Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel
{{Short description|Class of mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy}}
{{For|other ship classes|Hunt class (disambiguation){{!}}Hunt class}}
{{about|the 1980s class|the WWI class|Hunt-class minesweeper (1916)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| sclass = 2 }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMS Quorn is pictured as she departs from Portsmouth. MOD 45139064.jpg | Ship caption = HMS Quorn in 2001 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Hunt class | Builders = *Vosper Thornycroft | Operators = *{{navy|United Kingdom}}
| Class before = | Class after = | Subclasses = | Cost = | Built range = 1978–1988 | In service range = | In commission range = 1979–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = | Total ships completed = 13 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 9 | Total ships laid up = 3 | Total ships lost = 1 | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Mine countermeasures vessel | Ship displacement = {{convert|750|t|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/hms-hunt-specs.htm |title=Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications |date=11 July 2011 |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |access-date=13 March 2019}} | Ship length = {{convert|60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|9.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|2.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = * 2 shaft CAT C32 diesel
| Ship speed = {{convert|17|kn|abbr=on|lk=in}} | Ship range = | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = | Ship complement = 45 (6 officers & 39 ratings) | Ship sensors = * Radar Type 1007 I band/SharpEye navigation radar{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-navigation-radar-system-for-royal-navy |title=New navigation radar system for Royal Navy |date=28 January 2016 |publisher=GOV.UK |access-date=4 August 2016}}
| Ship EW = * SeaFox mine disposal system
| Ship armament = * 1 × DS30B Mk 1 30 mm gun{{cite web |url=https://www.navylookout.com/the-all-rounder-the-30mm-automated-small-calibre-gun-in-focus/ |title=The all-rounder – the 30mm Automated Small Calibre Gun in focus |work= Navy Lookout|date=13 January 2021 |access-date=29 March 2023}}
| Ship armour = | Ship notes = }} |
File:HMS Brocklesby deployed on Op KIPION MOD 45167666.jpg
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.
Development
Upon introduction in the early 1980s they were the largest warships ever built out of glass-reinforced plastic{{cite book |title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships |url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds00gard_606 |url-access=limited |date=1996 |location=Annapolis |publisher=US Naval Institute Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds00gard_606/page/n557 542] |isbn=1-55750-132-7}} and were the last in operation to use the Napier Deltic diesel engine. All were built by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston except {{HMS|Cottesmore|M32|2}} and {{HMS|Middleton|M34|2}}, which were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited on the River Clyde. {{HMS|Quorn|M41|2}} was the last ship of the class launched.
Following the sale of {{HMS|Bicester|M36|2}} and {{HMS|Berkeley|M40|2}} to the Greek Navy, the sale of {{HMS|Cottesmore|M32|2}} and {{HMS|Dulverton|M35|2}} to the Lithuanian Navy and the decommissioning of {{HMS|Brecon|M29|2}}, a contract to re-engine the remaining eight vessels was signed by BAE Systems in 2008, whereby the existing 30-year old Napier Deltic 9-59K power units were replaced by Caterpillar CAT C32 engines, together with new gearboxes, bow thrusters, propellers and control systems, in a six year refurbishment programme that was completed in 2018.
The capabilities of the remaining eight vessels of the Hunt class have been significantly enhanced by the installation of Sonar Type 2193 and the NAUTIS 3 command system. The performance of Sonar 2193 exceeds that of any other mine hunting sonar in service in the world today and is capable of detecting and classifying an object the size of a football at a distance of up to {{convert|1,000|m|yd}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.thalesgroup.co.uk/thales_corporate/press-room/pressreleases/royal-navys-most-advanced-minehunting-sonar-enters-service.cfm |title=The Royal Navy's most advanced minehunting sonar has entered service |date=26 March 2004 |publisher=Thales Group |access-date=4 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315233520/http://www.thalesgroup.co.uk/thales_corporate/press-room/pressreleases/royal-navys-most-advanced-minehunting-sonar-enters-service.cfm |archive-date=15 March 2007}} In late 2007 Chiddingfold used the Seafox drone, the Royal Navy's mine disposal system, during Exercise Neptune Warrior off Scotland. Seafox is described by the MOD as a "state of the art fire and forget system, capable of destroying mines in depths of up to 300 metres".
The 2021 defence white paper announced that all the Hunt-class vessels would be retired from Royal Navy service in the 2020s and replaced by automated systems.{{cite web |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/unmanned-systems-set-to-replace-all-royal-navy-mine-warfare-vessels |title=Unmanned Systems Set to Replace All Royal Navy Mine Warfare Vessels |work=The Maritime Executive |date=24 March 2021 |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324234528/https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/unmanned-systems-set-to-replace-all-royal-navy-mine-warfare-vessels |archive-date=2021-03-24 |url-status=live}} It was subsequently indicated that the withdrawal would occur in the 2029 to 2031 period.{{Cite web|url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/minesweepers-out-of-service-dates-revealed/|title=Minesweepers out of service dates revealed|date=6 September 2021}}
In 2023, the navy began to take delivery of six REMUS 300 small autonomous underwater vehicles (SAUVs), produced by Huntington Ingalls Industries. The system is being acquired to enhance the capabilities of the Hunt-class ships and has a reported operating depth of 300 meters with an endurance time of up to 20 hours.{{Cite web|url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval-weapons/latest/rn-takes-delivery-of-remus-300-sauvs |title=RN takes delivery of REMUS 300 SAUVs |website=Janes |last=Scott |first=Richard |date=13 November 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/remus-300-unmanned-underwater-vehicle-uuv/?cf-view |title=REMUS 300 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) |website=Naval Technology |date=21 March 2023}}
Ships in the class
All 13 ships of this class re-used names from the World War II {{sclass2|Hunt|destroyer|1}}. Four of the names had also been used for World War I {{sclass2|Hunt|minesweeper|1||1916}}s: these were HMS Bicester, Cattistock, Cottesmore and Quorn. {{HMS|Atherstone|1916|6}} had been a paddlewheel minesweeper in 1916, and {{HMS|Brocklesby||2}} was a coaster taken up from trade in 1916.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| Navy | Name | Pennant number | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="8" | {{RN}}
|{{HMS|Brecon|M29|2}} |M29 |1978 |1980 |Decommissioned, now training ship at {{HMS|Raleigh|shore establishment|6}} | ||||||
| {{HMS|Ledbury|M30|2}}
|M30 |Vosper Thornycroft |1979 |1981 |In active service | ||||||
| {{HMS|Cattistock|M31|2}}
|M31 |Vosper Thornycroft |1981 |1982 |In active service | ||||||
| {{HMS|Brocklesby|M33|2}}
|M33 |Vosper Thornycroft |1982 |1983 |In active service | ||||||
| {{HMS|Middleton|M34|2}}
|M34 |1983 |1984 |In active service | ||||||
| {{HMS|Chiddingfold|M37|2}}
|M37 |Vosper Thornycroft |1983 |1984 |In active service | ||||||
| {{HMS|Atherstone|M38|2}}
|M38 |Vosper Thornycroft |1986 |1986 |Decommissioned 14 December 2017 | ||||||
| {{HMS|Hurworth|M39|2}}
|M39 |Vosper Thornycroft |1984 |1985 |In active service | ||||||
| scope="row" rowspan="2" | {{navy|Greece}}
|Europa |M62 |Vosper Thornycroft |1985 |1988 / 2001 |In active service, former {{HMS|Bicester|M36|6}} | ||||||
| Kallisto
|M63 |Vosper Thornycroft |1986 |1986 / 2000 |Former {{HMS|Berkeley|M40|6}}, cut in two in a collision with a container ship on 27 October 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.newgreektv.com/news-in-english-for-greeks/greece/item/33042-huge-merchant-ship-cuts-minesweeper-kallisto-in-two |title=Huge merchant ship cuts minesweeper "Kallisto" in two|first=E. |last=Tsiliopoulos |date=27 October 2020 |publisher=New Greek TV |access-date=27 October 2020}} | ||||||
| scope="row" rowspan="3" | {{naval|Lithuania}}
|M53 |Yarrow Shipbuilders |1982 |1983 / 2011 |In active service, former {{HMS|Cottesmore|M32|6}} | ||||||
| Kuršis
|M54 |Vosper Thornycroft |1982 |1983 / 2011 |In active service, former {{HMS|Dulverton|M35|6}} | ||||||
| {{HMS|Quorn|M41|2}}
|M41 |Vosper Thornycroft |1988 |1989 / 2020 (M) |Decommissioned 14 December 2017. Sold to Lithuania in 2020. Undergoing modernization to enter LNF in 2023. |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Hunt class mine countermeasure vessel}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/the-equipment/ships/patrol-and-mine-hunters/mine-counter-measure-vessels |title=Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Hunt Class |publisher=Royal Navy}}
{{Hunt class MCMV}}
Category:Patrol vessels of the United Kingdom