HMS Scimitar is a Scimitar-class

Scimitar class patrol vessel

The Scimitar class is a class of fast patrol boat in service with the British Royal Navy.The two vessels of this class are of a commercial design known as the Lifespan Patrol Vessel built by Halmatic , and formerly served in an inshore waterways anti-terrorist role in Northern Ireland...

 fast patrol boat

Patrol boat

A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...

 of the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. She is a Lifespan Patrol Vessel type boat and formerly served in inland waterway duties in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 as MV Grey Fox. She was acquired to serve with the Gibraltar Squadron

Gibraltar Squadron

The Gibraltar Squadron is a unit of the British Royal Navy. It is the only resident sea-going Royal Naval unit in Gibraltar, attached to British Forces Gibraltar...

, tasked with policing, customs and search and rescue

Search and rescue

Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...

 duties. This released an Archer-class

Archer class patrol vessel

The Archer class is a class of patrol and training vessels in service with the British Royal Navy, commonly referred to as a Fast Training Boat.-History & operations:...

 patrol vessel for tasking with the Cyprus Squadron.

Scimitar was involved in a diplomatic incident between the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 in November 2009 after being alleged by the Spanish to have been using the Spanish flag as a target during gunnery practice. The Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....

 stated that the ship had actually been shooting at a NATO maritime signal flag, which is similar in appearance.

On 3 May 2011 Scimitar was dispatched to intercept the Spanish Serviola-class

Serviola class patrol boat

The Serviola-class patrol boats were a series of patrol boats built in 1990 at the shipyard in Ferrol in the former Empresa Nacional Bazan for the Spanish Navy. They entered service in the Spanish Navy from October 1992...

 patrol boat Atalaya when she entered British waters around Gibraltar and ordered ships to leave the area.