Coastal minesweeper

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Coastal minesweeper is a term used by the U.S. Navy to indicate a minesweeper intended for coastal use as opposed to participating in fleet operations at sea.

Because of its small size -- usually less than 100 feet in length -- and construction -- wood as opposed to steel -- and slow speed -- usually about 9 or 10 knots -- the coastal minesweeper was considered too fragile and slow to operate on the high seas with the fleet.

Minesweeping, in conjunction with fleet activities, was usually relegated to the diesel-driven steel-hulled AM-type minesweepers, later to be replaced by the wood-hulled MSO-type minesweeper with aluminum engines.

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This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.