RN decommissions minehunters ahead of transfer to Ukraine
HMS Blyth during its decommissioning ceremony. (Photo: MoD/ Crown Copyright.)
The UK RN has paid off two Sandown-class minehunters, paving the way for their transfer to Ukrainian service.
The RN has decommissioned two Sandown-class mine countermeasures vessels, HMS Blyth and HMS Ramsey, after 51 years of combined service.
Both vessels have seen extensive deployments and were the first to be sent to Bahrain when the UK Government saw a requirement for a permanent minehunter presence in the Gulf.
Following dockyard works, the ships will be transferred to the Ukrainian Navy, serving on the Black Sea.
In June, the UK, Babcock and Ukraine signed a tripartite Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) in Odessa, providing the latter with two minehunters and eight new Babcock-developed missile boats.
The MoI also opened the door for the potential sale of Babcock's Arrowhead 140 frigate design to Ukraine –alluding to it when referring to plans to deliver a 'modern frigate capability'.
In UK service, the two ships are being replaced through Project Wilton, which aims to introduce an autonomous minehunting capability. Three autonomous boats are already in service at Faslane, Scotland.
Following leave, Blyth's crew will take charge of another Sandown-class minehunter, HMS Grimsby, later this year.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Sandown Class Minehunters [Ukraine]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Navantia signs deal to supply new Avante 2200 corvettes to Saudi Arabia]()
Navantia signs deal to supply new Avante 2200 corvettes to Saudi Arabia
The vessels are the latest additions to an ongoing supply arrangement for Saudi Arabia’s defence force.
-
![Naval Warfare Preview 2025: Billion-dollar programmes will advance but unpredictable forces muddy the waters]()
Naval Warfare Preview 2025: Billion-dollar programmes will advance but unpredictable forces muddy the waters
Large programmes around the world are likely to be immune to flux, but the impact of geopolitics could be unprecedented in 2025.
-
![Saab Sea Giraffe to protect Swedish Navy]()
Saab Sea Giraffe to protect Swedish Navy
The Swedish manufacturer will supply its Sea Giraffe 1X naval radar in a range of configurations.
-
![South Korean Destroyer fleet approved for US improvement programme]()
South Korean Destroyer fleet approved for US improvement programme
The US State Department has agreed to sell South Korea technology to keep its Destroyer fleet effective as a deterrent.
-
![STM to build logistics support vessels for Portuguese Navy]()
STM to build logistics support vessels for Portuguese Navy
The contract marks the first time the Turkish shipbuilder will build vessels for a NATO member state.
-
![UK-Australia meeting creates new AUKUS submarine integration office]()
UK-Australia meeting creates new AUKUS submarine integration office
The latest AUKMIN meeting created an important administrative office for submarine delivery.
