HMS Medway (P223)

HMS Medway is a Batch 2 offshore patrol vessel for the British Royal Navy. Named after the River Medway in Kent, she will be the second 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.

Medway 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 Medway on 8 June 2015 at BAE Systems Govan shipyard in Glasgow. Rather than being launched in the traditional manner, Medway was rolled onto a semi-submersible barge and lowered into the water on 23 August 2017, and was officially named a few weeks later on 20 October 2017. Builders sea trials started on 9 November 2018. On 11 December 2018 the ship completed her sea trials and on 5 March 2019 was handed over to the Royal Navy.