The gauntlet having been thrown down, France quickly developed Exocet, the US, Harpoon. Action was needed to emulate this threat. This historic naval moment was administered by Egyptian navy Komar class missile boats, ex Soviet project 183 torpedo boats, some of which were modified in the late 1950's - early 60's to carry P-15 Termit missiles, known to NATO as the SSN-2, or STYX (Mosquito), with a number transferred to Egypt.Ī very rude wake up call. Israeli destroyer Eilat, the old ex RN destroyer Zealous, succumbed to 3 missile hits in open waters.
The 21st October 1967 was the date which truly awoke the West to the abilities of a small missile armed craft to wreak havock, sinking or damaging a larger adversary. Thanks for this Harry - it wasn't a term I had encountered before. However, unlike the Hunt Class it does not have a mine-sweeping capability. The SRMH was designed from the outset as a fully-integrated mine warfare system. This included a recognition that there was a need to complement the capable but expensive multi-role Hunt Class MCMVs with a cheaper, single-role mine-hunting vessel. In 1980 the Admiralty Board endorsed a new MCM concept policy. A significant number of design improvements are being introduced into the Batch 2 SRMH’s and are detailed below. The remaining six Batch 2 SRMH’s are currently under construction or undergoing weapon acceptance sea trials. In July 1994 a contract was awarded to Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd for the provision of a further seven SRMH and the first of these Batch 2 ships, HMS PENZANCE, entered service in February 1999. The last of the five Batch 1 SRMH’s, HMS Bridport, entered naval service in November 1994. Twelve SRMH’s are being delivered to the Royal Navy in two Batches. The result is the Sandown Class Minehunter of which six are already in service with the Royal Navy and three SRMH variants in service with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. As a result of experience gained during the build of the Hunt Class MCMVs, Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd was invited to design the SRMH. The Sandown Class Single Role Minehunters (SRMHs) are the latest mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) in service with the Royal Navy and are designed to complement the Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessels. I'll have a stab at this and offer Single Role MineHunter see:.
WARSHIP CRAFT OTO MELARA FULL
My next post here will be the full gamut of options available in these hulls.Ĭan remember being on exercise in the baltic with these boats, tootling along a 10kts in a SRMH and one of those came in and passed us in excess of 40ktsĬan you help out this ignorant colonial. Anything and everything since are but amateurish toys for boys in our third rock from the Sun. Never in the history of warships has one hull been so adaptable as this remarkable class from an era which is now defunct, a type born in the early 70's for a ship whose sole task was as a killer of everything and anything that floated, armed with guns, anti ship missiles, mines, torpedoes, hand held anti aircraft missiles, chaff, electronic warfare, all on a hull capable of 40 knots in fair weather.Ī truly convertible hull, the likes of which naval warfare will never see again. Some would say contemporary, a word i try to resist, but which is most appropriate for these 10 Danish 'convertibles' born from the desire to accomplish everything conceivable in 1 single hull, a type first in the littoral sense, and never matched since. Rarely, a type of warship appears, which is of its time. Looking for photographs of this class,especially the forward gun and the missile installations.
WARSHIP CRAFT OTO MELARA ARCHIVE
Danish Willemoes Class Fast Attack Craft World Naval Ships Forums Archive