Northern Ireland Squadron
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The Northern Ireland Squadron was a unit of the Royal Navy. It was established during the conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles to interdict the movement by sea of illegal arms for paramilitaries and to provide other material support for anti-terrorist operations in Northern Ireland.
The squadron was moved to HM Naval Base Clyde, aka Faslane Naval Base, Scotland in 1993.
In 1993, River class minesweepers, HMS Blackwater, HMS Spey, HMS Arun, and HMS Itchen were assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron where they replaced Ton class minesweepers.
The River-class vessels were replaced in 1998 with Hunt Class mine counter measures vessel (MCMV)s.
In 2005, with the Provisional Irish Republican Army having decided to enter into a permanent ceasefire, it was decided that the squadron was no longer required. The last three ships of the squadron, the Hunt-class ships HMS Brecon, HMS Cottesmore, and HMS Dulverton, were decommissioned on 19 July 2005.
