HMS PUNCHER, a P2000 Royal Navy Patrol Vessel, will be visiting Sovereign Harbour from June 12-15 and residents will be able to get on the ship on June 13 from 4pm-6.30pm. No tickets are required and entry is free.
The incoming commanding officer of HMS PUNCHER Lt Alex Snow said: “Having recently taken command, I am delighted that one of my first actions is to return with HMS PUNCHER to her affiliated town of Eastbourne for the first time since 2018.”
In previous years P2000s operated solely as navigation training platform for University Royal Navy Unit cadets, according to the ship’s commanding officer.
He added: “Whilst navigation training remains a key pillar of our tasking, the role of HMS PUNCHER is now far more operationally focused. Over the previous 12 months she has been involved in a plethora of tasking reaching from OP ISOTROPE [the Royal Navy’s response to the ‘small boat crisis’] to JOINT VIKING (NATO operations within the Arctic Circle). We are continuing to develop the versatility of the platform with the deployment of autonomous vehicle deployments planned for later in the year.”
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1. HMS Puncher's visit to Eastbourne back in 2011
HMS Puncher Photo: Stephen Curtis
2. HMS Puncher's visit to Eastbourne back in 2011
The former mayor of Eastbourne Cllr Carolyn Heaps with Lt Lee Vessey Photo: Stephen Curtis
3. HMS Puncher's visit to Eastbourne back in 2011
The former mayor of Eastbourne Cllr Carolyn Heaps with Lt Lee Vessey and the crew and trainees Photo: Stephen Curtis
4. HMS Puncher's visit to Eastbourne back in 2011
HMS Puncher in Eastbourne Photo: Stephen Curtis