England's capture of Gibraltar in 1704 provided an essential operating base for the Royal Navy at the entrance to the Mediterranean and led to the establishment of a strong naval presence in the territory. This permanent British fleet presence at Gibraltar was maintained in varied forms through the centuries until the rundown and abolition of the British Mediterranean Fleet in 1967. From the 1970s, the British naval presence in the region took on a more intermittent character, though Gibraltar remained important as a British naval staging base and was so used, for example, during the Falklands War in 1982. The importance of ensuring the security of Royal Navy facilities in Gibraltar was illustrated by the mooted but thwarted Argentine special forces Operation Algeciras which envisaged an attack on British ships using Gibraltar during the War.
Gibraltar remains an important staging base for the Royal Navy, for instance hosting some 79 ship visits during 2022. All told, between 12,000 and 14,000 British military personnel are said to transit through Gibraltar in any given year.[11] Gibraltar incorporates underground weapon storage facilities suitable for holding munition stocks that can be drawn on to replenish Royal Navy vessels. In 2024, HMS Diamond transitted to Gibraltar to replenish its stocks of Aster 15 and/or 30 missiles after operations in the Red Sea against Houthis rebels.[12]
The current Gibraltar Squadron, focused on the role of base and coastal security, was established on 28 August 1985 following the withdrawal of the RAF Marine Craft Unit No. 1102.[13] The two motor launches attached to the previous unit, HMAFV Sunderland and Stirling, remained however and were subsequently renamed HM ships Hart and Cormorant respectively.[13] Both vessels remained with the squadron until May 1991 when they were replaced by the new P2000 patrol boats HM Ships Ranger and Trumpeter. These in turn remained with the squadron until 2003.[13]
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, security arrangements for the squadron were enhanced and the unit received yet another new pair of patrol boats, HMS Sabre and HMS Scimitar, as well as three new RHIBs, in September 2002.[13] The unit has played host to nine URNU students each summer for a two-week acquaint, giving them experience of a front line unit.[14] In August 2011 the unit moved into its new facilities in the Old Boathouse on the Gibraltar waterfront. HM Ships Scimitar and Sabre, previously known as MV Grey Fox and MV Grey Wolf respectively, had previously served in Northern Ireland. The two boats were capable of 30 knots and were armed with two General Purpose Machine guns (GPMGs). They were deployed with the Gibraltar Squadron from 2002 until 2020, when they were replaced on an interim basis by the Archer-class boats, Dasher and Pursuer.
The Spanish Navy and Civil Guard regularly and repeatedly enter Gibraltar territorial waters and vessels of the squadron are routinely dispatched to intercept them.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] In April 2024, a patrol boat belonging to the Spanish Civil Guard crashed into runway lights adjacent to the runway at the Gibraltar airport after reportedly pursuing suspected smugglers into Gibraltar territorial waters. Despite serious damage, the boat managed to return to Spain.[23] The issue of sovereignty over Gibraltar has been a matter of contention between the United Kingdom and Spain since the territory first became a British colony and latterly an overseas territory.[24][25]
In 2012, the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government undertook a review of the facilities and services associated with British Forces in Gibraltar. The review, known as Project EUSTON, has established that the three service units (the Gibraltar Squadron, RAF Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Regiment) will remain whilst some facilities and services will be handed over to the civilian government.[26]
The naval dockyard at Gibraltar, used by visiting warships.
In July 2017 it was revealed that the squadron would receive two new warships which will be more "capable", "faster" and have "bigger guns", to replace HM Ships Sabre and Scimitar "within the next two years".[27] In June 2020, pending further news of the new-build vessels, HMSDasher and HMSPursuer, a pair of Archer class patrol boats previously attached to the Cyprus Squadron, were transported to Gibraltar to serve as interim replacements for Sabre and Scimitar.[28] In July 2020, a contract was signed between the MoD and Merseyside-based boat builder Marine Specialised Technology for the construction and delivery of two new boats for Gibraltar. The first boat arrived in Gibraltar in November 2021 and the second arrived in March 2022.[29][30] In May, 2022 the two Archer-class patrol boats, Dasher and Pursuer, departed Gibraltar and returned to the U.K.[31]
In April 2021, pursuant to a decision announced in the 2021 defence white paper, the 2000-tonne Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Trent also arrived for permanent posting at Gibraltar.[32]
Marine services at the Port of Gibraltar, including for naval vessels using the port, are provided by Boluda Towage Europe. Boluda acquired Resolve Marine Group in February 2024,[48] which had previously been providing marine services at the port with one ASD ocean-going and harbour tug (Resolve Hercules), four harbour tugs (Rooke, Wellington, Egerton and Eliott), two barges (Isaac 1874 and RMG 280) as well as the anchor-handling tug Resolve Blizzard, which can provide regional firefighting, oil pollution and emergency response services.[49][50] Several of these assets were acquired by Boluda. In June 2024, Boluda strengthened its own presence at Gibraltar by adding the tugboat “VB Responder” to its fleet.[51]
Boathouse
Since 2011 the Gibraltar Squadron has shared a headquarters and boathouse with the Marine Unit of the Gibraltar Defence Police. The boathouse accommodates the Navy's two patrol boats and three RHIBs, and the police's two patrol boats and two RHIBs.[52]
Mission
According to the Royal Navy, the unit's mission is to:
"To contribute to the maritime defence and security of Gibraltar and, where necessary, the prosecution of offensive maritime operations in order to allow BFG to support military ops as directed by HMG."[53]
Based in a purpose-built headquarters in Gibraltar, the Squadron is operational throughout the year in order to meet its directive from Commander British Forces Gibraltar, with particular regard to the security and integrity of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). It is also responsible for the protection of British, NATO and allied warships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar or entering the naval base.[14] Uniquely for the Royal Navy, the Squadron is permanently assigned to the Operational Command of Commander Joint Operations.[8] The squadron is attached to the Portsmouth Flotilla and is one of several units permanently stationed overseas, including HMS Forth, HMS Medway, HMS Tamar, HMS Spey and the units assigned to operate from HMS Jufair in Bahrain.
Standing Royal Navy deployments is a list of operations and commitments undertaken by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy on a worldwide basis. The following list details these commitments and deployments sorted by region and in alphabetical order. Routine deployments made by the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines and their location of operations is classified.
His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde, primarily sited at Faslane on the Gare Loch, is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy. It is the navy's headquarters in Scotland and is best known as the home of Britain's nuclear weapons, in the form of nuclear submarines armed with Trident missiles.
His Majesty's Naval Service is the United Kingdom's naval warfare and maritime service. It consists of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve and Naval Careers Service. The Naval Service as a whole falls under the command of the Navy Board, which is headed by the First Sea Lord. This position is currently held by Admiral Sir Ben Key. The Defence Council delegates administration of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence.
HMS Pursuer is an Archer-class P2000 patrol and training vessel of the Royal Navy.
The Archer class is a class of patrol and training vessel in service with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, commonly referred to as a "fast training boat". Most are assigned to Coastal Forces Squadron. HMS Tracker and HMS Raider are armed and provide maritime force protection to high value shipping in the Firth of Clyde and are most commonly employed as escorts for submarines transiting to Faslane. Pursuer and Dasher were also armed during their deployment on maritime force protection duties with the Gibraltar Squadron from 2020-2022.
HMS Scimitar was a Scimitar-class fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy. She is a Lifespan Patrol Vessel type boat and formerly served in inland waterway duties in Northern Ireland as MV Grey Fox. She was acquired to serve with the Gibraltar Squadron, tasked with policing, customs and search and rescue duties. This released an Archer-class patrol vessel for tasking with the Cyprus Squadron.
HMS Sabre was a Scimitar-class fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy. She was commissioned into the Gibraltar Squadron on 31 January 2003 along with her sister Scimitar, and used for police, customs and rescue purposes. The two boats allowed the two Archer-class patrol vessel of the squadron, Trumpeter and Ranger, to be reassigned to the Cyprus Squadron in April 2003 and April 2004 respectively.
The Scimitar class were a class of fast patrol boat formerly in service with the British Royal Navy.
British Forces Gibraltar constitute those elements of the British Armed Forces stationed in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Gibraltar is used primarily as a training area, thanks to its good climate and rocky terrain, and as a stopover for aircraft and ships en route to and from deployments East of Suez or in Africa.
HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Navy. Named after the River Medway in Kent, she was the second Batch 2 River-class vessel to be commissioned and is assigned long-term as Royal Navy guardship in the Caribbean.
HMS Trent is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, named after the River Trent. This is the sixth Royal Navy ship named Trent. She is the third Batch 2 River-class vessel to be commissioned and is forward deployed to Gibraltar for operations in the Mediterranean and Gulf of Guinea.
HMS Magpie is a survey ship of the Royal Navy, intended for use on inshore and coastal survey work. Magpie replaced HMS Gleaner. She was accepted by the RN in May 2018 and commissioned on 28 June 2018.
HMS Tamar is a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy. Named after the River Tamar in England, she is the fourth Batch 2 River-class vessel to be built and is forward deployed long-term to the Indo-Pacific region with her sister ship HMS Spey.
HMS Cutlass is a Cutlass-class fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy. She is a fast patrol boat with a maximum speed around 41 knots designed for sovereignty protection and coastal security duties. She is part of the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron and arrived in the territory in November 2021 after undergoing sea trials in Liverpool. The boat was formally handed over to the Royal Navy in March 2022.
The Cutlass class is a class of fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy.
The Future Commando Force (FCF) is an in-progress modernisation programme and transformation of the role and operations of the Royal Marines. The FCF essentially retasks 40 Commando and 45 Commando with forming two Littoral Response Groups (LRGs) which will be permanently deployed, though other units from UK Commando Force are also included in the composition of LRGs, as well as changing the role and operations of the Royal Marines and the equipment and tactics they use.
HMS Dagger is a Cutlass-class fast patrol boat of the British Royal Navy. She is a fast patrol boat with a maximum speed around 41 knots designed for sovereignty protection and coastal security duties. She is part of the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron and arrived in the territory in April 2022
The Sea-class workboat has been procured for Britain's Royal Navy to undertake a number of roles, including: logistics and transport tasks, inshore and harbour survey work, diver training and support, officer training and providing passenger transfer modules for the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. An autonomous minehunting variant of the class has also been procured.
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