List of survey vessels of the Royal Navy

Active ships

Antarctic patrol vessel

• HMS Protector (2011–) which carries the survey motor boat (SMB) James Caird IV.

Ocean survey vessels

• HMS Scott (1997–)

Coastal survey vessels

• Survey Motor Launch
  • HMS Magpie (2018–)

Decommissioned ships

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Antarctic patrol vessels

• HMS Protector (1955–70)
• HMS Endurance (1968–91)
• HMS Endurance (1991–2008)

Ocean survey vessels

• Hecla class
  • HMS Hecla (1964–97)
  • HMS Hecate (1965–90)
  • HMS Hydra (1966–86)
  • HMS Herald (1974–2001)

Coastal survey vessels

• Bulldog class
  • HMS Beagle (1968–2002)
  • HMS Bulldog (1968–2001)
  • HMS Fawn (1968–91)
  • HMS Fox (1968–89)
• HMS Roebuck (1986–2010)
• Echo-class multi–purpose survey vessels
  • HMS Echo (2003–2022) which carries SMB Sapphire.
  • HMS Enterprise (2003–2023) which carries SMB Spitfire.

Inshore survey vessels

• Echo class
  • HMS Echo (1958–85)
  • HMS Egeria (1959–85)
  • HMS Enterprise (1959–85)
• Ham class
  • HMS Waterwitch (ex–HMS Powderham) (1964–86)
  • HMS Woodlark (ex–HMS Yaxham) (1964–86)
• Ton class
  • HMS Mermaid (ex–HMS Sullington) (1964–68)
  • HMS Myrmidon (ex–HMS Edderton) (1964–68)

Survey Motor Launches (SML)

• SML 2
• SML 4
• SML 6
• SML 322
• SML 323
• SML 324
• SML 325
• SML 326
• HMS Meda (ex–HDML 1301) (1945–1966)
• HMS Medusa (ex–HDML 1387) (1952–1965)
• HMS Gleaner (1983–2018)

Earlier survey vessels

• HMS Merlin (1666–1698), the Navy's first hydrographic survey vessel
• HMS Hecate (1839–65)
• HMS Myrmidon (1867–88)
• HMS Triton
• HMS Fantome (1906–14, 1920–24)
• HMS Endeavour (1913–42)
• HMS Melisande (1918–19)
• HMS Challenger (1932–53)
• HMS White Bear (1939–45)
• HMS Vidal (1954–71)
• Hunt class
  • HMS Beaufort (1920–35)
  • HMS Fitzroy (1920–38)
  • HMS Flinders (1920–38)
  • HMS Kellett (1920–38)
• 24 class
  • HMS Iroquois (1923–31)
  • HMS Herald (ex–HMS Merry Hampton) (1924–39)
  • HMS Ormonde (1924–36)
• Bittern class
  • HMS Stork (1936–39)
• Hastings class
  • HMS Folkestone (1938)
  • HMS Scarborough (1938)
• Halcyon class
  • HMS Franklin (1938–52)
  • HMS Gleaner (1938–39)
  • HMS Jason (1938–39)
  • HMS Scott (1939–64)
  • HMS Seagull (1946–50)
  • HMS Sharpshooter (1946–62) – renamed HMS Shackleton, 1955
• Bay class
  • HMS Dampier (1948–68)
  • HMS Owen (1949–65)
  • HMS Cook (1950–64)
  • HMS Dalrymple (1950–66)

References

• Mason, Geoffrey B. (2007). "Hydrographic Survey Work in the Royal Navy up to the 1980s". naval-history.net.