Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:06:35-4:07:19

Should a River-class replacement carry a hangar?

A full helicopter hangar is rejected for a patrol vessel, but drone facilities and a deployable shelter could add flexibility without excessive cost and weight.

DronesHelicoptersOffshore Patrol VesselsRiver Class Offshore Patrol VesselsRoyal NavyShip Design
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Question

Should the River-class replacement have a helicopter hangar?

Short answer

Not a full conventional hangar; it should support UAVs and might use a deployable shelter for temporary helicopter maintenance.

Notes

The proposed requirement is storage and support for small uncrewed aircraft. A telescopic shelter could protect a visiting helicopter and permit basic maintenance on the existing flight deck. A full helicopter hangar would add cost, weight and demands on deck space. The preference is for UAV facilities and occasional helicopter support.