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The USSAvenger (MCM-1) underway inHawaiian waters in July 2004
Class overview
Builders	Peterson Shipbuilders Marinette Marine
Preceded by	Ability-class minesweeper
Succeeded by	Littoral combat ship
In commission	1987
Completed	14
Active	4
Lost	1
Retired	9
General characteristics
Type	Mine countermeasures ship
Displacement	1,312 tons
Length	224 ft (68 m)
Beam	39 ft (12 m)
Draft	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	4 ×Waukesha Diesel engines (first two ships) or 4 ×Isotta-Fraschini Diesel engines (600 hp (450 kW) ea.) 2 × 200 hp (150 kW) electric propulsion motors 2 × shafts with controllable pitch propellers 1 × 350 hp (260 kW) Omnithruster waterjet bow thruster
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	8 officers, 76 enlisted
Armament	Mine neutralization system, 4 × .50 caliber machine guns

Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships are a class of 14 ships^[1] constructed for theUnited States Navy from 1987 to 1994, designed to clearmines from vitalwaterways. The ships have thehull designator MCM.

TheAvenger-class ships are being replaced by theFreedom andIndependence-classlittoral combat ships, as well as other MCM platforms, which use variousunmanned air, surface, and undersea vehicles to detect and destroy naval mines at a standoff distance.^[2]

In the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy began development of a newmine countermeasures (MCM) force, which included two new classes of ships andminesweeping helicopters. The vital importance of a state-of-the-art mine countermeasures force was strongly underscored in thePersian Gulf during the eight years of theIran–Iraq War, and in OperationsDesert Shield andDesert Storm in 1990 and 1991 whenAvenger andGuardian conducted MCM operations.

Avenger-class ships are designed as mine hunter-killers capable of finding, classifying, and destroying moored and bottommines. The last three MCM ships were purchased in 1990, bringing the total to 14 fully deployable, oceangoingAvenger-class ships. These ships usesonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine-detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. They are also capable of conventionalsweeping measures.

As of 2012, eightAvengers were forward-based: four atSasebo, Japan with standing crews, and four atManama, Bahrain, with ten ships' companies on rotational deployments.^[3] In March 2012, the USN announced plans to deploy another four MCMs to Bahrain to counter potential Iranian threats tomine theStrait of Hormuz reflecting increasing tensions betweenthe United States and Iran over the latter'snuclear program.^[3]

The hulls of theAvenger-class ships are constructed ofwood with an external coating offiberglass. The wood used isoak,Douglas fir andNootka Cypress because of their flexibility, strength and low weight. This construction allows the hull to withstand a nearby blast from amine, and also gives the ship a low magnetic signature.

The ships useAN/SLQ-48 remotely operated mine disposal system supplied byAlliant Techsystems (ATK) and the EX116 Mod 0remotely operated vehicle (ROV) mine neutralization system supplied by ATK andRaytheon. The AN/SLQ-48 detects, locates, classifies, and neutralizes moored mines and mines resting on the seabed. The vehicle uses high-frequency, high-resolution sonar,low light level television (LLLTV), cable cutters, and explosive charges to detect and dispose of mines, while remaining tethered to the vessel by a 3,510-foot (1,070 m) cable and under control of the vessel.

The ATK/Raytheon ROV is a similar system, but has a 4,900-foot (1,500 m) tether cable, and also carries cable cutters for dealing with tethered or moored mines, and explosive charges to detonate the mines.

The ships employ theAN/SQQ-32 advanced minehunting and classificationsonar from Raytheon^[3] andThales Underwater Systems (formerlyThomson Marconi Sonar). The system has two sonars fitted in a small submersible pod towed under the ship. When not deployed the submersible is housed in a trunk below the deck of the ship. The sonars are a Raytheon search and detection sonar and a Thales high-resolution, high-frequency, target-classification sonar. The deployment and retrieval system for the submersible was designed by theCharles Stark Draper Laboratory in Massachusetts.

TheAvenger class employ theAN/SPS-55 surface-search and navigationradar supplied by Cardion, Inc. of New York. The ships have been equipped withCMC Electronics LN66 or Raytheon AN/SPS-66 navigation radars, but are slated to be upgraded with theAN/SPS-73.

TheAvenger-class ships are equipped with four Waukesha-Pearcediesel engines (MCM 1 and 2) orIsotta-Fraschini ID 36SS6V diesel engines (remainder), which are designed to have very low magnetic andacoustic signatures. Each engine develops 600 horsepower (450 kW), with a combined power of 2,400 horsepower (1.8 MW), providing a cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) withcontrollable pitch propellers. Forstationkeeping the ship uses two Hansome electric motors rated at 394 horsepower (294 kW). Precision maneuvering capability is provided by a 345 horsepower (257 kW)Omnithrusterhydrojet (powered by Solar (Caterpillar Inc) Magnetic Marine Gas Turbine Generator).^[4][5]

A fictionalAvenger-class MCM is the vessel at the center of the 2023 filmThe Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. While no scenes appear on board the ship, it is shown in a photo posted in the courtroom, and much of the dialog involves the typical missions and capabilities ofAvenger-class MCMs.

• 
  USSSentry and USSKingfisher
• 
  USSGuardian
• 
  USSGladiator in the Persian Gulf
• 
  USSAvenger at the Port of Yokosuka

• List of mine warfare vessels of the United States Navy
• Osprey-class coastal minehunter – smaller vessels formerly in service with the USN
• Sandown-class minehunter – British contemporary
• Tripartite-class minehunter – numerous 1980s class in service in many European countries

• United States Navy Fact File: Mine Countermeasures Ships – MCM
• Globalsecurity.org MCM-1 Avenger Mine Countermeasures Ships
• Globalsecurity.org MCM-1 Avenger Mine Countermeasures Ships
• Naval-Technology.com: Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel
• Federation of American Scientists: MCM-1 Avenger Mine Countermeasures Ships

Wikimedia Commons has media related toAvenger class mine countermeasures ships.

• Globalsecurity.org: Plans and schematics of theAvenger class
• Globalsecurity.org: Photo gallery

• Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships
• Mine warfare vessel classes

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles needing additional references from February 2016
• All articles needing additional references
• Use dmy dates from September 2021
• Commons category link is on Wikidata