The world's oldest commissioned warship is to undergo a £16 million ($25m) revamp, in what British defense authorities hope will restore the iconic battleship that is so central to Britain's legacy as a maritime power. It will be the most extensive restoration to HMS Victory in more than 200 years, when she underwent repairs following the Battle of Trafalgar. "It's a massive task," says project manager John O'Sullivan of BAE Systems, which has been contracted to carry out the works for five years with an option to extend that for a further five. However O'Sullivan believes a ship of this nature will always be a work in progress. "The first five years will be intense, but it's ongoing forever, it needs constant work."
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HMS Victory is the world's oldest commissioned warship
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British defense authorities have awarded a £16 million( $25m) contract to revamp the ship
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Much of the restoration will be done by hand using traditional specialist skills
@placeholder was commissioned in 1778 and during three decades of service she saw some of the most legendary clashes.