The royal navy's minor war vessels—‘good things come in small packages’

Abstract

The importance of the Royal Navy's Minor War Vessels (MWVs) is not only their role in providing protection for the nation's Polaris and Trident force, and clearing the seas of increasingly sophisticated mine technology, but to fulfil such obligations as fishery protection, thus aiding an industry which generates £4bn per annum for the nation. Although the relative importance of these responsibilities may change with the newly emerging security environment, secondary tasks facing the MWVs—the counterattack on drug smuggling, illegal immigration and maritime pollution—are sure to provide an increasing challenge in the future.