HMS Grimsby (M108)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Grimsby.
HMS Grimsby, 2011
Career (UK)
Name: HMS Grimsby
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Vosper Thornycroft
Launched: 10 August 1998
Commissioned: 25 September 1999
Refit: Rosyth Royal Dockyard 2007
Identification: Pennant number: M108
Status: in active service, as of 2015
General characteristics
Class and type:Sandown-class minehunter
Displacement:600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons)[1]
Length:52.5 m (172 ft 3 in)
Beam:10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught:2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement:34 (accommodation for up to 40)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar Type 1007 I-Band
  • Sonar Type 2093
Electronic warfare
and decoys:
  • SeaFox mine disposal system
  • Diver-placed explosive charges
Armament:

HMS Grimsby is a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy, and the second ship to bear the name.[2]

History

Sailing in September 2009 with RFA Lyme Bay and USS Bataan

She was built by Vosper Thornycroft, in Woolston, Hampshire, and commissioned in 1999. The class was originally named as the Single Role Minehunter and was planned to complement the capabilities of the preceding Hunt class and to be cheaper to build. Sandown-class MCMVs are highly manoeuvrable vessels due to being fitted with Voith-Schneider propulsors allowing rapid turning at slow speeds or whilst stationary. They are considered to be amongst the best active minehunters in the world.

On 24 January 2002, while her divers were searching for a 500 lb bomb in Gibraltar, she was approached by the Spanish patrol boat Conejera, which refused to leave when asked by the crew of HMS Ranger, claiming they were in Spanish waters.

At 2am on 29 September 2004 the 480-ton craft lost power and drifted into the Duchess M ferry (Gravesend to Tilbury), owned by the Lower Thames and Medway Passenger Boat Company in Gravesend, also damaging their Princess Pocahontas.[3]

In 2012 she entered a 6-month Support Period (Docking) in Rosyth which will include replacing the entire fire detection system, upgrade communications systems and habitability improvements.[4]

Capabilities

Grimsby is part of Mine Counter Measures Squadron 1[5] based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, on the Gare Loch. Armament is primarily for self-defence against an Asymmetric warfare threat although a Point Defence capability exists. The fit of 2x Mk44 Miniguns has greatly improved the ship's force protection ability.

Deployments

Berthed in Weymouth in June 2008

Overseas deployments are varied including regular participation in Exercise Cold Response (Norway) and as part of Standing NATO Force Mediterranean (Standing NATO Maritime Group 2). More recently the focus has been in support of OP TELIC Roulement in the Persian Gulf. In 2010 the ship was based in Bahrain.

Affiliations

She is affiliated to her home town of Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire and with local organisations such as Grimsby Town F.C., and the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Sea Cadet Unit.[6] Other affiliations include the Grimsby Royal British Legion, Grimsby Royal Naval Association and Old Cleethorpes Royal Naval Association.

The ship's Lady Sponsor is Lady Blackham.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - MCM, globalsecurity.org, Retrieved 8 June 2014
  2. ↑ "HMS Grimsby". Royal Navy. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Ferry damaged by Royal Navy ship". BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "Grimsby is early test for new ways of work" (PDF). DESider (Ministry of Defence). September 2012. p. 11.
  5. ↑ MCM 1
  6. ↑ Grimsby & Cleethorpes Sea Cadets

External links

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