Frankenthal class mine hunter

M1064 Grömitz, already equipped with the MLG 27
Class overview
Builders:	Lürssen Abeking & Rasmussen Krögerwerft
Operators:	German Navy
Preceded by:	Hameln class minesweeper
Subclasses:	Turkish Navy: A Class
In commission:	1992-1998
Planned:	12
Completed:	12
Active:	9
Retired:	3
General characteristics
Type:	Mine hunter
Displacement:	650 t
Length:	54.4 m
Beam:	9.2 m
Draft:	2.6 m
Propulsion:	2 x MTU 16V 538 TB91 diesel-engines, 2040 kW each 2 x electric motors for slow and silent maneuvering 2 x Renk PLS 25 E gearboxes 2 x controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	18 kn
Complement:	41
Sensors and processing systems:	1 x hull mounted DSQS-11A mine hunting sonar DRBN 32 navigation radar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	2 x TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launchers (currently under procurement) 2 x Barricade chaff and flare launcher
Armament:	1 x Bofors 40 mm/L70 dual purpose gun (currently upgrading to 1 x MLG 27 27 mm autocannon) 2 FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS surface-to-air missile 2 x Pinguin B3 mine hunting ROVs Mine laying capabilities
Notes:	mine diver equipment, decompression chamber crane

The Type 332 Frankenthal class mine hunter is a class of German mine hunters. The ships are built of non-magnetic steel. Hull, machinery and superstructure of this class is similar to the original Type 343 Hameln class minesweeper, but the equipment differs.

Slightly modified Frankenthal class mine hunters are also operated by the Turkish Navy, where they are referred to as the A Class.

List of German ships

All active ships are currently stationed in Kiel at the Baltic Sea. M1058, M1059, M1062, M1065 and M1069 are part of the 3. Minensuchgeschwader (3. mine sweeper squadron). The others belong to 5. Minensuchgeschwader. M1060 Weiden was sold to United Arab Emirates in 2006. As the German Navy closed the naval base at Olpenitz, all ships were relocated to Kiel and their squadrons incorporated into the Einsatzflottille 1 (Flotilla 1).^[1]

On 21 February 2007, Grömitz ran onto a reef in the Floro fjord while on tour in western Norway and remained stranded in a spectacular way until being salvaged.^[2]

Gallery

M1064 Grömitz

M1063 Bad Bevensen at the Kiel Week 2007

A Pinguin B3 mine-hunting ROV

References

See also

External links

• naval-technology.com