HMS Speedy (P296)

HMS Speedy (P296) was a Boeing Jetfoil, latterly a mine countermeasure vessel, of the British Royal Navy, based on the civilian Boeing 929 design. She was procured in 1979, as the first of a planned class of twelve, to provide the Royal Navy with practical experience in the operation of a hydrofoil, to ascertain technical and performance characteristics, and to oversee the capability of such a craft in the Fishery Protection Squadron and North Sea Squadron.[3][2] She was assigned to these squadrons in September 1981.[2] In 1982, she was used in minesweeping and minelaying trials at Portsmouth, but these were unsuccessful and she was sold into mercantile service in 1986.[4][2] As of 2019, she is serving as a high speed ferry between Hong Kong and Macau, under the name Lilau.[5]

HMS Speedy at Portsmouth, 1982
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Speedy (P296)
Operator: Royal Navy
Ordered: 29 June 1978[1]
Builder:
Laid down: 1978[2]
Launched: 9 July 1979
Sponsored by: Mrs Margaret Jay, at the time wife of Peter Jay, UK Ambassador to the United States
Completed: 1980+[2]
Commissioned: 1980
Out of service: For disposal in December 1982[2]
Homeport: HMNB Portsmouth, Hampshire
Identification:
Fate: Sold into mercantile service in 1986.
Notes: Pennant number: P296
General characteristics
Displacement: 117 long tons (119 t)[2]
Length:
  • Hull-borne: 90 feet (27 m)[2]
  • Foils retracted: 101 feet (31 m)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 90 feet (27 m)[2]
Beam:
  • Hull-borne: 30 feet (9.1 m)[2]
  • Foils retracted: 30 feet (9.1 m)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 30 feet (9.1 m)[2]
Draught:
  • Hull-borne: 17 feet (5.2 m)[2]
  • Foils retracted: 7 feet (2.1 m)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 8 feet (2.4 m)[2]
Propulsion:
  • Hull-borne: 2 x Detroit GM diesel engines, producing 1,100 brake horsepower (820 kW)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 2 x Allison gas turbines, producing 7,560 horsepower (5,640 kW)[2]
Speed:
  • Hull-borne: 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph)-15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)[2]
Range:
  • Hull-borne: 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi)[2]
  • Foil-borne: 560 nautical miles (1,040 km; 640 mi)[2]
Endurance: 23 long tons (23 t) of fuel
Complement: 18[2]
Armament: Designed for 2 × 7.62mm GPMGs on single mountings. Never fitted.[2]
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Speedy.

See also

References
Notes
  1. Peter Blaker, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (27 October 1981). "Service Men (Rehabilitation)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons.
  2. Cocker, Maurice (2006). Coastal Forces Vessels of the Royal Navy from 1865. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 075243862X.
  3. Brown, D.K., J.P. Catchpole, & A.M. Shand (1984). "The Evaluation of the Hydrofoil HMS Speedy". Royal Institution of Naval Architects Transactions. 126: 16. ISSN 0035-8967.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 329.
  5. "Vessel details for: LILAU (Hydrofoil)". MarineTraffic. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
Bibliography
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