HMS Chiddingfold (M37)
 HMS Chiddingfold entering Portsmouth July 2013. | |
| Career (UK) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Chiddingfold |
| Operator: | Royal Navy |
| Builder: | Vosper Thornycroft |
| Launched: | October 1983 |
| Sponsored by: | Lady Anne Kennon |
| Commissioned: | October 1984 |
| Homeport: | HMNB Portsmouth, Hampshire |
| Identification: | Pennant number: M37 |
| Nickname: | "Cheery Chid" |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2015 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel |
| Displacement: | 750 t (740 long tons; 830 short tons)[1] |
| Length: | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) |
| Beam: | 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in) |
| Draught: | 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Complement: | 45 (6 officers & 39 ratings) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
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| Armament: |
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HMS Chiddingfold is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the British Royal Navy.
She was launched in October 1983 by her sponsor, Lady Anne Kennon, and formally entered the service of the Royal Navy in October 1984. Chiddingfold is a minehunter, and her purpose is to find and destroy mines, not only in a time of war but also in peacetime. There are about a quarter of a million mines still active from the Second World War alone and they pose a major threat to both military and civilian ships. Chiddingfold is able to enter some types of minefields without the mines detonating. This is because she is made of glass-reinforced plastic (and all fixtures within the ship are made of non-ferrous metals, keeping the ship's magnetic signature to the bare minimum.
In January 2012, Chiddingfold began a year-long mid-life upgrade project, including the replacement of her engines, gearboxes, propellers and an upgraded thruster system; she was the first vessel of her class to undergo the refurbishment.[2]
Affiliations
Chiddingfold has a connection with the small village of Chiddingfold, and every year they have a stall at the Chiddingfold fete.
References
- ↑ Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - MCM, globalsecurity.org
- ↑ "HMS Chiddingfold Gets Two New Engines at BAE Systems’ Portsmouth Yard". Shipbuilding Tribune. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
External links
- Royal Navy - HMS Chiddingfold (royalnavy.mod.uk)
Media related to HMS Chiddingfold (M37) at Wikimedia Commons
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