PNS Munsif (M166)

Career (France)
Name: Sagittaire
Builder: Lorient Arsenal, Lorient
Launched: 9 November 1988
Commissioned: 27 July 1989
Fate: Sold to Pakistan, 24 September 1992
Career (Pakistan)
Name: Munsif
Acquired: 24 September 1992
Commissioned: 1995
Status: in active service, as of 2005
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:Tripartite-class minehunter
Displacement:535 t (527 long tons) empty
605 t (595 long tons) full load
Length:51.6 m (169 ft)
Beam:8.96 m (29.4 ft)
Height:18.5 m (61 ft)
Draught:3.50 m (11.5 ft)
Propulsion:1 × 1,900 bhp (1,400 kW) Werkspoor RUB 215 V12 diesel engine
2 × 120 shp (89 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 × PAP 104 ROV
Complement:5 officers, 23 non-commissioned officers, 21 sailors
Sensors and
processing systems:
1 × DUBM 21B sonar
1 × Decca 1229 navigation radar
Armament:1 × 20 mm modèle F2 gun
2 × 12.7 mm machine guns

PNS Munsif (M166) is the lead ship of the Munsif class of minehunters for the Pakistan Navy. The vessel was formerly Sagittaire (M650), an Éridan-class minehunter of the French Navy. Éridan and Munsif are, respectively, the French and Pakistan Navies' names of the Tripartite-class of minehunters, developed jointly by France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.[2] Sagittaire was constructed at the Lorient Arsenal, in Lorient, France, and launched on 9 November 1988, and commissioned into the French Navy on 27 July 1989.[3] She saw active service during the Gulf War before being sold to Pakistan on 24 September 1992. Renamed Munsif soon after, she was formally commissioned into the Pakistan Navy in 1995. As of 2005, Munsif and two sister ships, commissioned in 1996 and 1997, remained in active service for the Pakistan Navy.[2]

References

  1. Baker 1998, p. 581.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Pike, John (27 August 2005). "Munsif Class (Fr Eridan)". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  3. "Sagittaire (6127949)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 14 October 2009. (subscription required (help)).