March 20, the new patrol ship P14 of the Lithuanian Naval Force was ceremonially inaugurated and named at the Warship and Cruiser Terminal in Klaipėda - the event also resumed the successful finish of procurement project by which the Lithuanian Naval Force purchased three patrol ships from the Royal Danish Navy.
Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė, representatives of the Embassy of Denmark and of other countries' corps diplomatique in Lithuania, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Lithuanian Naval Force Cdr. Artūras Stankaitis, commanders of other branches of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and divisions, and delegation of Biržai Regional Municipality, will take part in the event.
During the ceremony order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Lithuanian Naval Force will be read out against the solemn formation of the Lithuanian Naval Force soldiers saying that the new ship shall be named „Aukštaitis" and commissioned. As every ship must have her godparents by tradition, godmother of P14 Irutė Varzienė, member of council of Biržai Region Municipality, will uncover the ship's nameplate, later Chaplain of the Lithuanian Naval Force Romualdas Ramašauskas will dedicate the ship and her crew.
After the ceremony patrol ships P11 „Žemaitis", P12 „Dzūkas" and P14 „Aukštaitis" of the Lithuanian Naval Force of the Lithuanian Armed Forces will be presented to guests:
P14 „Aukštaitis" is the third ship of her class bought into the Lithuanian Naval Force. She will conduct sea patrolling, search and rescue, and other tasks.
Before delivery to Lithuania P14 underwent repair in Korsor, Denmark: new main engines were installed, and modernisation completed under supervision of the Lithuanian Naval Force personnel.
The ship was formally handed over to Lithuania in a solemn ceremony on 27 January 2010 in Korsor, Denmark; she piered at the Cruiser and Warship Terminal in Klaipėda several days after - on 29th of January.
Lithuania and Denmark signed the agreement on selling three multi-role „Flyvefisken"/„Standart Flex 300" patrol ships to Lithuania in April 2007. The first two ships - P11 „Žemaitis" and P12 „Dzūkas" - reached Lithuania in May 2008 and January 2009 respectively.
Technical characteristics of P14:
Displacement
450 t.
Length
54,00 m
Beam
9,00 m
Draught
2,60 m
Crew
29 military
Propulsion
2 x MTU diesels 5.440 AJ
Armament
76 mm cannon, high-calibre machine-guns
Speed
18 knots
Hull made of fibreglass.
Picture of LNF
