Arrow class patrol boat HMS Dasher: Dashing looks, not so dashing armament

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(I’m aware the Archer class can equip a 20mm oerlikon but I cannot find any images of it fitted so it’s omitted in specifications)

History: The Arrow (or P2000) class patrol boats were based of an Omani coastguard cutter made by Watercraft Marine. Originally 10 vessels were ordered. Since Watercraft Marine was liquidated (only building Archer, Biter and Smiter), Vosper Thornycroft took over and made the remaining vessels barring Tracker and Raider, which were done by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company.

(Table of each boat and it’s construction details)

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Interestingly most of these vessels would be unarmed. There are 4 vessels which are armed however, those being Tracker, Raider, Pursuer and Dasher.

Dasher was commissioned in 1988 with her homeport being HMNB Devonport. Until 2004, she was the training vessel for University Royal Naval Unit Bristol.

Before Operation Telic, both Dasher and her sister ship Pursuer were sent to Cyprus to aid in protecting the base that was being used for logistics. Both boats received thier 3 FN mag machine guns and Kevlar armour.

With Cyprus Squadron disbanding in 2010, Dasher was then assigned to the Faslane Patrol Boat Squadron to guard HMNB Clyde and it’s missle ships up until September 2012 where she was replaced by sister ship Raider and returned to her homeport and resumed the role of training vessel.

Dasher then joined the Gibraltar Squadron with sister ship Pursuer in 2020 until 2022 after being replaced by the Sabre class Scimitar and Sabre.

In 2025 Dasher alongside 5 of her sister ships, Archer, Biter, Example, Pursuer and Smiter took part in BALTOPS. Here, Dasher conducted an “emergency resupply” by sending ground coffee across to HSwMS Södermanland.

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Specifications:
Armament: 3x 7.62 general purpose machine guns
Complement: 12
Speed: 39km/h
Sensors: Decca 126 navigation radar
Displacement: 54t
Length: 20.8m
Width: 5.8m
Engines: 2 shafts Cat C18 ACERT diesel engine (~873hp)

Sources:
https://www.defenseadvancement.com/projects/archer-class-p2000/

https://web.archive.org/web/20080609054420/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.5275