Sandown-class minehunter

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Sandown Class Mine Hunter HMS Ramsey Departs HMNB Clyde for the Middle East MOD 45152718.jpg
HMS Ramsey at HMNB Clyde, 2011
Class overview
NameSandown class
Builders Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston
Operators
Preceded by Ton-class minesweeper
Succeeded by Future command and support vessels for autonomous systems, Autonomous minehunting systems
In service1989
Completed15
Active11+ (1 Royal Navy, 3 each Estonian and Royal Saudi Navies; 2 transferred to Ukraine and 2+ being transferred to Romania)
Laid up1 (Royal Navy static training vessel)
General characteristics
Type Minehunter
Displacement600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons) [1]
Length52.5 m (172 ft 3 in)
Beam10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Propulsion
Speed13  kn (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement34 (accommodation for up to 40)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar Type 1007 I-Band/Kelvin Hughes Ltd SharpEye navigation radar [2]
  • Sonar Type 2093
Armament

The Sandown class is a class of fifteen minehunters built primarily for the Royal Navy by Vosper Thornycroft. The Sandown class also serve with the Royal Saudi Navy, the Estonian Navy, and the Ukrainian Navy. The first vessel was commissioned into Royal Navy service on 9 June 1989 and all the British ships were named after coastal towns and cities. Although the class had a primary mine countermeasures role, they have had a secondary role as offshore patrol vessels. As of early 2024, only one vessel of the class (HMS Bangor) remains in active service with the Royal Navy.

Contents

Development

These small (53 m; 174 ft) fibreglass vessels are single role mine hunters (SRMH) rather than minesweepers. Twelve ships were built for the Royal Navy and three ships were exported to Saudi Arabia. Three Royal Navy vessels were decommissioned following the Strategic Defence Review in 2003; Sandown (January 2005), Inverness (April 2005) and Bridport (July 2004). A further ship, Cromer, was decommissioned and transferred to a training role at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 2001 as Hindostan.

The three decommissioned vessels were sold to Estonia in September 2006. They were re-equipped with TCS (Tactical Control System) and the Atlas Elektronik Seafox ROV for mine disposal. The sonar system was also updated. The first ship (ex-Sandown), delivered in 2007, has been named Admiral Cowan, [5] the second (ex-Inverness), was delivered in 2008 and named Sakala and the last (ex-Bridport) named Ugandi in 2009.

Future

The 2021 defence white paper announced that all mine countermeasures vessels in the Royal Navy would be retired during the 2020s and replaced by automated systems. It was indicated that the remaining Sandown-class ships would be retired first [6] with the entire class to be withdrawn from service by 2025. [7] They will be replaced with autonomous minehunting systems and specialized "motherships" deployed either by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) or new-build ships as reportedly preferred by the navy. [8] While experiencing some delays, the first command and support vessel for trialling autonomous systems (RFA Stirling Castle) entered service with the RFA in Spring 2024. [9] [10] [11]

In June 2021, during a visit by HMS Defender to Odesa, it was revealed that an agreement had been reached for two Sandown class ships to be transferred to the Ukrainian Navy upon decommissioning. [12] Ramsey and Blyth were decommissioned on 4 August 2021 and following a refit by Babcock, were to be transferred to the Romanian Navy instead. [13] [14] In September 2023 it was reported that the transfer of Blyth had occurred and that HMS Pembroke would also be transferred to the Romanian Navy in the following year. [15]

In September 2022, HMS Shoreham was spotted operating around Firth of Forth carrying the name Cherkasy (Ukrainian: Черкаси) and the pennant number M311. Though still reportedly in commission with the Royal Navy, she was now training sailors of the Ukrainian Navy prior to also being handed over to that Navy. [16] In October 2022 it was reported that Shoreham had been decommissioned from Royal Navy service. [17] She, and her sister ship ex-HMS Grimsby (now Chernihiv), were formally commissioned into the Ukrainian Navy in July 2023. [18]

Ships in the class

Map with nations whose navies use the Sandown-class minehunter in blue Sandown-class minehunter Users.png
Map with nations whose navies use the Sandown-class minehunter in blue
NavyName Pennant number BuilderLaunchedCommissionedStatus
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hindostan (ex-Cromer)M103Vosper Thornycroft19901992Cromer decommissioned in 2001; now static training ship at Britannia Royal Naval College
Walney M104Vosper Thornycroft19911992Decommissioned; awaiting disposal
Penzance M106Vosper Thornycroft19971998Decommissioned [19] [20]
Pembroke M107Vosper Thornycroft19971998Decommissioned; to be transferred to Romania [21] [22] [23]
Bangor M109Vosper Thornycroft19991999In active service
Ramsey M110Vosper Thornycroft19992000Decommissioned; awaiting transfer to Romanian Navy [13]
Naval base flag of the Royal Saudi Navy.svg  Royal Saudi Navy Al Jawf420Vosper Thornycroft1993In active service
Shaqra422Vosper Thornycroft1993In active service
Al Kharj424Vosper Thornycroft1993In active service
Naval Ensign of Estonia.svg  Estonian Navy Admiral Cowan
(ex-Sandown)		M313Vosper Thornycroft19881989 / 2007In active service
Sakala
(ex-Inverness)		M314Vosper Thornycroft19901991 / 2008In active service
Ugandi
(ex-Bridport)		M315Vosper Thornycroft19921993 / 2009In active service
Flag of the Romanian Naval Forces (Obverse).svg  Romanian Naval Forces Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu
(ex-Blyth)		M270Vosper Thornycroft20002001 / 2023In active service [24]
Naval Ensign of Ukraine.svg  Ukrainian Navy Chernihiv
(ex Grimsby)		M310Vosper Thornycroft19981999/2023Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine in 2023 [18]
Cherkasy
(ex Shoreham)		M311Vosper Thornycroft20012001/2023Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine in 2023 [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Fleet Auxiliary</span> Naval auxiliary fleet which supports the Royal Navy

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by providing fuel and stores through replenishment at sea, transporting Royal Marines and British Army personnel, providing medical care and transporting equipment and essentials around the world. In addition the RFA acts independently providing humanitarian aid, counter piracy and counter narcotic patrols together with assisting the Royal Navy in preventing conflict and securing international trade. They are a uniformed civilian branch of the Royal Navy staffed by British merchant sailors. The RFA is one of five RN fighting arms.

HMS <i>Cromer</i> (M103) Minesweeper of the Royal Navy

HMS Cromer is a former Sandown-class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1992. She was named after the North Norfolk seaside town of the same name.

Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel Class of mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy

The Hunt class is a class of thirteen mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy. As built, they combined the separate roles of the traditional minesweeper and that of the active minehunter in one hull, but later modifications saw the removal of mine-sweeping equipment. They have a secondary role as offshore patrol vessels.

HMS <i>Bangor</i> (M109) 2000 Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy

HMS Bangor is a Sandown-class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 2000. Designed to hunt naval mines in depths of up to 200 m (660 ft) using the Sonar 2093 Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) meaning that she can conduct mine clearance operations throughout the continental shelf. She is named after the Northern Ireland seaside city of the same name, and the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name. As of January 2024, she was the last vessel of her class in active Royal Navy service.

HMS <i>Grimsby</i> (M108) Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy

HMS Grimsby was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy, serving from 1999–2022, and the second ship to bear the name.

HMS <i>Cattistock</i> (M31) 1982 Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy

HMS Cattistock, the third ship of this name, is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1981 and commissioned on 5 March 1982, the third ship of her class.

HMS <i>Penzance</i> (M106) 1998 Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy

HMS Penzance was a Sandown-class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1998. She was named after the seaside town of Penzance in Cornwall, and was the fourth vessel to bear the name. She was decommissioned in January 2024.

HMS <i>Pembroke</i> (M107) 1998 Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy

HMS Pembroke was a Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy (RN), the second ship launched from the class' second batch, with several improvements over the first five built.

HMS <i>Ramsey</i> (M110)

HMS Ramsey was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy. Like other vessels of the Sandown class, Ramsey was built of glass-reinforced plastic and other non-magnetic materials so that her hull does not trigger naval mines as easily as standard warships.

Romanian minehunter <i>Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu</i> Sandown-class minehunter

Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu (M270) is a Sandown-class minehunter of the Romanian Naval Forces. She was built as HMS Blyth (M111), for the Royal Navy, the eleventh of this class of twelve Single-Role Minehunters (SRMH) ships. She was laid down on 30 May 1999 by Vosper Thornycroft at their Woolston, Southampton shipyard, launched in May 2000 and entered service for the Royal Navy in February 2001. She was the second vessel to carry this name, the first being a Bangor-class minesweeper of the Second World War, wearing pennant number J15. Blyth served in the Middle East as part of the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron.

HMS <i>Shoreham</i> (M112) Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy

HMS Shoreham was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy. She was the fifth vessel to bear the name. From 2018 to 2021, Shoreham was deployed at UKNSF Bahrain together with three other mine countermeasures ships as part of 9 Mine Countermeasures Squadron on Operation Kipion. In 2022 she was decommissioned and was transferred to Ukraine.

HMS <i>Inverness</i> (M102) 1990 United Kingdom ship; also used by Estonian Navy

HMSInverness(M102) was a Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned by the Royal Navy in 2005, and in 2008 became EMLSakala(M314) of the Estonian Navy.

HMS <i>Middleton</i> (M34) 1984 Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy

HMS Middleton is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the British Royal Navy. As of 2021, she forms part of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron operating out of HMS Jufair in Bahrain.

HMS <i>Chiddingfold</i> (M37) 1984 Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy

HMS Chiddingfold is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of Britain's Royal Navy. She was launched in October 1983 by her sponsor, Lady Anne Kennon, and formally entered the service of the Royal Navy in October 1984. Chiddingfold is a minehunter, and her purpose is to find and destroy mines, not only in a time of war but also in peacetime. There are about a quarter of a million mines still active from the Second World War alone and they pose a major threat to both military and civilian ships. Chiddingfold is able to enter some types of minefields without magnetic mines detonating because she is made of glass-reinforced plastic, and all fixtures within the ship are made of non-ferrous metals, keeping the ship's magnetic signature to the bare minimum.

EML <i>Admiral Cowan</i> 1988 Estonian ship

EML Admiral Cowan (M313) is a Sandown-class minehunter. Formerly HMS Sandown, lead ship of her class of the Royal Navy, she is now an Estonian Navy ship. Renamed EML Admiral Cowan, she is the flagship of the Estonian Navy and part of the Estonian Navy's mine sweeping flotilla. Admiral Cowan is the lead vessel of the Estonian Navy Mineships Division and also the first of the three modernised Sandown class minehunters received.

EML <i>Ugandi</i> 1992 Estonian ship

EML Ugandi is a Sandown-class minehunter commissioned by the Estonian Navy in 2009. Ugandi is a former British Royal Navy vessel HMS Bridport built by Woolston Yard of Southampton-based shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft.

The 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron is a front-line squadron of the Royal Navy with responsibility for mine warfare in the Persian Gulf region. The squadron is based in Bahrain and, as of 2024-25, is equipped with three mine countermeasure vessels. Normally, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support ship has also been assigned to the squadron. However, in late 2024 the squadron's normal support ship, RFA Cardigan Bay, returned to the UK for refit and acute personnel shortages in the RFA made her return to the Gulf uncertain.

RFA <i>Stirling Castle</i> Mine Countermeasures Maritime Autonomous Systems ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Stirling Castle is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary operated by the Ministry of Defence. Acquired in 2023, the ship entered drydock at HMNB Devonport for modification into a trials platform for autonomous minehunting systems that are to operate from a larger mother ship. The ship was formerly named MV Island Crown, and used as an offshore supply vessel operated by Island Offshore. The vessel was sold to the Ministry of Defence in January 2023 for £40 million.

References

  1. ↑ "Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org . 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Ministry of Defence (28 January 2016). "New navigation radar system for Royal Navy". GOV.UK . Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  3. ↑ "The all-rounder – the 30mm Automated Small Calibre Gun in focus". Navy Lookout. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "In focus: the 50 cal heavy machine gun in Royal Navy service". Navy Lookout. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth II to Hand Ship's Badge to Estonian Navy" (PDF). Estonian Review. 16 (39): 6. 4 October 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Unmanned Systems Set to Replace All Royal Navy Mine Warfare Vessels". maritime-executive.com. 24 March 2021. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Allison, George (6 September 2021). "Minesweepers out of service dates revealed". UK Defence Journal.
  8. ↑ "The Royal Navy wants three new-build mine hunting motherships". Navy Lookout. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  9. ↑ "The Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2023". Navy Lookout. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Why has the Royal Navy decommissioned 6 ships in a year?". Navy Lookout. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  11. ↑ "Mothership to support autonomous mine hunting systems arrives in the UK". Navy Lookout. 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  12. ↑ Allison, George (22 June 2021). "UK giving two Sandown class mine hunters to Ukraine". UK Defence Journal.
  13. 1 2 @NavyLookout (20 October 2022). "Ex-HMS Ramsey and HMS Blyth have been sold to the Romanian Navy" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 October 2022– via Twitter.
  14. ↑ "Thank you Blyth and Ramsey for your service as minehunters pay off". Royal Navy. 4 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. ↑ @NavyLookout (28 September 2023). "@NavyLookout ex-HMS Blyth has been transferred to 🇷🇴Romania with, yet to decommission, @hms_pembroke to follow next year" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 September 2023– via Twitter.
  16. ↑ "The Sandown-class minehunters for the Ukrainian Navy received their names". MINITAPHUM. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  17. ↑ @NavyLookout (20 October 2022). "Ex-HMS Ramsey and HMS Blyth have been sold to the Romanian Navy" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 October 2022– via Twitter.
  18. 1 2 3 Grotnik, Tomasz (13 July 2023). "Ukraine Commissioned Two MCM Vessels". Naval News. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  19. ↑ @NavyLookout (20 January 2024). "@NavyLookout HMS Bangor is the last Sandown class MCMV left in RN service. Images recently released of HMS Penzance decommissioning ceremony held before she left Faslane for the final time on 9th January" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 January 2024– via Twitter.
  20. ↑ @NavyLookout (14 January 2024). "@NavyLookout .@HMSPenzance sailed from Leith yesterday and entered Rosyth flying her paying off pennant" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 January 2023– via Twitter.
  21. ↑ @NavyLookout (28 September 2023). "@NavyLookout ex-HMS Blyth has been transferred to 🇷🇴Romania with, yet to decommission, @hms_pembroke to follow next year" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 September 2023– via Twitter.
  22. ↑ "Romania acquires 2 former Royal Navy's Sandown class minehunters". Navy Recognition. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  23. ↑ @NavyLookout (20 January 2024). "@NavyLookout HMS Bangor is the last Sandown class MCMV left in RN service. Images recently released of HMS Penzance decommissioning ceremony held before she left Faslane for the final time on 9th January" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 January 2024– via Twitter.
  24. ↑ Victor Cozmei (2 October 2023). "România a preluat primul vânător de mine din clasa Sandown de la Marea Britanie. Ce nume a primit cea mai recentă navă din dotarea Forțelor Navale". HotNews (in Romanian).

Bibliography

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