The visit of the reconnaissance vessel to the Black Sea takes place within the agreement of Ukraine and Great Britain

HMS Echo (H87) enters the Black Sea through Bosphorus Ukrainian military portal reported

The spy ship HMS Echo (H87) of the British Royal Navy entered the Black Sea through the Bosphorus on December 17, as Ukrainian military portal reported.

“The visit to the Black Sea takes place within the agreement of Ukraine and Britain reached on November 21, 2018, during the visit of Ukraine’s Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak to London. Then, British Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson announced, expressing the support to Ukraine, that HMS Echo (H87) will be sent to the Black Sea,” the message said.

It is noted that the main designation of HMS Echo (H87) is holding of the research hydrographic or geodetic operations and support of the amphibious operations; besides, the ship can be used for the management of the naval operations, mine actions, search and identification of the undersea features.

The ship has the improved conditions of comfort for the crew, which is placed in the double cabins (except for the commander and his aide). Yhe vessel is equipped with the cutting-edge systems for the fulfillment of the assigned tasks: side-scan survey, multi-beam and single-beam echo sonars, equipment for the analysis of water samples taken at different depth and ground, pressure gauge, system of mapping and research of the seabed. Besides, it has one hydrographic boat, which can act in some autonomy from the mother ship.