View source for Alta-class minesweeper

{{Short description|Class of Royal Norwegian Navy minesweepers}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=M352 River Clyde.jpg
|Ship caption=Norwegian ''Alta''-class minesweeper ''Rauma'' (M352)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Alta'' class
|Builders=[[Kværner Mandal]], [[Mandal, Norway]]
|Operators={{navy|Norway}}
|Class before=
|Class after=
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=
|In commission range= 1996&ndash;present
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=5
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=3
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships retired=1
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=<ref>{{Cite web
 |url= http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/oksoy/
 |title=Oksoy and Alta Class Minesweepers and Minehunters - Naval Technology
 |work=naval-technology.com
 |accessdate=2 March 2010
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100317183207/http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/oksoy/| archive-date= 17 March 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|Ship type=[[Minesweeper (ship)|Minesweeper]]
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement= 375 tonnes<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forsvaret.no/en/facts/equipment/oksoy-class-and-alta-class |title=Oksøy-class and Alta-class - Forsvaret.no |access-date=2017-05-22 |archive-date=2017-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701010324/https://forsvaret.no/en/facts/equipment/oksoy-class-and-alta-class |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Ship length= 55.2 metres 
|Ship beam= 13.6 metres
|Ship height= 21 metres
|Ship draught= 2.5 metres
|Ship depth=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*2 × {{convert|2.7|MW|0|abbr=on}} MTU 12V 396 TE84 [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × Kværner [[Pump-jet|water jets]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|1500|mi|abbr=on}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement= 32
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=*[[Oropesa (minesweeping)|Oropesa mechanical sweep]]
*[[Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace]] (KDA) Agate (Air Gun and Transducer Equipment) acoustic minesweeping system
*Elma magnetic sweepers
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[Mistral (missile)|Sadral surface-to-air missile system]]
*1 or 2 × [[Rheinmetall 20 mm]] AA guns
*2 × 12.7&nbsp; mm [[machine gun]]s
|Ship armour=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The '''''Alta'' class''' is a [[ship class]] of [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweepers]] operated by the [[Royal Norwegian Navy]]. An almost identical class of [[minehunters]] is known as the {{sclass|Oksøy|mine hunter|4}}.

==Design==
The ''Alta'' class was built by [[Kværner]] [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]] during 1996 and 1997, while the related ''Oksøy'' class was built in 1994 and 1995. A total of nine vessels were built, five minesweepers and four minehunters. The [[catamaran]] hull is built in a [[Glass-reinforced plastic|fibre-reinforced plastic]] sandwich of very low magnetic signature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2013-news/september-2013-navy-world-naval-forces-maritime-industry-technology-news/1253-kongsberg-to-supply-minesniper-mk-iii-mine-disposal-weapon-system-to-royal-norwegian-navy-.html |title=Kongsberg to Supply MINESNIPER Mk III Mine Disposal Weapon System to Royal Norwegian Navy |date=September 20, 2013}}</ref>

Two large fans located on each side create an air cushion between the two hulls and a front and aft rubber skirt, lifting the vessel, giving small drag and a high cruise speed, as well as low susceptibility to the shock of exploding mines since only a small portion of the hull is actually exposed in the water. Propulsion by [[Pump-jet|water jet]], again one in each hull, gives a low acoustic signature. A degaussing system gives the vessels extremely low electromagnetic signature.

==Ships==
{| class="wikitable" 
|colspan=6 align=center|'''''Alta'' class'''<ref>{{cite book|title=Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-2005 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=0710626231 |editor=Stephen Saunders |location=London |pages=517 |date=2004}}</ref>
|-
! Number
! Name
! Builder
! Commissioned
! Status
|rowspan=6|[[File:Knm-orkla-burning-2002-11-19.jpg|thumb|KNM ''Orkla'' burning outside [[Ålesund]], Norway in November 2002]]
|-
|M350
|''Alta''
|rowspan=5|[[Kværner]], [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]]
|12 January 1996
|Scrapped some time prior to 23 July 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=Scrapyard Ships |url=https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/gallery?category=70&imo=4907517 |website=shipspotting.com |accessdate=15 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
|M351
|''Otra''
|8 November 1996
|
|-
|M352
|''Rauma''
|2 December 1996
|
|-
|M353
|''Orkla''
|
|Destroyed by fire on 19 November 2002<ref name=orklaloss>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title="Orkla" har kantret |url=http://www.ba.no/nyheter/article287927.ece |newspaper=[[Bergensavisen]] |date=26 January 2003 |access-date=29 March 2015 |language=no }}</ref>
|-
|M354
|''Glomma''
|1 July 1997
|Sold 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=Sold warships |url=https://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/forsvaret-solgte-krigsskip/2617355.html |website=nettavisen.no |accessdate=15 March 2020}}</ref>
|}

==Service history==
''Orkla'' was destroyed by fire on 19 November 2002.<ref name=orklaloss/> ''Glomma'' is no longer in active service. Alta was scrapped along with the Oksøy class M341 Karmøy prior to 23 July 2022

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/oksoy/ Oksøy and Alta class]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140201225714/http://www.altaclass.com/  Alta class]
*[https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/knm-oksoy.htm Alta / Oksoy Surface Effect Ship (SES)]

{{Royal Norwegian Navy}}
{{Active naval ships of Norway}}

[[Category:Mine warfare vessel classes]]
[[Category:Minesweepers of the Royal Norwegian Navy]]
[[Category:Minesweepers of Norway| ]]


{{Norway-mil-ship-stub}}