HMS Protector (A173)

	HMS Protector in 2011
History
Norway
Name	Polarbjørn
Namesake	Polar bear
Owner	GC Rieber Shipping, Bergen, Norway
Builder	Western Shiprepair Yard, Klaipėda, Lithuania (hull); Havyard Leirvik, Leirvik, Norway (outfitting);
Yard number	076
Laid down	30 September 2000
Launched	21 July 2001
Completed	22 October 2001
Homeport	Bergen
Identification	IMO number: 9233997; MMSI number: 257870000; Call sign: LARY5;
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Protector
Owner	GC Rieber Shipping, Bergen; September 2013: Royal Navy;
Operator	Royal Navy
In service	2011
Homeport	HMNB Devonport
Identification	Pennant number: A173; International call sign: GXRK; ; IMO number: 9233997; MMSI Number: 235086758;
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
Type	Research ship & Icebreaker
Displacement	5,000 t (4,900 long tons; 5,500 short tons)
Length	LOA 89 m (292 ft 0 in); LBP 80.4 m (263 ft 9 in);
Beam	18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Draft	8.35 m (27 ft 5 in) (max); 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) (as icebreaker);
Ice class	DNV ICE-05
Installed power	2 × Rolls-Royce Bergen BR-8, 2 x 3,535 kW (4,741 hp)
Propulsion	Rolls-Royce controllable-pitch propeller; Brunvoll bow thrusters (800+600 kW), stern thrusters (1125+990 kW) and retractable azimuth thruster (1500 kW);
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing; craft carried	1 × Sea-class workboat; 1 x additional survey/workboat; 1 x Fast Rescue Craft (FRC); 2 × Pacific 22 RIBs;
Complement	88 (accommodation for up to 100)
Armament	4 Miniguns (retired 2023; may be replaced by Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns); 5 General purpose machine guns;
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck (no hangar); Sky Mantis UAVs embarked

HMS Protector is a Royal Navy ice patrol ship built in Norway in mid 2000. As MV Polarbjørn (Norwegian: polar bear) she operated under charter as a polar research icebreaker and a subsea support vessel. In 2011, she was chartered as a temporary replacement for the ice patrol ship HMS Endurance and was purchased by the British Ministry of Defence in early September 2013. As DNV Ice Class 05 the vessel can handle first year ice up to 0.5 metres (20 in) thick.

History
HMS Protector in 2011
Norway
Name	Polarbjørn
Namesake	Polar bear
Owner	GC Rieber Shipping, Bergen, Norway
Builder	Western Shiprepair Yard, Klaipėda, Lithuania (hull) Havyard Leirvik, Leirvik, Norway (outfitting)
Yard number	076
Laid down	30 September 2000
Launched	21 July 2001
Completed	22 October 2001
Homeport	Bergen
Identification	IMO number: 9233997 MMSI number: 257870000 Call sign: LARY5
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Protector
Owner	GC Rieber Shipping, Bergen September 2013: Royal Navy
Operator	Royal Navy
In service	2011
Homeport	HMNB Devonport
Identification	Pennant number: A173 International call sign: GXRK IMO number: 9233997 MMSI Number: 235086758
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
Type	Research ship & Icebreaker
Displacement	5,000 t (4,900 long tons; 5,500 short tons)
Length	LOA 89 m (292 ft 0 in) LBP 80.4 m (263 ft 9 in)
Beam	18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Draft	8.35 m (27 ft 5 in) (max) 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) (as icebreaker)
Ice class	DNV ICE-05
Installed power	2 × Rolls-Royce Bergen BR-8, 2 x 3,535 kW (4,741 hp)
Propulsion	Rolls-Royce controllable-pitch propeller Brunvoll bow thrusters (800+600 kW), stern thrusters (1125+990 kW) and retractable azimuth thruster (1500 kW)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	1 × Sea-class workboat 1 x additional survey/workboat 1 x Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) 2 × Pacific 22 RIBs
Complement	88 (accommodation for up to 100)
Armament	4 Miniguns (retired 2023; may be replaced by Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns) 5 General purpose machine guns
Aviation facilities	Helicopter deck (no hangar); Sky Mantis UAVs embarked