RFA Stirling Castle RFA Stirling Castle, formerly the MV Island Crown, will act as an offshore forward operating base, deploying Mine Countermeasures Maritime Autonomous Systems (MCM MAS), drones and other crewless systems to find and neutralise sea mines and other seabed threats.
She will boost the Royal Navyâs mine hunting capability and offer a safer alternative to legacy systems.
Five ships between 1679 and 1839 carried the Stirling Castle moniker, and this latest one maintains the Royal Navyâs close connection with Scotland.
The sixth Stirling Castle was welcomed into Plymouth earlier this year and is currently undergoing maintenance work to ready her for front-line duties with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Commodore David Eagles, said: âThe Royal Fleet Auxiliary is excited and honoured to be charged with bringing this impressive new vessel into service.
âWe are looking forward to working alongside our Royal Navy colleagues to roll out this new MCM capability which will provide enhanced operational resilience to the continued preservation and safeguarding of the Nationâs Territorial Waters and sea lanes.
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