HMS Blyth and HMS Pembroke, both Sandown Class Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs), have been sold to Romania.
The former ship was decommissioned in 2021 while the latter will be retired early next year.
Acting on behalf of Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, the pair were sold by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), which disposes of vehicles, vessels and equipment no longer needed by UK Armed Forces.
On behalf of Navy Command, the Ships Support team at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) have been working with Babcock to refurbish the minehunters before they are transferred to their new owners.
The Royal Navy will provide individual operator and maintainer training via Navy International Defence Training (IDT), and collective training via Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST).
James Cartlidge, Minister for Defence Procurement, said:
“Given the current geo-political climate, the UK’s relationship with its NATO allies is more important than ever. This agreement with Romania is the latest strategic relationship we have strengthened, providing their navy with a new capability and, crucially, making a real contribution to security in the Black Sea region.”
The former Sandown Class ships are 52.5m long, weigh 485 tonnes and have a range of more than 2,500 nautical miles without refuelling.
They use high-definition sonar to scour the world’s seabeds for mines and lost explosives, which are then safely destroyed by the ship’s clearance diving teams or the ATLAS Seafox mine disposal system.
HMS Blyth was one of four Navy mine-hunters permanently stationed in the Gulf. She was also deployed in the Baltic Sea and for domestic tasking.
One of HMS Pembroke’s most notable successes was the discovery and safe disposal of a Russian mine from the First World War. A remote underwater vehicle was deployed to identify the device off the coast of Lithuania before it was safely disposed of.
DESA Head Richard Whalley said:
“Our dedicated sales team continue to find new homes for the retired Royal Navy Sandown Class ships and I am pleased to see HMS BLYTH and HMS PEMBROKE preparing for their new roles. This agreement highlights the strong relationship we have with our allies and feeds into NATO’s collective mission of supporting global security.”
The outgoing Sandown Class will be replaced by autonomous mine-hunting systems operating from RFA Stirling Castle, the new “mothership” bought by DE&S as a commercial vessel from Norwegian company Island Offshore before being modified for her future role.
HMS Blyth was transferred to the Romanian Navy this month, while HMS Pembroke will be transferred next spring.
In the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drifting mines pose a direct threat to Black Sea states, and sea lines of communication. This sale will enable Romania, a key NATO ally, to have a direct, positive contribution to the maritime security of the region.
It follows other minehunter sales made by DESA, including HMS QUORN, DULVERTON and COTTESMORE to Lithuania, HMS SANDOWN, INVERNESS and BRIDPORT to Estonia, HMS BERKELEY and BICESTER to Greece, and HMS ATHERSTONE to maritime contractor Harland & Wolff.
DESA has two former Royal Navy minehunters to sell in the form of HMS PENZANCE and HMS BANGOR.
The value of the sale of HMS Blyth and HMS Pembroke is bound by commercial confidentiality.
I must admit I am really impressed with how the British Government sells off older military equipment and uses the proceeds from those sales to purchase world beating cutting edge equipment to replace the stuff they have just sold off….No wait.
Well maintained assets, it’s got to be a good buy.
It’s the second hand sale of the century. The reason they’ve not disclosed the price paid for multi million pound assets is because they sold them off for tuppence.
Too true Sir!
Yes they do . But , and I know this because I was involved with a Govt to Govt contract for MCMVs, the UK PLc make a killing on the support contracts.
Sonar, command system, machinery, 30mm all will have UK OEM attendance contracts organised via MOD for a number of years post sale.
Romania? Waste of effort. No mines in the black sea surely? No grain shipments to escort? It’s not like a romanian flagged vessel can go places a British vessel cannot?😀
It’s a good purchase and can work in parallel with same vessels in Ukrainian navy. Maybe Bulgaria might get a couple too. Good capability for scouring their coastal areas and Black Sea and general patrol. Especially right now and post conflict. You never know what the Russian forces might leave lying around.
Indeed it’s a model for the future..selling of the T31/32 at an early age before they need an expensive lifex is sound economics as well as increases the navies ability to deploy ( newer vessels break less than older ones)….if we keep up the drumbeat of type 31…at one commissioned every 2 years ( unless we sell a slot directly to someone else) you could be selling off the RNs hulls at 15 years…I can see the market for a decent modestly costed second hand frigate as being pretty good….once you remove the money for lifex, general upkeep of older… Read more »
The money won’t be given to the navy
So we have one ship to replace that lot…. Hope not.
So far, one ship, and I think 6 or 7 RNMBs so far to go with it.
In Phase two, more will come.
First 3 RNMBs are at Faslane.
Planned to get 4 Mother vessels like Stirling Castle.
Good progress DM. Can’t quite figure out why this task has been transferred to the RFA. Possibly cheaper operating overheads & costs?
Driving a commercial vessel around is what the RFA is meant for, it’s RN teams onboard carrying out the MCM work and the current plan is these vessels will operate in permissive environments while T26 and T32 will carry out MCM in contested space.
Only the mother vessel is RFA mate, the boats themselves are operated by RN MCM personnel.
At Faslane are RNMBs Harrier, Hazard and the bigger workboat, Hebe, procured under Project Wilton, while there are also RNMBs Apollo, Artemis, Hussar, and Halcyon, assume they’re at HMNB Portsmouth but I’m unsure.
Thanks for the info Daniele, interesting times in the MCM world.
4 seems like a good number especially if we get 5 T32 to operate them as well.
Sorry Jim, just saw your comment to Daniele. Same and same. 😁
Yes but is the RN getting 5 type 32s? I think Sunaks government are proving the masters of rowing backwards.
Sunak is an unelected seat warmer, it’s not up to him it’s up to labour next year.
Ooh predictions already. I will wait to see what professor John Curtis says. He is normally close with his predictions of elections.
The Tories are obviously worried – and so they shoud be !
An unelected ‘leader’ now desperately trying to prove he is the master (or puppet) of finances whilst us plebs are travlling towards a 37% tax rate.
Now rowing back on both trains and automobiles (the planes are next).
An 84 seat majority now reduced to scrat’ing around for populist policies.
Architetcs of their own downfall.
The problem with Sunak is that he doesn’t really have an enthusiastic base, unlike Boris say, so is fighting for votes on all fronts, which ultimately makes him likely to lose. However Starmer is not that dissimilar in his standing either but has the advantage of the Tory failures and corruption to cite, such as on the economy and just about everything else. So he may edge it over Sunak, although to complicate things, Sunak is appealing to the grey voters who is a significant demographic, hence throw in debates on migration and roll back on progressive green policies and… Read more »
Starmer is the victor meldrew of British politics, talk about miserable
Labour will have changed their minds twice by then
Type 32 won’t happen. It’s a con to hide the Albion’s getting binned
Just a guess, that that means 1 per HMNB plus one for deployment abroad.
T32? we should get a new class of sweepers
Hi Daniele, wonder if the mothership role here then will be for the GP T32 or the RN might go for a Venari 85 type vessel? Be good to get the 5 T32 + 4 MCM vessels.
Not going to happen
Stirling castle is more wasted budget
Echo and enterprise could have been fitted out to do what Stirling castle will be doing
Modern mines are basically bottom sitting torpedoes, traditional mine hunters are turkeys for such systems. Plastic hulled boats are difficult to deploy and expensive to run. Our new drone based MCM capabilities able to deploy from COTS style vessels like Stirling castle or warships like T26. It’s a much better capability we are getting and it’s world leading.
What I wonder is why do other countries want them or build them if they are not good?
The robot boats hopefully can do the jobs the mine fleet does. I fear it will be more ships cut from the fleet without replacement. The patrol and presence aspect will be lost aswell. A robot small boat isn’t the same as 500+ ton ship.
Some extra patrol ships needed with space for a secondary roles including mine stuff?
The navy really needs a boost in ships, sailors.
Proper mine ships replaced by speed boats.
I hope there are enough replacement castle class ships bought to do what the current fleet does.
Will some patrol ships be needed aswell?
Proper mine ships would not last 5 mins in a shooting war, modern mines are lethal.
Well yes they are but it’s still making the fleet smaller. Lots of countries use loads of old mines aswell. Having replacements already in service is a better idea than cutting one of the best mine forces in the world then trying to rebuild/upscale it at a later date.
Sell the bloody archers, they’re all a waste of diesel
3 more were stolen………😎😇
Just 3 hope the sellers checked their pockets after the deal
No longer needed really MR Shapps 💰💰💰that’s what it’s about 🇬🇧 😞
Or is that Mr Green or…….
🚣♂️🚣♀️🚣🚣♀️🚣♂️🛶🚣♂️🚣♀️🚣🚣♀️🚣♂️🛶 Tory party promises for investment in the UK.Improvements in defence. They must have arms like steel the amount of rowing backwards they do.
I’d far rather see us get rid of the River’s to keep useful ships like these, the Echo’s and the Tide’s.
I don’t think the tides are going out of service any time soon, though the 2 wave class tankers have been put under low readiness till 2028 I believe.
Steve , I believe the batch 1 Rivers are to be replaced one for one by the Type 32 frigates. IF the programme continues that is.
Spot on re the Echos !
Afternoon Klonkie, hopefully T31/32s for NZ and even done for Aus. Even Indonesia is currently building two under licence.
As a nod to the history and the guaranteed support from the kiwis, I D been happier with seeing them and the nextT23 transferred to them
T32? I’m not convinced that it will happen. And won’t be until the first one hits the water
Hi Q, hope you’re well Mate. I’d be thrilled to see a pair of 31/32 in NZ. Must be a contender for the ANZAC replacement.
Oh brill.
So we lose the entirety of the minesweeping fleet and the batch 1 river class to be replaced by type 32 (no confirmed design or specification or crucially allocated budget) and some drone operating motherships. Not yet budgeted or ordered. Anyone else here failing to be impressed?
Reference Jim’ reply to SITS. If we do get 5x T32 drone based motherships, capable of global deployment to replace Echo class and the River batch 1’s I think that would be a great outcome. I would envision these ships to be good at launching and recovering drones, have basic self defence, maybe a helo. Able to keep UK coasts free of mines and maybe submarines? Also able to sail with a LRG or CSG?
I don’t think that is the case.
Motherships, shmothership? Surely echo and enterprise could have done it without the cost of brand new builds
Me, it’s just more of the depressing news we are used to getting
Me
You’re presenting to the converted sir. I couldn’t agree more.
Why spend £350m on a ship to replace a B1 OPV when something like a Cape class can do their current tasking for £35m? We might even be able to pick up a few second hand Evolved Capes at £15m a pop. What extra will you get with a GP frigate for all that money if you are just going to have it doing local maritime patrol?
You still have to get replacement ships for them.
No, they will return the Batch IIs to the UK for fisheries protection and replace the B2s overseas with Type 31.
Those MCM could the B2 rivers OPV tasking.
Hi Jon. Whilst I agree with your logic, I believe the batch 2 rivers was somewhat of a stopgap. I,e. to afford the RN more assets until thy returned to a 24 surface warfare fleet .
2r surface fleet? Not before 2030.
if were lucky Andy.
I’d consider a batch 3 river designed to full military specs
Hi mate. Not what I understand. You mean the Batch Two Rivers, yes? Not the Batch 1s. The 3 Batch 1s are in UK waters, the 5 Batch 2s are the ones deployed overseas in the OPS. Some have suggested the T31s will replace these, and they will then return to the UK to replace the B1 Rivers. I’d prefer to keep them where they are. T32 is not to replace anything, it is meant to augment and expand the escort fleet. Again, it has been suggested it may have a MCM/drone role, but it is such early days I… Read more »
H i DM , ye I recall reading this somewhere(maybe this site), Roy summarised this in his post above “return the Batch IIs to the UK for fisheries protection and replace the B2s overseas with Type 31.”
I’m liking your comment re the T32 not replacing anything, but expanding the fleet, (as the government had sad they would). Sadly, I see a future government retiring the batch1s without replacement.
T32 is a smokescreen for more cuts we don’t know about yet.
There’s nothing a river can do that echo couldn’t? Who are these idiots?
Type 32s days are numbered. There just isn’t enough money.
Roy, I fear you are correct.
Batch 1 rivers replaced by T31’s? Fantasy.
If those ships can float, do their job, we should bloody well keep them
no Andy ,Type 32
And we’ve still got to spend more on a new class to replace them
We have been phasing these out for years and are replacing them with newer more modern capabilities. It frees up manpower and provides a NATO Ally with a capacity boost which is a usefull asset in a part of the world where we all need it. Just look where we are selling off our old MCM/MCMV too, yep the areas where we as NATO partners really may need them in the Black Sea and Baltic. We don’t want them anymore so may as well sell them to someone who does and if we need to sweep for the grasin ships… Read more »
Honestly a lot of the commentators on here are still bemoaning the loss of admiralty trawlers to silly plastic mine hunters much less the replacement by USV’s and UUV’s 😀
Not bemoaning their loss. Just that the replacing ships and systems are not yet budgeted, ordered, being built or converted. Ergo it’s going to become a capability gap.
Just a note, the 6 Hunt MCMVs remaining are still at Portsmouth and not going anywhere for some time, as GB has mentioned many times.
Faslane already has the 1st autonomous systems in the 1st MCM Sqn.
But yes, we want the other 3 Mothers. Phase 2 of the MHC project is next and that will expand things.
Daniele I applaud your motivational positiveness- thank you!
You’ll have to forgive me if I remain sceptical. Until the ships are ordered and in service I don’t actually think they will be delivered.
Sorry too long in the tooth and too familiar with the way the MOD is run. Not for the defence of the country and its national interest, more the bare minimum to provide a token gesture.
Nothing wrong with Silly plastic minehunters swept over 40 mines buoyant and ground during OP Granby Jim
Agree. A sensible post at last. I remain concerned at their inability to deploy, whether they can be jammed/spoofed, and that these RNMBs cannot do other tasks the MCMVs sometimes undertook. But it is modern tech and it is here.
I thought original announcement was Blyth & Ramsey who both ended up in Rosyth at the same time.
No doubt sold for a song. More Tory cuts. To lose large numbers and critical mass of our Sandown and Hunt class ships before the unmanned systems replacing them are proven technology and available in large numbers alongside their motherships is foolhardy.
When will the RFA/ RN be getting more motherships? How many surface sweeping and sub surface drones will they each operate? All relevant questions for parliamentary oversight.
Except that they wouldn’t have a clue what anybody meant.
Whats the fixation with Stirling Castle?
Harrier has been in Bahrain for months doing trials. Its been operated from ashore using the containerised control systems. Its also been embarked on Cardigan Bay and deployed from there with its containers.
The whole premise of the remote MCM system is to get it where its needed quickly and to start using it.
C17 and it will be delivered and up and running in under 24hrs.
Sailing…It would take a Sandown 3 weeks to transit… at a minimum to the Gulf.
Did it on the Chid in 88 and Brecon in 91 4 weeks there 4 weeks back but boy did we get a good sun tan out of those transits
👍👍
Results of ongoing trials hopefully yielding comparable to favorable comparisons vs. legacy tech? 🤔🤞
Some of those criminals includes the nurse who cared for my late wife. She was unable to get a job as a nurse here and was working for peanuts as a carer. Since NHS district nurses are an extinct species we were fortunate to benefit from her skills and experience.
The nurse that cared for your wife was a criminal? Or do you mean an immigrant?
Anyone who leaves there life behind, travels 1000s of miles to a place they don’t know is normally a hard worker who wants to better themselves
She was an immigrant. How she came to be in the UK I do not know. And I don’ t really care to be honest. She was clearly an experienced professional, mature, conscientious and caring.
I missed the part of how this nurse was a criminal?
Then you did well; she wasn’t.
While there are a few foreign criminals in prison it’s not a massive amount that some people think. Normally when someone is here illegally they will be deported after their sentence is complete. The prison system needs to get into rehabilitation as a minimum standard. Just now it’s mostly locking people to keep them away from the general population. Then when released they are no better than when they went in. Prisoners need skills, education, housing, opportunities, phased return to society and so on. This would cut down on reoffending as very few people actually want to be a repeat… Read more »
Totally agree, but we should be rehabilitating our own criminals, not other countries. Why should the British tax payer foot the bill?
Prisoners need skills, education, housing, opportunities.
Don’t we all- & the majority dont then pursue a criminal lifestyle to compensate for the fact they aren’t offered it on a plate.
I’m afraid I don’t agree with the fact many don’t\won’t continue with that lifestyle if offered rehabilitation as it is the easy choice for them to make – and they made it in the first place.
Another two ships off the paltry tota? Not good news to me even if they are pretty old
The U.k Should have learned that dealing with Romania is a risk. The U.k were fleeced when two type 22 frigates were sold to them indeed with the £16 million that went to an unidentified ‘fixer’. This kind of thing points to the very heart of why the RN numbers have been in decline for so long.the priority has been in the wrong place £ before ships.
Use the cash to pay for an osprey