The British Government is reported to be considering selling three Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to Uruguay in 2028.
A media outlet in Uruguay claims its government is considering an offer from the U.K. to sell on the three warships upon their scheduled decommissioning in two years’ time.
The three vessels — HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn — are Batch I OPVs armed with a 20mm Oerlikon cannon and two general-purpose machine guns. They are capable of 20 knots, carry two embarked Pacific 24 ribs, and have a range of around 5,500 nautical miles. Reports suggest each boat will come with a price tag of about £15 million.
Four Batch I OPVs were originally in service with the RN. The fourth, HMS Clyde, a modified vessel which primarily saw service in the Falklands, has already been decommissioned and transferred to the Royal Bahrain Naval Force.
The other three boats had originally been due to be decommissioned in 2017-19 but they were refitted with a life extension package and have since been used for coastal patrols to control and enforce U.K. waters and fisheries.
Under the proposed deal the warships would be transferred to the Uruguayan National Navy in 2028 to plug a capability gap; last year it cancelled a 2023 contract with Spanish shipyard Cardama for two OPVs.
- You can read more details on the El Observador website