Osprey-class coastal minehunter
USS Raven in the Persian Gulf, 2004 | |
Class overview | |
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Name: | Osprey |
Builders: | |
Operators: | |
Succeeded by: | None |
In commission: | 1993 - 2007 |
Completed: | 12 |
Active: |
|
Scrapped: | 6 |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Coastal Minehunter |
Displacement: | 893 tons (804 metric tons) full load |
Length: | 188 ft (57 m) |
Beam: | 36 ft (11 m) |
Draft: | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
Endurance: | 15 days |
Complement: | 5 officers, 46 enlisted |
Sensors and processing systems: | |
Armament: | 2 × .50 caliber machine guns |
Osprey-class coastal minehunters are designed to find, classify, and destroy moored and bottom naval mines from vital waterways. They use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. Osprey class are the world's second largest minehunters (surpassed by the Royal Navy's 60-metre (200 ft) Hunt class minehunters) to be constructed entirely of fiberglass and designed to survive the shock of underwater explosions. Their primary mission is reconnaissance, classification, and neutralization of all types of moored and bottom mines in littoral areas, harbors and coastal waterways.
Construction
Twelve minehunter ships were built for the U.S. Navy by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (formerly Litton Avondale Industries) of New Orleans and Intermarine of Savannah. The ships were commissioned between 1993 and 1999.
The ships of this class were named after various types of birds. Contrary to some posts, the USS Black Hawk was named after the bird and not the Indian Chief.
Decommissioning
All of these ships were decommissioned in 2006–07. The Hellenic Navy received two of the Osprey-class from the US Navy: MHC-52 Heron, renamed Calypso and MHC-53 Pelican, renamed Euniki. Two more were transferred to the Egyptian Navy: MHC-60 Cardinal, renamed al Sedeeq (MHC-521) and MHC-61 Raven, renamed al Farouk (MHC-524). The sale of MHC-55 Oriole and MHC-59 Falcon to Republic of China (aka Taiwan) was also authorized.[1]
The U.S. General Services Administration (GS) announced in April 2014 that hull numbers MHC-51, 54, 56, 57, 58, and 62 were up for auction to be sold as an entire lot for "dismantlement purposes only." This ccontradicted earlier information announcing the sale of some of these vessels to foreign operators.[2]
Ships
Ship | Hull No. | Builder | Commissioned– Decommissioned | NVR Page | Fate |
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Osprey | MHC-51 | Intermarine USA | 1993–2006 | MHC51 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
Heron | MHC-52 | Intermarine USA | 1994–2007 | MHC52 | Sold to the Hellenic Navy, renamed as HS Kalypso (M 64) |
Pelican | MHC-53 | Avondale Shipyard, Westwego | 1995–2007 | MHC53 | Sold to the Hellenic Navy, renamed as HS Evniki (M 61) |
Robin | MHC-54 | Avondale Shipyard | 1996–2006 | MHC54 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
Oriole | MHC-55 | Intermarine USA | 1995–2006 | MHC55 | Sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy |
Kingfisher | MHC-56 | Avondale Shipyard, Gulfport | 1996–2007 | MHC56 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
Cormorant | MHC-57 | Avondale Shipyard, Gulfport | 1997–2007 | MHC57 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
Black Hawk | MHC-58 | Intermarine USA | 1996–2007 | MHC58 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
Falcon | MHC-59 | Intermarine USA | 1997–2006 | MHC59 | Sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy |
Cardinal | MHC-60 | Intermarine USA | 1997–2007 | MHC60 | Sold to the Egyptian Navy, renamed as al Sedeeq (MHC-521) |
Raven | MHC-61 | Intermarine USA | 1998–2007 | MHC61 | Sold to the Egyptian Navy, renamed as al Farouk (MHC-524) |
Shrike | MHC-62 | Intermarine USA | 1999–2007 | MHC62 | Sold for scrap 2014. |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Osprey class coastal minehunters. |
- Lerici class minehunter - The Italian ship design on which the Osprey class was based
- Avenger class mine countermeasures ship - US ocean-going class
- Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel - British contemporary
- Tripartite-class minehunter - Franco-Benelux contemporary
References
Notes
- ↑ "Osprey Minehunters for ROC Navy". Armed Forces International. August 6, 2012.
- ↑ http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucdsclnk?sl=31QSCI14049001
Sources
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
- PEO Ships: Mine Warfare
- Federation of American Scientists: MHC 51 Osprey Coastal Mine Hunters
- 26 Mar 2014 MHC 51, 54, 56, 57 58, 62 are on GSA auction web site for "DISMANTLEMENT" out of Beaumont, TX. http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucindx/
External links
- GlobalSecurity.org: MHC 51 Osprey Coastal Mine Hunters
- NavSource.org: Coastal Minesweeper/Coastal Minehunter Index
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