HMS Hurtworth and her crew recently conducted sonar testing, deployment of their mine clearance divers, drill mine lay practice and deployment of their mine disposal system.
The vessel tweeted the following.
We regularly conduct Mine Hunting exercises to refine our skills. Today's agenda included:
🔍 Sonar testing
💣 Deployment of our Mine Clearance Divers
🏗️ Drill Mine Lay practice
🦊 Deployment of our Mine Disposal System#SmallShipsBigImpact #HurworthHunts #TheHuntContinues pic.twitter.com/MXs6Wqt4Hf— HMS Hurworth (@HMSHurworth) February 1, 2024
HMS Hurworth is a Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel – a minehunter. She plays a vital role in keeping the seas safe around the world.
The Royal Navy say:
“Minehunters like HMS Hurworth detect and destroy dangers under the water. Her highly trained crew use specialist skills and equipment to keep shipping lanes safe and neutralise threats left from conflicts past.
Adaptable and dependable, HMS Hurworth can be deployed on a range of missions, including protecting lawful maritime enterprise in the Gulf, responding rapidly to developing international crises, or making sure the UK’s sea lanes remain safe and secure.”
Guff….. She will soon be retired along with her “Highly trained crew”….. replaced by some sort of Autonomous vehicles controlled by a couple of Grey painted off shore rig tenders…….. but don’t worry…. they will be “Cutting Edge, World beating , state of the art ” systems more than capable in todays threat environments……. blah blah blah……. 36 minehunters reduced to a few 10 ton ASV’s tested on the Clyde…..
Mine countermeasures was the one RN capability in the Gulf that the US 5th Fleet genuinely valued.
But 9MCM is suddenly down to just two Hunt’s plus the unmanned motor boat Harrier. No chance of any reinforcements as Faslane/HMNB Clyde will have to be the priority for the other four remaining Hunt’s, unless remarkable progress is made getting RFA Stirling Castle and her autonomous systems in to operational service.
I suppose there is no chance that Penzance could be recommissioned? She unexpectedly paid-off last month, at least a full year earlier than the previously announced ‘2025’.
Ship should be in a old ships home, like every thing we have its from the 80’s/90’s
Spot on Andy Mine counter measures conducted by the RN was envied by the world in a couple of years time it will be envied by boaters on Canoe Lake Southsea when it goes fully Autonomous