Belgian minehunter Lobelia (M921)

Career
Name: Lobelia
Namesake: Lobelia
Builder: Mercantile-Belyard Shipyard, Rupelmonde
Launched: 3 February 1988
Christened: 25 February 1989
Status: in active service, as of 2012
General characteristics
Class and type: Tripartite-class minehunter
Displacement: 536 t (528 long tons) empty
605 t (595 long tons) full load
Length: 51.5 m (169 ft)
Beam: 8.96 m (29.4 ft)
Height: 18.5 m (61 ft)
Draught: 3.6 m (12 ft)
Propulsion: 1 × 1370 kW Werkspoor RUB 215 V12 diesel engine
2 × 180 kW ACEC active rudders
1 × HOLEC bow propellor
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)
Range: 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Boats and landing
craft carried:
2 × rigid-hulled inflatable boats
1 × Atlas Elektronik Seafox ROV
Complement: 4 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers, 17 sailors
Sensors and
processing systems:
1 × Thales Underwater Systems TSM 2022 Mk III Hull Mounted Sonar
1 × SAAB Bofors Double Eagle Mk III Self Propelled Variable Depth Sonar
1 × Consilium Selesmar Type T-250/10CM003 Radar
Armament: 3 × 12.7 mm machine guns

Lobelia (M921) is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 3 February 1988 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Anne Van De Kerckhof, the wife of the then Mayor of Diest, on 25 February 1989. The patronage of the Lobelia was accepted by the city of Diest. It was the seventh of the Belgian Tripartite-class minehunters. The Belgian Naval Component announced on its website on 5 November 2007 that Mrs. Van De Kerckhof, the godmother of the Lobelia, had died on 27 October. A delegation of the crew of the M921 Lobelia attended her funeral.[1][2]

Lobelia is currently commanded by Lieutenant First Class Yacin Nini.

References