HMS Tamar (P233) is a **Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel** of the Royal Navy, the fourth of five ships in the class, built by BAE Systems on the Clyde and commissioned in December 2020. Designed for global operations with a flight deck capable of hosting a Merlin helicopter, enhanced endurance, and modular mission bays, it specialises in maritime security, counter-piracy, anti-smuggling, fisheries protection, and humanitarian tasks. Permanently forward-deployed to the Indo-Pacific region alongside sister ship HMS Spey since 2021, Tamar has conducted extensive operations including joint exercises with allies, disaster response support (such as after the 2024 sinking of HMNZS Manawanui), mine countermeasures trials, and diplomatic engagements across the Pacific and Asia as recently as 2025.
