship conventions.
