Special forces ‘stealth boats’ stay overnight
TWO stealth patrol craft were docked in St Peter Port earlier this week having come from their base in Poole.
The craft have been in operational service with the Special Boat Service since 2007 and very little has been made public about their design.
Known as the Fast Interceptor Craft, or ‘stealth boat’, their role is insertion and interception and they are rumoured to have top speeds of 60 knots (70mph).
The vessels are specially designed to have a low radar and thermal signature for maximum effectiveness during insertion operations – allowing them to remain largely undetected by normal radar systems.
It is not known how many of these craft the Royal Navy has under its command but at least two have been seen together publicly on training exercises.
It is not the first time this type of vessel has docked in Guernsey, in 2008 two of the craft were seen mooring overnight.
Guernsey Harbours was unable to disclose any further information about the craft which were here overnight on Monday, other than the vessels were Royal Navy patrol craft.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘I’m afraid it is MOD policy to not comment on special forces.’
A spokesman for Guernsey Law Enforcement confirmed it would not deviate from the MOD’s line.
