Naval service’s newest recruit sails home today
The €50m stealth-style LÉ Samuel Beckett spent several hours at sea off Devon as the crew put it and its hi-tech systems through their paces one last time, before the official hand-over is signed off.
A Defence Forces spokesman confirmed that Irish naval officers and crew have been familiarising themselves with the ship and its systems for several months.
The vessel is expected to arrive at the naval base in Haulbowline this morning and the spokesman said a commissioning event will take place on May 17.
The LÉ Samuel Beckett will replace the 35-year-old LÉ Emer, which was sold at auction last October to an African consortium.
Once in service, the vessel will be used for fisheries and coastal protection. It has been fitted with so-called Star Wars technology which will give its crew the capability of operating remotely-controlled drones or aerial vehicles from its deck.
It will enhance the Irish naval service’s ability to conduct patrol, surveillance and monitoring operations.
The ship can also operate remotely controlled mini- submarines.
Construction work on the 90m, 1,900-tonne patrol vessel began at Babcock Marine’s Appledore Shipyard, near Bideford, in November 2011.
It is the first vessel to be built at the shipyard since 2002 and one of two orders placed by the Irish Naval Service with Babcock Marine in 2009.
The second vessel, the LÉ James Joyce, is still under construction and is due for delivery in 2015.
The decision to break from the tradition of naming Irish Naval vessels after leading women from Irish mythology was announced by Defence Minister Alan Shatter last year.
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