HMS Bangor (M109)
{{Short description|2000 Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Bangor}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=HMS Bangor M109.JPG |Ship caption=HMS Bangor sweeping Southampton Water in preparation for the International Fleet Review 2005. }} {{Infobox ship career |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |Ship name=Bangor |Ship namesake=Bangor, County Down |Ship operator=Royal Navy |Ship builder=Vosper Thornycroft |Ship launched=16 April 1999 |Ship commissioned=26 July 2000 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship identification=*Pennant number: M109
|Ship status={{Ship in active service}} |Ship homeport=HMNB Clyde }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Ship class={{sclass|Sandown|minehunter}} |Ship displacement={{convert|600|t|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/hms-sandown-specs.htm |title=Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications |date=11 July 2011 |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |access-date=8 June 2014}} |Ship length={{convert|52.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|10.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|2.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=
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HMS Bangor is a {{sclass|Sandown|minehunter}} commissioned by the Royal Navy in 2000, which was designed to hunt naval mines in depths of up to {{cvt|200|m}} using the Sonar 2093 Variable Depth Sonar (VDS). This means 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.
History
Through October 2011 Bangor conducted maritime security patrols off Misrata during the NATO military intervention in Libya.{{cite web |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/UkOperationsOverLibyaContinue.htm |title=UK operations over Libya continue |date=14 October 2011 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=17 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121026065214/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/UkOperationsOverLibyaContinue.htm |archive-date=26 October 2012}}
Bangor participated in the 2013 Exercise Joint Warrior.{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2013/October/02/131002-joint-warrior |title=Scotland set to host Exercise Joint Warrior |date=2 October 2013 |publisher=Royal Navy |access-date=17 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009035739/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2013/October/02/131002-joint-warrior |archive-date=9 October 2013}} She was stationed on the River Clyde for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. For the duration of the games the general public were allowed on board for a free tour.{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/royal-navy-to-stage-glasgow-2014-show-on-clyde-1-3413207 |title=Royal Navy to stage Glasgow 2014 show on Clyde |first=Brian |last=Ferguson |date=16 May 2014 |newspaper=The Scotsman |access-date=17 March 2019}}
In mid-2021, Bangor deployed with {{HMS|Middleton|M34|6}} to join the vessels of 9 Mine Countermeasures Squadron operating out of {{HMS|Jufair}} in Bahrain. Both vessels were upgraded with the Oceanographic Reconnaissance Combat Architecture (ORCA) system which assists vessels with a higher level of mine detection at greater stand-off distances. Bangor and Middleton were to relieve their sister vessels {{HMS|Brocklesby|M33|6}} and {{HMS|Shoreham|M112|6}}, which returned to the UK.{{cite news| title=UK minehunter joins operations in region | publisher=ZAWYA | date=28 July 2021 | url=https://www.zawya.com/en/economy/uk-minehunter-joins-operations-in-region-iosq7lpr}}
In January 2024, her fibreglass hull, designed to minimise risk from magnetic mines, was damaged in a collision with {{HMS|Chiddingfold|M37|6}} in Bahrain whilst the latter was attempting to moor.{{Cite web |last=Allison |first=George |date=2024-01-19 |title=British minehunters collide in Gulf, damage to be assessed |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-minehunters-collide-in-gulf-damage-to-be-assessed/ |publisher=UK Defence Journal}} There had been speculation that the ship might not be repaired given her planned decommissioning by 2025.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-22 |title=A naval accident in context – Royal Navy minehunters collide in Bahrain |url=https://www.navylookout.com/a-naval-accident-in-context-royal-navy-minehunters-collide-in-bahrain/ |publisher=Navy Lookout}} However, as of August 2024, she was dry-docked for repair having suffered some further damage in a subsequent collision with {{USS|Gladiator|MCM-11|6}}.{{cite tweet |url=https://x.com/NavyLookout/status/1826178179347677695|title=@NavyLookout . @HMSBangor is now dry docked in Bahrain for damage assessment and is likely to be repaired following allision with HMS Chiddingfold in January. |number=1826178179347677695 |user=NavyLookout |date=21 August 2024 |access-date=22 August 2024}}{{Cite web |date=9 November 2024 |title=HMS Bangor being repaired in Bahrain following damage sustained earlier this year |url=https://www.navylookout.com/hms-bangor-being-repaired-in-bahrain-following-damage-sustained-earlier-this-year/|publisher=Navy Lookout}}
References
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External links
{{Commons category}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/the-fighting-arms/surface-fleet/minehunters/sandown-class/hms-bangor |title=HMS Bangor |publisher=Royal Navy}}
{{Sandown class minehunter}}
{{Royal Navy ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bangor (M109)}}
Category:Sandown-class minehunters
Category:Ships built in Southampton
Category:Minehunters of the United Kingdom
{{UK-minesweeper-stub}}