Commander voices pride as Navy’s new mine hunting ship arrives in Scotland

The commanding officer of the Navy’s new mine-hunting “mother ship” has spoken of his pride in the “wonderful” vessel after it recently arrived at its home on the Clyde. RFA Stirling Castle is part of the Navy’s “paradigm shift” in how it deals with the threat of sea mines around the world and could be ready for operations later this year. A former oil rig support ship, it was purchased by the Ministry of Defence in 2023 and will be used to transport and launch autonomous uncrewed boats which will scan the sea for mines. Its crew are going through an intense period of trials to prepare the 6,000-tonne ship for “initial operational capability”, which they hope to reach later this year. Watch more on Independent TV: Click here to subscribe to The Independent: About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global n