RN decommissions minehunters ahead of transfer to Ukraine
HMS Blyth during its decommissioning ceremony. (Photo: MoD/ Crown Copyright.)
The UK RN has paid off two Sandown-class minehunters, paving the way for their transfer to Ukrainian service.
The RN has decommissioned two Sandown-class mine countermeasures vessels, HMS Blyth and HMS Ramsey, after 51 years of combined service.
Both vessels have seen extensive deployments and were the first to be sent to Bahrain when the UK Government saw a requirement for a permanent minehunter presence in the Gulf.
Following dockyard works, the ships will be transferred to the Ukrainian Navy, serving on the Black Sea.
In June, the UK, Babcock and Ukraine signed a tripartite Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) in Odessa, providing the latter with two minehunters and eight new Babcock-developed missile boats.
The MoI also opened the door for the potential sale of Babcock's Arrowhead 140 frigate design to Ukraine –alluding to it when referring to plans to deliver a 'modern frigate capability'.
In UK service, the two ships are being replaced through Project Wilton, which aims to introduce an autonomous minehunting capability. Three autonomous boats are already in service at Faslane, Scotland.
Following leave, Blyth's crew will take charge of another Sandown-class minehunter, HMS Grimsby, later this year.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement]()
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
![Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates]()
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
![Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat]()
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
![Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine]()
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.
-
![Keel laid for third Hellenic Navy frigate as harbour trials start for first]()
Keel laid for third Hellenic Navy frigate as harbour trials start for first
On 24 March 2022, Greece and Naval Group have signed a contract for three defence and intervention (FDI) frigates. Two warships will be due for delivery in 2025 and the third expected the following year, with the deal including an option to add a fourth frigate to be ready in 2027.
