The British Royal Navy’s future navigators have successfully completed training on-board the River-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) HMS Severn.
The training is part of the navy’s ‘premier’ navigation course that involved undergoing training for eight weeks in the classroom and two weeks at sea.
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During training, students had to guide Severn and a mock task group through unsafe waters and weather conditions.
This offered the student navigators with an opportunity to plan and implement a complex navigation strategy.
It allowed the sailors to improve their mental capacity and situational awareness when operating in harsh environments.
The ship took the navigators through the narrow waterways around Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Orkney Islands at high speed.
HMS Severn commander officer Phil Harper said: “Training the very highest standards of navigation for the Royal Navy’s premier navigation course isn’t easy, but it gives the service a battle-winning edge.
“This has been a stunning professional highlight for the ship and for me personally.”
HMS Severn returned to operational status in July 2020 for the first time after the ship left the active fleet in October 2017.
In November 2018, the Secretary of State announced that the vessel would return to the Fleet as it was deemed crucial to UK defence.
The OPV was put through reactivation, refitting and training prior to re-joining the fleet as its dedicated navigation training ship.
