Coastal Mine Hunters - MHC
Last updated: 3 September 2002
Description: Ships designed to clear mines from vital waterways.
Background: In the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy began development of a new mine countermeasures (MCM) force, which included two new classes of ships and minesweeping
helicopters. The vital importance of a state-of-the-art mine countermeasures force was strongly underscored in the Persian Gulf during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. To learn more about mine warfare visit the Commander Mine Warfare Command web site.
Osprey (MHC 51) class ships are mine hunter-killers capable of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines. The MHC 51 has a 15-day endurance and depends on a support ship or shore based facilities for resupply.
Avenger class ships are also designed as mine hunter-killers.
These ships use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. They are also capable of conventional sweeping measures. The ships' hulls are made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) fiberglass. They are the first large mine countermeasures ships built in the United States in nearly 27 years.
Point of Contact:
Public Affairs Office
Naval Sea Systems Command
Washington, DC 20362
General Characteristcs, Osprey class
Builders:
MHC 51, 52, 55, 58, 59, 60 and 61 Intermarine USA, Savannah, GA
MHC 53, 54, 56, 57 Avondale Industries Inc., Gulfport, MS
Power Plant: Two diesels (800 hp each); two Voith-Schneider (cycloidal) propulsion systems
Length: 188 feet (57.3 meters)
Beam: 36 feet (11 meters)
Displacement: 893 tons (907.33 metric tons) full load
Speed: 10 knots (18.4 kmph)
Ships: All MHC ships are based in Ingleside, Texas (unless noted)
USS Osprey (MHC 51)
USS Heron (MHC 52)
USS Pelican (MHC 53)
USS Robin (MHC 54)
USS Oriole (MHC 55)
USS Kingfisher (MHC 56)
USS Cormorant (MHC 57)
USS Black Hawk (MHC 58),
USS Falcon (MHC 59)
USS Cardinal (MHC 60), forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain
USS Raven (MHC 61), forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain
USS Shrike (MHC 62)
Crew: 5 officers, 46 enlisted
Armament: Two .50 caliber machine guns, Mine Neutralization System and other mine countermeasures systems
Date Deployed: 20 Nov 1993 (USS Osprey)
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