 HMSRamsey atHMNB Clyde, 2011 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sandown class |
| Builders | Vosper Thornycroft,Woolston |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | Ton-class minesweeper |
| Succeeded by | Future command and support vessels for autonomous systems,Autonomous minehunting systems |
| In service | 1989 |
| Completed | 15 |
| Active | 11+ (1 Royal Navy, 3 each Estonian and Royal Saudi Navies; 2 transferred to Ukraine and 2+ being transferred to Romania) |
| Laid up | 1 (Royal Navy static training vessel) |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Minehunter |
| Displacement | 600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons)[1] |
| Length | 52.5 m (172 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement | 34 (accommodation for up to 40) |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament |
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TheSandown class is aclass of fifteenminehunters built primarily for theRoyal Navy byVosper Thornycroft. TheSandown class also serve with theRoyal Saudi Navy, theEstonian Navy, and theUkrainian Navy. The first vessel was commissioned into Royal Navy service on 9 June 1989 and all the British ships were named after coastal towns and cities. Although the class had a primary mine countermeasures role, they have had a secondary role as offshore patrol vessels. As of 2025, only one vessel of the class (HMSBangor) remains in active service with the Royal Navy.
These small (53 m; 174 ft)fibreglass vessels are single role mine hunters (SRMH) rather than minesweepers. Twelve ships were built for the Royal Navy and three ships were exported toSaudi Arabia. Three Royal Navy vessels were decommissioned following theStrategic Defence Review in 2003;Sandown (January 2005),Inverness (April 2005) andBridport (July 2004). A further ship,Cromer, was decommissioned and transferred to a training role at theBritannia Royal Naval College inDartmouth in 2001 asHindostan.
The three decommissioned vessels were sold toEstonia in September 2006. They were re-equipped with TCS (Tactical Control System) and theAtlas ElektronikSeafoxROV for mine disposal. The sonar system was also updated. The first ship (ex-Sandown), delivered in 2007, has been namedAdmiral Cowan,[5] the second (ex-Inverness), was delivered in 2008 and namedSakala and the last (ex-Bridport) namedUgandi in 2009.
In the 1990s, the design of theSandown-class was adapted by Spanish company Izar (laterNavantia) for theSpanish Navy's six-shipSegura-class minehunters.[6]
The 2021 defence white paper announced that all mine countermeasures vessels in the Royal Navy would be retired during the 2020s and replaced by automated systems. It was indicated that the remainingSandown-class ships would be retired first[7] with the entire class to be withdrawn from service by 2025.[8] They will be replaced with autonomous minehunting systems and specialized "motherships" deployed by the Royal Navy.[9] While experiencing some delays, the first command and support vessel for trialling autonomous systems (RFA Stirling Castle) entered service, initially with the RFA in Spring 2024,[10][11][12] though in 2025 it was indicated that she would be transferred to the navy.[13]
In June 2021, during a visit byHMS Defender toOdesa, it was revealed that an agreement had been reached for two Sandown class ships to be transferred to theUkrainian Navy upon decommissioning.[14]Pembroke andBlyth were decommissioned on 4 August 2021 and following a refit by Babcock, were to be transferred to theRomanian Navy instead.[15][16] In September 2023 it was reported that the transfer ofBlyth had occurred and that HMSPembroke would also be transferred to the Romanian Navy in the following year.[17]
In September 2022,HMS Shoreham was spotted operating aroundFirth of Forth carrying the nameCherkasy (Ukrainian: Черкаси) and the pennant number M311. Though still reportedly in commission with the Royal Navy, she was now training sailors of theUkrainian Navy prior to also being handed over to that Navy.[18] In October 2022 it was reported thatShoreham had been decommissioned from Royal Navy service.[19] She, and her sister ship ex-HMSGrimsby (nowChernihiv), were formally commissioned into the Ukrainian Navy in July 2023.[20]
In 2025, the decision to retire all theSandown-class vessels was modified when it was reported that HMSBangor would be returned to the U.K. to continue in service for a further five years being based out of HMNB Clyde.[21]
| Navy | Name | Pennant number | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Navy | Cromer | M103 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1990 | 1992 | Decommissioned in 2001; transferred toBritannia Royal Naval College as static training ship and renamedHindostan |
| Walney | M104 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1991 | 1992 | Decommissioned; awaiting disposal | |
| Penzance | M106 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1997 | 1998 | Decommissioned[22][23] | |
| Bangor | M109 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1999 | 2000 | In active service | |
| Ramsey | M110 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1999 | 2000 | Decommissioned; awaiting disposal Used asparts hulk forCherkasy /Chernihiv[15] | |
 Royal Saudi Navy | Al Jawf | 420 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1993 | In active service | |
| Shaqra | 422 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1993 | In active service | ||
| Al Kharj | 424 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1993 | In active service | ||
 Estonian Navy | Admiral Cowan (ex-Sandown) | M313 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1988 | 1989 / 2007 | In active service |
| Sakala (ex-Inverness) | M314 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1990 | 1991 / 2008 | In active service | |
| Ugandi (ex-Bridport) | M315 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1992 | 1993 / 2009 | In active service | |
 Romanian Naval Forces | Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu (ex-Blyth) | M270 | Vosper Thornycroft | 2000 | 2001 / 2023 | In active service[24] |
| Căpitan Constantin Dumitrescu (ex-Pembroke) | M271 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1997 | 1998 / 2025 | In active service[25] | |
 Ukrainian Navy | Chernihiv (exGrimsby) | M310 | Vosper Thornycroft | 1998 | 1999/2023 | Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine'sMinesweeper Division in 2023[20] |
| Cherkasy (exShoreham) | M311 | Vosper Thornycroft | 2001 | 2001/2023 | Decommissioned from RN in 2022; transferred to Ukraine'sMinesweeper Division in 2023[20] |
| Royal Navy | |
|---|---|
 Estonian Navy |
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 Romanian Naval Forces |
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 Royal Saudi Navy |
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| Ukrainian Navy | |
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