Drone shots taken by expert photographer Dave Cullen show HMS Penzance in Leith as the Sandown class minehunter leaves Royal Navy service.
The shots, taken legally, show the vessel alongside at Leith and also with the Royal Yacht Britannia.
All images, provided by Dave Cullen, remain his copyright and under his ownership.
Farewell @HMSPenzance leaving #Leith #Edinburgh today.
Thank you for your 27 years service https://t.co/qf8LyJEq6h@CdrePaulPitcher @RoyalNavy @NavyLookout @forthports @geoallison @UKDefJournal @STVEdinburgh pic.twitter.com/wbMoJxgDk2
— Dave Cullen Photography (@dcullen_photo) January 13, 2024
The Sandown Class minehunters are specially designed to neutralise underwater threats and clear the shipping lanes that are vital to our nation’s prosperity. There’s now only one left, but what will replace them?
The UK invested £184 million in the Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme through a joint production contract with France, say DE&S.
The contract sees the UK purchase three sets of equipment. Each set comprises a portable operation centre, an autonomous surface vessel, towed sonar and a mine neutralisation system.
Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said at the time:
“This £184 million contract offers a huge leap forward for the Royal Navy’s autonomous capabilities in the detection and defeat of sea mines. As the Armed Forces puts modernisation at the heart of its future strategy, these systems will protect vital shipping lanes, commercial traffic and our brave personnel from these deadly devices. The programme also underpins a deep and ever-strengthening relationship with France and marks the tenth anniversary of the Lancaster House treaties between our two nations.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, the investment will see around 215 jobs supported in the UK at Thales sites in Templecombe and Plymouth as well as in the wider supply chain, including L3 Harris in Portsmouth, Stonehaven in Aberdeen and Alba Ultrasound in Glasgow.
The next-generation mine hunting capability is designed to replace conventional crewed mine hunting vessels, such as the Royal Navy’s Hunt and Sandown class ships, with autonomous systems. The Ministry of Defence say that following a successful demonstration phase and trials completed in October 2020, the new contract will produce three sets of minehunting equipment, consisting of:
“Autonomous vessel – a boat controlled and operated from a mother ship/base. Towed sonar – a sonar which is towed/dragged behind the vessel to locate ordnance. Mine neutralisation system – a remotely operated underwater vehicle which is used once the mine is located to neutralise the device and prevent its detonation.
When used together, these three elements are known as the Primary System. This next-generation mine hunting capability is designed to potentially replace conventional crewed mine hunting vessels, such as the Royal Navy’s Hunt and Sandown class ships, with autonomous systems.”
Don’t the RN fly a really long “white ensign”, as a decommissioning pennant, when leaving the service.
She had her paying off Pennant when she sailed under The Forth Bridges.
So we originally had some 25 Hunt/Sandown class mine counter measure ships and they are being replaced with 3 of these new systems? Are 3 systems sufficient? How does the Royal Navy propose to keep open British ports and naval bases in the event of a hostile state deploying sea mines?
No expert on how these things work but I do know they can only be in 3 places at a time….. It’s a big old World and mines haven’t gone away.
🤔😳👍☹️
Ask the Ukraine if we can borrow them back
Especially given maintenance requirements typically leave half our military vessels alongside at any one time. It’s barely enough to keep Faslane open let alone everywhere else.
Will the last person to leave, please turn out the lights ! ….
Said it many times before but when the batch 2 River’s were built it was such a wasted opportunity to revive the MHPC idea from the 00’s of building a common class of smallish (very much the size and shape of the River’s) patrol vessels that could carry modular/autonomous mine-hunting and survey kit whilst flying the flag and conducting defence engagement as the OPV’s are now doing around the world. We paid an extortionate amount for 5 OPV’s when we could have kicked off a Hunt/Sandown/Echo replacement and continued to build them at a low rate to gradually end up… Read more »
It’s a funny old World. When we were seen as the leaders in mine detection and countermeasures. The City/Vlissingen class of twelve ships that can operate in the traditional sense, but also act as a mother ship for autonomous vessels. Seems like the right way to go. Even France are going to order six of the class for their Navy. It seems the Navy are trying to maintain a level of capability, but are doing so, on the cheap! As there’s no funding to properly replace the Sandowns and Hunts. Regardless of how Politicians or the Navy dress this up… Read more »
And we had h.m.s Vernon to do it from
But isn’t it a lovely shopping centre Sarcasm Andy
A worrying truth across all the front line a woeful inadequate.leading to biting off more than we can chew.
Sad, but true. There’s only so much window dressing that can be trimmed back before things look inadequate.
Or as my late father would say “All Fur no Knickers “
Regrettably on the cheap does cover the woeful negligence for our services. Been there done that again with the Tory government. The fact that we didn’t get a kicking loosing the.Falkland just look at the
“,task force”. How embarrassingly poor
But they knew it would cost lives. Next time
With those that wish us harm we are unlikely
To recover our dignity. Indeed THEY know
our weaknesses and we are a prime target – but let’s see if we try to behave to save lives
or yet again sacrifice our young.
Ukraine bound?
Romania, with Pembroke and Blyth – Blyth already arrived in Romania
Dave, Romania only purchased Pembroke and Blyth.
They also bought Penzance…senior crew membertild me last week.
CHIDs still going she’ll be 40 this year good old Tupperware fleet
Paper fleet. Global Britain? Wed need to borrow a ferry to get anywhere. Iy7 so bloody depressing. Day after Day more bad. News
We can’t even do the Royal tournament field gun run just “Brickwoods” run now Civvies loved the Royal tournament they were interested in the forces and what we did thanks Dark Lord Blair
The navy will regret losing all their mine warfare vessels it will come back to bite them hard
Just hope the Navy have a plan B!
As an ex-RNR rating & officer who served on the River’s of 10MCM, I’m sceptical about these new fangled ideas!
Named for my hometown. First we lost Cornwall, now Penzance. Always sad to see a ship you have some affiliation to bow out.
27 years of service Hms Chiddingfold is still going and She’ll be 40 this year VFM should have kept all the Hunts bet those given away at a discount will still be going for decades Can’t see these Autonomous protecting all round the UK such as OP Pike without breaking down Yet again the Government hasn’t a clue what is involved in hunting sweeping clearing mines there is probably a mine out there designed too knock out Autonomous vehicles being developed