RFA to take over minehunting?

[fred henderson]

There are reports that the MoD are planning to progressively phase out the RN’s Hunt and Sandown class vessels and replace them more rapidly deployable arrangements. These will be based upon: -

1. A modular, self – contained system that can be air freighted into theatre for early deployment from land or sea.
2. An organic capability carried on board surface warships to perform mine reconnaissance.
3. A dedicated MCM capability using “auxiliary surface vessels” that will be capable of maintaining task force speed but will not be low signature or shock resistant. The idea is that they will remain outside the mined area and send in a range of unmanned vehicles to deal with the mines.

Let us hope that the equipment is shown to work before the present capability is lost

Fred

[stevevincent1974]

another blow to the royal navy. This should not be allowed to happen it is just another cost cutting measure. the royal navys mine counter measures force should be maintained and preserved when the hunt and sandown classes are due for retirement they should be replaced with a newer classes with the latest technologys just like they replaced the ton class. The rfa provides a vital role but they are civilian ships not militay and should be employed in the role they do best and for which there classes of ships are designed to do which is supplying food , stores and ammunition.Mine hunting should be left to the royal navy and its dedicted ships which at this time is the hunt/sandown classes.

[John Feltham]

Simply put, the role of the dedicated minesweeper is to safeguard the passage of the all important supply ship, etc. The proposed idea will place into danger the very ships that we should be protecting and keeping out of harms way! We will not lose a battle as a result of the loss of a minesweeper/hunter, but if we lose our supply ships we might as well pack up and go home. It is about time our naval chiefs stood up to these so called policy makers and opened their eyes to the reality of the real world!

[boulton]

With a few minutes to spare - just going through the "back-catalogue" of threads, and would simply like to add "aye aye, to that Sir".