Name HMS Ranger Commissioned 1988 Length 20.8 m Displacement 54,000 kg | Operator Royal Navy Status in active service Weight 54 tons Builder VT Group | |
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Class and type Archer class patrol vessel | ||
HMS Ranger is an Archer-class patrol and training vessel of the British Royal Navy, based in HMNB Portsmouth. She is affiliated to Sussex and Brighton Universities' University Royal Naval Unit (or SUSURNU), which has its offices at the University of Sussex, Brighton. The current CO of Ranger is Lt Jonathan Eastburn RN.
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History
HMS Ranger was built at Shoreham-by-Sea by Watercraft Ltd. in 1987 and was originally allocated to Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Reserve based in Belfast on HMS Caroline and used for Junior Officer training. In 1991 she went to Gibraltar with HMS Trumpeter to form the Gibraltar Squadron, and returned to the UK to become Sussex URNU's allocated P2000 in early 2004. Her badge is a ship's wheel superimposed on 7 blue roundels, representing the seven seas.
Being a cadet training ship, Ranger is not equipped with live weaponry unless required for a supervised training exercise. It is fitted for - but not with - a 20 mm 85 GAM Cannon, as well as storage for four standard service rifles and two GPMGs.
Service history
Alongside HMS Trumpeter she was deployed on the Thames for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant as part of the Royal Squadron escorting the Royal Barge. Subsequent to this, she departed upon a twelve-week deployment in company with HMS Trumpeter, HMS Example and HMS Explorer around the Baltic, representing the UK at Kiel Week.