Argonaut next for Sandown

The first of the new generation of Glass Reinforced Plastic minehunters, HMS Sandown has just completed a busy operational sea training period around Faslane.

Looking around, July will see her being put through her paces on a Joint Maritime Course before deploying to the Mediterranean for Argonaut 02 until Christmas.

The new class of mine countermeasures ship came about because the technological development of mines towards the end of the 20th century required an increasingly sophisticated means to deal with the threat.

This led to the development of the next-generation of single-role Sandown vessels that use a mine-hunting system that consists of four main elements.

First to mention is the sonar 2093, a variable-depth sonar and uses computer-aided detection and classification.

Next the Naval Autonomous Tactical Information System - or NAUTIS M - that manages the mine warfare task, presenting the information received form sensors to the Ops room and Bridge.

Once a mine has been detected, either a small unmanned submersible known as the Remotely Controlled Mine Disposal System (RCMDS 2) or Mine Clearance Divers are deployed to the site with explosive charges and cable cutters.

The final vital part of her mine-clearing function is the flexible Ship's Manoeuvring System that uses twin Voith Schneider propulsors and twin bow thrusters with the NAUTIS system to provide and accurate track-keeping and positioning system.

The Ship Manoeuvring System offers excellent control of the propulsion systems. The Ship Position Control system is located on the port side of the bridge, and permits direct computer control of the ship's position and track.

This means Sandown can automatically follow a given navigational track or hover using inputs from the navigation system and NAUTIS.

The first HMS Sandown was one of 24 Ascot Class Paddle Minesweepers, completed in 1916. This 245ft-long vessel, that displaced 810 tonnes, operated around the North Sea and Norwegian coast. After a short career she was put on the reserve list in 1919, and sold on in 1922.

The next Sandown was built in 1934 and requisitioned at the start of World War II for use as a minesweeper until after the war in 1946. She was 230ft in length, with a displacement of 684 tonnes.

In 1940, as part of the 10th Minesweeping Flotilla, this second Sandown took part in the Dunkirk evacuation. She next served in the 7th Minesweeping Flotilla, based at Granton until 1942, when she was converted to an "Eagle" ship for Anti-Aircraft protection of Coastal convoys, and was based in the east of England as part of Nore Command.

In June 1944, while based in Portsmouth, she took part in Operation Neptune where she served as Bombardon control vessel in the Western Task Force Area 'Mulberry Harbour'.

Facts and Figures
Class:	Sandown class mine countermeasures vessel
Pennant number:	M101
Builder:	Vosper Tornycroft, Woolston
Launched:	April 18, 1988
Accepted:	March 17, 1989
Commissioned:	June 9, 1989
Displacement:	484 tonnes
Length:	52.5 metres
Beam:	10.5 metres
Draught:	2.2 metres
Speed:	13 knots (diesels); 6.5 knots (electrical)
Complement:	35 (5 Officers, 7 Senior Rates, 23 Junior Rates)
Main machinery:	Two 500kW Paxman Valenta diesel engines; two Voith Schneider cyclical propeller units; two Schotell bow thrusters
Weapons/Sensors:	BMARC Single 30mm Gun; Sonar 2093; RCMDS 2; 1007 Radar; 780 NT Echo Sounder
Minehunting System:	Sonar 2093; NAUTIS M; RCMDS 2; ship's manoeuvring system

(Ship of the Month June 2002)

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