The HPB-1500 Police Patrol Craft is a 15-metre UK Ministry of Defence Police and Gibraltar Defence Police patrol-boat program built by Marine Specialised Technology from a BMT design. The GBP36 million MOD/DE&S contract covers sixteen craft for MOD Police and two for Gibraltar Defence Police, replacing older police launches with waterjet craft for armed maritime policing, escort, cordon and naval-base force-protection duties.
The MOD contract allocates sixteen craft to the UK Ministry of Defence Police and two to the Gibraltar Defence Police. The vessels are intended for waterborne policing around Royal Naval bases in the United Kingdom and British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, including escort, cordon and maritime-security tasks around major Royal Navy assets.
GOV.UK identifies HMNB Portsmouth, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde as locations for constant waterborne patrol and policing.
The same announcement identifies the Gibraltar Naval Dockyard and British Gibraltar Territorial Waters as part of the patrol-craft requirement.
MOD Police describes its marine units as armed maritime-policing teams using Police Patrol Craft, escort craft, Island-class vessels and RHIBs across Portsmouth, Devonport and Clyde.
Sources: GOV.UK: GBP36 million MOD Police Patrol Craft contract; MOD Police: Marine Units.
The HPB-1500 combines a police launch replacement requirement with a tailored HPB-series hull, waterjet propulsion and integrated bridge systems. BMT identifies the design as a 15 m craft capable of 30 knots, while MST's product range lists broader HPB-1500 model data including the 4.50 m beam, solid fender, 2,000-litre fuel capacity and MJP 350 X waterjets.
Official MOD and BMT material describe twin diesel engines driving twin waterjets; MST's product page lists two MJP 350 X waterjets and 2 x 800 hp diesel-engine options for the HPB-1500 model.
GOV.UK says the MOD Police craft are reinforced with bullet-proof protection, and BMT/MST sources identify shock-mitigation crew seating.
BMT and MST describe an integrated C4ISR and craft-management system using an open-architecture structure; GOV.UK also identifies a CCTV surveillance system.
NORCO says it was selected as MST's primary composite supplier for the program and manufactured the 15 m hull, wheelhouse, internal structures and deck.
Sources: GOV.UK: GBP36 million MOD Police Patrol Craft contract; BMT: Ministry of Defence Police vessel design order; MST: High-Speed Patrol Boats product range; NORCO: First Police Patrol Craft handed to MOD.
MST presents the HPB-1500 as part of its enclosed High-Speed Patrol Boat range. Sources also link the same MST/BMT design partnership to the larger HPB-1900 Cutlass-class craft for the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | HPB-1900 patrol boat class | BMT describes the HPB-1500 Police Patrol Craft alongside the HPB-1900 project, and MST says the HPB-1500 followed the same MST/BMT partnership used for the larger Gibraltar Squadron design. Sources: MST Group: GBP36 million UK MOD contract, BMT: HPB-1900 Gibraltar Squadron trials |
| HPB-1050 | Smaller HPB-series patrol craft | MST lists HPB-1050 in the same High-Speed Patrol Boats product range. |
| HPB-1300 | Smaller HPB-series patrol craft | MST lists HPB-1300 in the same High-Speed Patrol Boats product range. |
| HPB-2300 | Larger HPB-series patrol craft | MST lists HPB-2300 in the same High-Speed Patrol Boats product range. |
The Ministry of Defence announced a GBP36 million contract with Marine Specialised Technology for eighteen police patrol craft: sixteen for MOD Police and two for Gibraltar Defence Police.
Sources: GOV.UK: GBP36 million MOD Police Patrol Craft contract
BMT said the first craft, named Osprey, launched from MST's Bromborough slipway for trials before DE&S acceptance and initial use as a training platform.
Sources: BMT: HPB-1500 first launch
NORCO reported that the first HPB-1500 Police Patrol Craft had been handed over to the UK Ministry of Defence Police at HMNB Portsmouth.
Sources: NORCO: First Police Patrol Craft handed to MOD
