HMS Trent (P224)

HMS Trent is a Batch 2 offshore patrol vessel currently under construction for the British Royal Navy. Named after the River Trent, she will be the third Batch 2 River-class vessel to commission.

Construction
On 6 November 2013 it was announced that the Royal Navy had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River-class design, at a fixed price of £348 million including spares and support. In August 2014, BAE Systems signed the contract to build the ships on the Clyde in Scotland. The Ministry of Defence stated that the Batch 2 ships are capable of being used for constabulary duties such as "counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations". According to BAE Systems, the vessels are designed to deploy globally, conducting anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling tasks currently conducted by frigates and destroyers.

Trent includes some 29 modifications and enhancements over the built by BAE Systems for the Brazilian Navy.

Steel was cut, marking the start of construction of Trent, on 7 October 2015 at the BAE Systems Govan shipyard in Glasgow. Trent was officially named – the equivalent to a traditional slipway launch – on the south bank of the Clyde at BAE’s Govan yard on 13 March 2018.