Osprey-class minehunter

	USS Raven in the Persian Gulf, 2004
Class overview
Name	Osprey
Builders	Intermarine USA; Avondale Shipyard;
Operators	U.S. Navy (former); Hellenic Navy; Egyptian Navy; Republic of China Navy;
Succeeded by	None
In commission	1993 - 2007
Completed	12
Active	2 with Hellenic Navy; 2 with Egyptian Navy; 2 with ROC(Taiwan) Navy;
Scrapped	6
General characteristics
Type	Coastal Minehunter
Displacement	893 tons (804 metric tons) full load
Length	188 ft (57 m)
Beam	36 ft (11 m)
Draft	12 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion	2 × diesels (800 hp ea.); 2 ×Voith-Schneider (cycloidal) propulsion systems;
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance	15 days
Complement	5 officers, 46 enlisted
Sensors and ; processing systems	AN/SLQ-48 mine neutralization equipment; AN/SQQ-32 minehunting sonar; AN/SYQ-13 navigation/command and control; AN/SSQ-94 on board trainer;
Armament	2 × .50 caliber machine guns

Osprey-class coastal minehunters are designed to find, classify, and destroy moored and bottom naval mines from vital waterways. They use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. Osprey class are the world's second largest minehunters (surpassed by the Royal Navy's 60-metre (200 ft) Hunt class minehunters) to be constructed entirely of fiberglass and designed to survive the shock of underwater explosions. Their primary mission is reconnaissance, classification, and neutralization of all types of moored and bottom mines in littoral areas, harbors and coastal waterways.

Construction

Twelve minehunter ships were built for the U.S. Navy by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (formerly Litton Avondale Industries) of New Orleans and Intermarine of Savannah. The ships were commissioned between 1993 and 1999.

The ships of this class were named after various types of birds. Contrary to some posts, the USS Black Hawk was named after the bird and not the Indian Chief.

Decommissioning

All of these ships were decommissioned in 2006–07. The Hellenic Navy received two of the Osprey-class from the US Navy: MHC-52 Heron, renamed Calypso and MHC-53 Pelican, renamed Euniki. Two more were transferred to the Egyptian Navy: MHC-60 Cardinal, renamed al Sedeeq (MHC-521) and MHC-61 Raven, renamed al Farouk (MHC-524). The sale of MHC-55 Oriole and MHC-59 Falcon to Republic of China (aka Taiwan) was also authorized.^[1]

The U.S. General Services Administration (GS) announced in April 2014 that hull numbers MHC-51, 54, 56, 57, 58, and 62 were up for auction to be sold as an entire lot for "dismantlement purposes only." This ccontradicted earlier information announcing the sale of some of these vessels to foreign operators.^[2]

Ships

Ship	Hull No.	Builder	Commissioned– Decommissioned	NVR Page	Fate
Osprey	MHC-51	Intermarine USA	1993–2006	MHC51	Sold for scrap 2014.
Heron	MHC-52	Intermarine USA	1994–2007	MHC52	Sold to the Hellenic Navy, renamed as HS Kalypso (M 64)
Pelican	MHC-53	Avondale Shipyard, Westwego	1995–2007	MHC53	Sold to the Hellenic Navy, renamed as HS Evniki (M 61)
Robin	MHC-54	Avondale Shipyard	1996–2006	MHC54	Sold for scrap 2014.
Oriole	MHC-55	Intermarine USA	1995–2006	MHC55	Sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy
Kingfisher	MHC-56	Avondale Shipyard, Gulfport	1996–2007	MHC56	Sold for scrap 2014.
Cormorant	MHC-57	Avondale Shipyard, Gulfport	1997–2007	MHC57	Sold for scrap 2014.
Black Hawk	MHC-58	Intermarine USA	1996–2007	MHC58	Sold for scrap 2014.
Falcon	MHC-59	Intermarine USA	1997–2006	MHC59	Sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy
Cardinal	MHC-60	Intermarine USA	1997–2007	MHC60	Sold to the Egyptian Navy, renamed as al Sedeeq (MHC-521)
Raven	MHC-61	Intermarine USA	1998–2007	MHC61	Sold to the Egyptian Navy, renamed as al Farouk (MHC-524)
Shrike	MHC-62	Intermarine USA	1999–2007	MHC62	Sold for scrap 2014.

References

Notes

^ "Osprey Minehunters for ROC Navy". Armed Forces International. August 6, 2012.
^ http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucdsclnk?sl=31QSCI14049001

Sources

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
PEO Ships: Mine Warfare
Federation of American Scientists: MHC 51 Osprey Coastal Mine Hunters
26 Mar 2014 MHC 51, 54, 56, 57 58, 62 are on GSA auction web site for "DISMANTLEMENT" out of Beaumont, TX. http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucindx/

External links

[1] "Osprey Minehunters for ROC Navy". Armed Forces International. August 6, 2012.

[2] ttp://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucdsclnk?sl=31QSCI14049001

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