HMS Puncher (P291)

HMS Puncher at Portsmouth, 2008
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Puncher
Operator	Royal Navy
Builder	Vosper Thornycroft
Completed	1988
Homeport	HMNB Portsmouth
Identification	MMSI number: 232002940 Callsign: GAAW
Motto	"Never give in"
Nickname(s)	"The Mighty Puncher"
Honours and awards	Battle of the Atlantic
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Archer-class patrol vessel
Displacement	54 tonnes
Length	20.8 m (68 ft)
Beam	5.8 m (19 ft)
Draught	1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts, Rolls-Royce M800T diesels, 1,590 bhp
Speed	14 kn (26 km/h) 45 kn (83 km/h) (Hull design, but limited due to engine fitted)
Range	550 nmi (1,020 km)
Complement	18 (training)[N 1] 12 (operational)
Sensors and processing systems	Decca 1216 navigation radar
Armament	1 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon on fo'c'sle ("for but not with") 3 × General purpose machine guns[N 2]

HMS Puncher is an Archer-class patrol vessel of the Royal Navy.^[1][2] She is permanently based at HMNB Portsmouth and forms part of the First Patrol Boat Squadron (1PBS). Puncher is primarily tasked with training the officer cadets and midshipmen of the University of London's University Royal Naval Unit (London URNU). She also provides a training platform for young officers undertaking training during the Royal Navy's initial warfare officers' course, and has also been used in the coastal protection role, most notably during Operation Olympic, the security operation surrounding the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Puncher operates from HMNB Portsmouth conducting navigation training in and around the Solent. She also regularly deploys out of area, often in the company of other P2000s, with the task of providing practical navigation and seamanship training to the ship's students. Recent deployments have included the Baltic and Northern Europe. Puncher attended Kieler Woche ("Kiel Week") in 2011 with her sister ship Express and ships from several navies.

As of the 2020s, 14 of the Navy's 16 Archer-class vessels are assigned to the inshore division of the Coastal Forces Squadron. In this capacity, they can be assigned deployments further afield. In June 2024, Puncher and her sister ship HMS Pursuer, embarked personnel from the Navy's the Mine and Threat Exploitation Group and deployed for exercises in the Baltic Sea. The vessels operated an IVER 3 autonomous vehicle and a Video Ray Defender remotely operated vehicle to find mines on the seabed.^[3]

Puncher has a permanent crew of five regular Royal Navy personnel, one officer and four ratings, who fulfil the minimum necessary seagoing complement of the vessel. The ship's company is also regularly boosted by up to 12 (more typically 10) URNU officer cadets and midshipmen who are normally accompanied by a Royal Naval Reserve training officer. Alternately the berths may be used by any other personnel who are required to live aboard.

Like most Royal Navy ships, Puncher is affiliated with various organisations and a port:^[4]

• HMS Westminster
• 702 Naval Air Squadron
• HMS Talent
• Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council
• Worshipful Company of Bakers
• Seafarers UK
• Little Ship Club
• Town of Eastbourne
• Eastbourne Sea Cadet Corps
• Eastbourne Lifeboat
• Royal Navy Old Comrades Club Eastbourne

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Puncher (P291).

• "HMS Puncher". Royal Navy.
• "HMS Puncher". London URNU. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.

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