Sandown-class minehunter

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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.

Development

These small (Template:Convert) 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 Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".,[1] the second (ex-Inverness), was delivered in 2008 and named Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and the last (ex-Bridport) named Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". in 2009.

In the 1990s, the design of the Sandown-class was adapted by Spanish company Izar (later Navantia) for the Spanish Navy's six-ship Segura-class minehunters.[2]

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 It was indicated that the remaining Sandown-class ships would be retired first[3] with the entire class to be withdrawn from service by 2025.[4] They will be replaced with autonomous minehunting systems and specialized "motherships" deployed by the Royal Navy.[5] While experiencing some delays, the first command and support vessel for trialling autonomous systems (RFA Stirling Castle) entered service, initially with the RFA in Spring 2024,[6][7][8] though in 2025 it was indicated that she would be transferred to the navy.[9]

In June 2021, during a visit by Template:HMS 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.[10] Ramsey and Blyth were decommissioned on 4 August 2021 and following a refit by Babcock, were to be transferred to the Romanian Navy instead.[11][12] 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.[13]

In September 2022, Template:HMS 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.[14] In October 2022 it was reported that Shoreham had been decommissioned from Royal Navy service.[15] She, and her sister ship ex-HMS Grimsby (now Chernihiv), were formally commissioned into the Ukrainian Navy in July 2023.[16]

Ships in class

File:Sandown-class minehunter Users.png
Map with nations whose navies use the Sandown-class minehunter in blue
Navy Name Pennant number Builder Launched Commissioned Status
Template:Naval Hindostan (ex-Template:HMS) M103 Vosper Thornycroft 1990 1992 Cromer decommissioned in 2001; now static training ship at Britannia Royal Naval College
Template:HMS M104 Vosper Thornycroft 1991 1992 Decommissioned; awaiting disposal
Template:HMS M106 Vosper Thornycroft 1997 1998 Decommissioned[17][18]
Template:HMS M109 Vosper Thornycroft 1999 2000 In active service
Template:HMS M110 Vosper Thornycroft 1999 2000 Decommissioned; awaiting transfer to Romanian Navy[11]
Template:Country data Saudi Arabia Al Jawf 420 Vosper Thornycroft 1993 In active service
Shaqra 422 Vosper Thornycroft 1993 In active service
Al Kharj 424 Vosper Thornycroft 1993 In active service
Template:Country data Estonia Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
(ex-Template:HMS) 		M313 Vosper Thornycroft 1988 1989 / 2007 In active service
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
(ex-Template:HMS) 		M314 Vosper Thornycroft 1990 1991 / 2008 In active service
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
(ex-Template:HMS) 		M315 Vosper Thornycroft 1992 1993 / 2009 In active service
Template:Country data Romania Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
(ex-Template:HMS) 		M270 Vosper Thornycroft 2000 2001 / 2023 In active service[19]
Căpitan Constantin Dumitrescu
(ex-Template:HMS) 		M271 Vosper Thornycroft 1992 1998 / 2024 In active serviceScript error: No such module "Unsubst".
Template:Country data Ukraine Chernihiv
(ex Template:HMS) 		M310 Vosper Thornycroft 1998 1999/2023 Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine in 2023[16]
Cherkasy
(ex Template:HMS) 		M311 Vosper Thornycroft 2001 2001/2023 Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine in 2023[16]

See also

References

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Bibliography

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External links

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