RMAS Newton was an underwater research vessel with limited provision for cable laying. She was originally used for sonar propagation trials.[1]
 RMAS Newton on Southampton Water
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Isaac Newton |
| Owner | |
| Builder | Scott Lithgow |
| Yard number | 739 |
| Launched | 25 June 1975 |
| Commissioned | 18 June 1976 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped 2012 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Research vessel |
| Displacement | 4,510 t (4,440 long tons; 4,970 short tons) |
| Length | 99 m (324 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 16 m (52 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 6 m (19 ft 8 in) |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric |
| Speed | 13.5 kn (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) |
History
editRMAS Newton was built at Scott Lithgow Ltd's yard at Greenock. She had three Mirrlees Blackstone 1,450 hp (1,080 kW) diesel engines driving GEC generators for propulsion through a single screw and the ship's electrical supply. This gave her a service speed of 13.5 kn (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph).[2] To aid manoeuvrability at low speed she had a nozzle rudder and a bow thruster.[3] She was launched on 25 June 1975 and taken into service one year later, on 18 June 1976.[2]
In 2000, she underwent a major refit which included replacing her Mirlees engines with Ruston RK 215 units.[2] At the same time her cable handling equipment was removed. Subsequently, she was used as a training and support vessel for special forces.[3] In 2005, she underwent a further refit at Birkenhead.[2]
On 1 April 2008, she was taken over by Serco who operated her until 2010 when she was replaced by SD Victoria.[3] In 2012 she was sent to Ghent for scrapping.[2]
References
edit- ^ Critchley, Mike (1979). British Warships and Auxiliaries. Liskeard: Maritime Books. p. 79. ISBN 0-9506323-0-9.
- ^ a b c d e "Newton". Scottish Built Ships. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ^ a b c Glover, Bill. "RMAS Newton / SD Newton". History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.