Design
The Castle class was intended as a series of six offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Navy, designed in response to criticism of the previous Island class for insufficient speed, non optimal sea keeping and lack of a flight deck for rescue helicopters.
In the event, only two ships were built, HMS Leeds Castle and HMS Dumbarton Castle. Both vessels were built by Hall Russell in Aberdeen. These had significant improvements over the Island class - they are 300 tonnes larger, more stable in heavy seas, 3 knots (5.6 km/h) faster and are fitted with a large flight deck that is capable of supporting a Sea King. For brief periods, the ships can accommodate up to 120 troops.
Their primary mission is to serve with the Fishery Protection Squadron, protecting both the fishing fleets and the oil and gas fields of the North Sea. In addition, they can also serve as minelayers, and have detergent spraying facilities on board for dispersing oil slicks.
Read more about this topic: Castle Class Patrol Vessel
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