LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63)

LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63) is a Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel of the Irish Naval Service. Named after poet W. B. Yeats, the ship is the third in a series of vessels designed by Vard Marine and built by Babcock Marine Appledore.[1][5][6] The ship was floated out of the shipyard in March 2016,[7] started trials in July 2016,[4] and arrived at Haulbowline naval base in late July 2016.[8] The ship was formally commissioned in a ceremony in Galway on 17 October 2016. During the ceremony it was officially named by a granddaughter of the poet, Caitriona Yeats.[2]

LÉ William Butler Yeats at Haulbowline, July 2016
History
Ireland
Name:	LÉ William Butler Yeats
Namesake:	W. B. Yeats, Irish poet
Builder:	Babcock Marine Appledore, North Devon
Cost:	€71 million[1]
Launched:	10 March 2016
Sponsored by:	Caitriona Yeats
Christened:	17 October 2016[2]
Commissioned:	17 October 2016[2]
Identification:	IMO number: 9751494 MMSI number: 250003811 Callsign: EIYU Hull number: P63
Status:	In active service[2]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel
Displacement:	2,256 tonnes
Length:	90.00 m (295.28 ft)[3]
Beam:	14.00 m (45.93 ft)
Range:	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi)[4]
Armament:	1 × 76 mm cannon 2 × 20 mm cannon 2 × 7.62 mm GPMG 2 x .50 calibre HMG[4]