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

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

[3] On 8 November 2017, HMS Scimitar intercepted the Spanish corvette Infanta Elena trying to enter British territorial waters off Gibraltar.

[4] In July 2017 it was revealed that the Gibraltar Squadron would receive two new warships which will be more "capable", "faster" and have "bigger guns", to replace Sabre and Scimitar "within the next two years".

[7] After a period operating in UK waters Scimitar and Sabre were decommissioned in a joint ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on 30 March 2022.