braindead

Estonian Defence Forces are about to acquire 3 ex-Royal Navy ´´Sandown´´-class minehunters HMS Sandown , HMS Inverness and HMS Bridport . This ship class entered service 1989, so that they are now roughly 15 years old. I´m a complete amateur in Navy business , can somebody please give me any information how good were they considered and how are they rated today ? I know that Spain and saudi Arabia acquired those ships as well. Got all the technical data from the web but am not competent to evaluate it. Naval Technology is a fine site but it´s more of newsletter than consumer review . http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/sandown/

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rickusn

Excerpts from various sources on the class:

The three decommissioned vessels were sold to Estonia in September 2006. They will be re-equipped with TCS (Tactical Control System), underwater system ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) for mine hunting and the Atlas Elektronik Seafox ROV for mine disposal. Also the sonar system will be updated. First ship will be delivered in April of 2007, second March 2008 and last one February/March 2009.
Sandown Class Single Role Minehunters

It was announced in 1983 that Vosper Thornycroft would design and develop a class of up to 20 Single Role Minehunters (SRMs) designed for deep water and ocean operations. The Navy envisaged a simple, cost effective vessel as opposed to the Hunt Class, which had been complex and costly and as a result built in small numbers. The lead ship, HMS Sandown, was ordered in August 1985 and orders for four more units were placed on January 9th 1987. They were constructed in a special modular programme and launched almost complete at the Woolston Yard of Southampton based shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft.

Unlike the Hunt Class, they are not minesweepers, so do not destroy mines by sweeping with cables. They do however carry clearance divers and two Remote Control Mine Disposal Systems (these are literally small, unmanned, remote control yellow submarines that can destroy underwater mines using explosives). Like the Hunt Class, the Sandown Class was built from Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP)- a material chosen in order to reduce the magnetic signature of the hull, yet withstand the shock and force from explosions. Other parts of the ship were constructed from non-ferrous metals for a similar reason. They are powered by Voth Schneider engines and are extremely maneuverable due to two bow thrusters (a real advantage when working with mines). With a displacement of 450 tonnes they have a length of 52.7 metres, a beam of 10.5 metres and a draught of 2.3 metres. Armed with 30 mm close range gun they have a complement of just 34 and have a speed of 14 knots.

Tenders for a second batch were invited on 27th March 1991 from Vosper Thornycroft, Swan Hunter, Yarrow and VSEL. However the invitations were withdrawn in 1991 and the second batch was eventually built for the Royal Saudi Navy, where they serve as the ‘Al Jawf’Class and are named Al Jawf, Shaqra, Al Kharj, Onaizah, Al Ross and Al Bahan . On July 14th 1994 during a statement on the Fort Line First policy review, it was announced that the contract for the second batch had been awarded to Vosper Thornycroft. However the design of the seven later vessels differed slightly from the initial specification incorporating improvements such as dedicated accommodation for female officers and ratings, a more powerful crane, a larger decompression chamber, air conditioning and more powerful engines.

In 1998 as part of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), the government announced a reduction in minewarfare forces from 25 to 22 vessels . Although the orders for Batch 2 vessels awaiting construction remained unchanged, it was announced that HMS Cromer would decommission in 2001 in order to avoid a £5 million refit in 2001. However it has been suggested she may remain in service and an older Hunt Class minesweeper would be paid off instead, as even if Cromer were to pay off in 2001, she would still have to undergo a £2.5 million refit.

SANDOWN CLASS - SINGLE-ROLE MINEHUNTER

HMS Sandown, the first of the new Single-Role Minehunter class, entered service in 1988 (since decommissioned), and HMS Blythe, the latest, entered service in January 2001.

Of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) construction, they are capable of operating in deep and exposed waters e.g. the approaches to the Clyde where the ballistic armed submarines are based.

Sandown Class vessels are equipped with a mine-hunting sonar and mine-disposal equipment, making them capable of dealing with mines at depths of up to 200m.

A less expensive minehunter compared to the Hunt Class. Classed as a single-rle mine hunter, they cost 40 million pounds each compared to the Hunt class of 60 million each

Official link:

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.2055

PubFather

I can't really add much to what Rick has posted - save a personal anecdote. I have been on board one and spoken to several sailors - all of whom were extremely fond of the vessel and its capabilities. With the new gear going onboard, its a very capable minehunter.

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braindead

thank you. they are sorely needed here, because we have still probably several thousands of WW2-era different seamines in our territorial waters. And all we´ve got now are 2-3 ex-Bundesmarine minesweepers built around 1960. besides these ships will be in general NATO service as well

jeffpayne56

Got a few destroyers, frigates, landingships, aircraft carriers if you want them, in fact why not have the whole Royal Navy before Blair scraps it

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braindead

´´Got a few destroyers, frigates, landingships, aircraft carriers if you want them, in fact why not have the whole Royal Navy before Blair scraps it´´

Sure would love to take the whole thing before somebody scraps it , but with a navy with about ~´500-600 men , it would be quite funny to see them manning the battlestations - a true one-man-army/navy .
Just imagine a landingship opening its well and 7 men in kayaks emerging... . Of course the carrier with its 3 L-39-s could eliminate most of air threats smaller than seagulls, while AW-139 & Mi-8 would provide the airlift part

braindead

From EDF website - ´´The top priority for the Navy is the development of mine countermeasures capability that is also one of the Navy's peacetime responsibilities: during World War I and II more than 80 000 sea mines were laid in the Baltic Sea. Since 1995 number of mine clearance operations have been carried out in Estonian waters in close co-operation with other navies of the Baltic Sea region in order to find and dispose ordnance and contribute to safe seagoing. ´´

gunnut

I would actually pay to see that.

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