The Bay-class Minehunter Inshores were a class of catamaran-hull mine warfare vessels operating with the Royal Australian Navy from 1986. Also referred to as the MHCAT (MineHunter CATamaran), the class was an attempt to produce a locally designed inshore mine warfare vessel.[1] Two prototype ships were ordered in 1981, with the first ship, Rushcutter, commissioned in November 1986.[1] The two ships experienced delays in construction, and the RAN resorted to acquiring six minesweeper auxiliaries (MSA) under the Craft of Opportunity Program to provide an interim mine-warfare capability, while also keeping Ton-class minesweeper HMAS Curlew in service until 1990, well beyond her intended decommissioning date.[1][2] The ships did not enter service until 1993, due to problems with the sonar.[3]
2 × Poyard 520-V8-S2 diesel generators; 650 hp(m) (478 kW); 2 Schottel hydraulic transmission and steering systems (one to each hull)
Complement
3 officers, 10 crew
Sensors and processing systems
Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1006; I-band
Sonar: Atlas Elektronic DSQS-11M; hull-mounted; minehunting; high frequency
Electronic warfare & decoys
MCM: STN Atlas Elektronic MWS80-5 minehunting system (containerized); ECA 38 mine disposal system with two PAP 104 Mk 3 vehicles; Syledis and GPS precision navigation systems.
One of the identifying features of this class is that vessels have a fibreglass hull constructed with a multi-layer foam sandwich core.[4][5] No metal is contained in the hull.
The former buildings of Ramsay Fibreglass. The hulls of the minehunters were built in the building to the right.
The ships were built by Ramsay Fibreglass, a subsidiary of Carrington Slipways located in Tomago, New South Wales, Australia.[6] They were constructed in a purpose-built facility and then carried by crane a short distance south to a small man-made launching basin off the Hunter River. Work on a third hull commenced before the project's cancellation, but was never completed and remained at the rear of the facility until the early 2000s.
Although completed and commissioned in November 1986 (Rushcutter) and October 1987 (Shoalwater), the two minehunters were not formally accepted into naval service until June 1994.[7]
Deployment restrictions
The small size of the ships limited their ability at sea (deployable in conditions up to Sea State 3, but recommended to seek shelter in Sea State 4 or above), and prohibited regular deployment outside the Sydney-Newcastle-Jervis Bay area.[3][7] The 1991 Force Structure Review recommended no further ships be built, and that the two catamarans be restricted to training and operations in confined waters.[3] Instead, the RAN focused on acquiring four to six coastal minesweepers (the Huon-class), and maintaining the MSAs as an as-needed inshore mine-warfare force.[3] Despite these restrictions, by the end of 1996, the two minehunters had been deployed to locations around Australia, with Rushcutter leaving the Sydney operational area on 15 occasions, and Shoalwater on 23 occasions.[7]
Both ships in the class were decommissioned on 14 August 2001.[8] Four additional ships, to be named Westernport, Discovery, Esperance, and Melville, were planned but never constructed.[9] The two ships were sold in 2002 for service in the Persian Gulf.[10]
^Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 85
^Wertheim (ed.), The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, p. 23
References
Books
Gillett, Ross (1988). Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946. Brookvale, NSW: Child & Associates. ISBN0-86777-219-0. OCLC 23470364.
Murray L. Scott (1997). Eleventh International Conference on Composite Materials. Woodhead Publishing. p. 413. ISBN978-1-85573-356-5. Bay class minehunter.
Stevens, David, ed. (2001). The Royal Australian Navy. The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-555542-2. OCLC 50418095.
Jones, Peter. "Towards Self Reliance"; "A Period of Change and Uncertainty". The Royal Australian Navy.
Spurling, Kathryn. "The Era of Defence Reform". The Royal Australian Navy.
Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC 140283156.
News articles
"Hunters Paid Off". Navy News. 3 September 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
Websites
Flapan, Mori (21 March 2008). "NSW Ship & Boat Builders". The Register of Australian and New Zealand Ships and Boats. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
April 13, 2023
class, minehunter, canadian, minesweepers, class, minesweeper, class, minehunter, inshores, were, class, catamaran, hull, mine, warfare, vessels, operating, with, royal, australian, navy, from, 1986, also, referred, mhcat, minehunter, catamaran, class, attempt. For the Canadian minesweepers see Bay class minesweeper The Bay class Minehunter Inshores were a class of catamaran hull mine warfare vessels operating with the Royal Australian Navy from 1986 Also referred to as the MHCAT MineHunter CATamaran the class was an attempt to produce a locally designed inshore mine warfare vessel 1 Two prototype ships were ordered in 1981 with the first ship Rushcutter commissioned in November 1986 1 The two ships experienced delays in construction and the RAN resorted to acquiring six minesweeper auxiliaries MSA under the Craft of Opportunity Program to provide an interim mine warfare capability while also keeping Ton class minesweeper HMAS Curlew in service until 1990 well beyond her intended decommissioning date 1 2 The ships did not enter service until 1993 due to problems with the sonar 3 The former HMAS Rushcutter berthed in Rozelle Bay New South WalesClass overviewNameBayOperators Royal Australian NavyPreceded byTon class minesweeperSucceeded byHuon class minehunterIn commission1986 2001Planned6Completed2Cancelled4Retired2General characteristicsTypeMinehunter InshoreDisplacement178 tonsLength30 9 m 101 ft Beam9 m 30 ft Draught2 m 6 6 ft Propulsion2 Poyard 520 V8 S2 diesel generators 650 hp m 478 kW 2 Schottel hydraulic transmission and steering systems one to each hull Complement3 officers 10 crewSensors and processing systemsRadar Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 I band Sonar Atlas Elektronic DSQS 11M hull mounted minehunting high frequencyElectronic warfare amp decoysMCM STN Atlas Elektronic MWS80 5 minehunting system containerized ECA 38 mine disposal system with two PAP 104 Mk 3 vehicles Syledis and GPS precision navigation systems Armament2 remote control mine disposal vehicles 2 12 7 mm 0 50 in machineguns Contents 1 Design and construction 2 Deployment restrictions 3 Fate 4 Citations 5 ReferencesDesign and construction EditOne of the identifying features of this class is that vessels have a fibreglass hull constructed with a multi layer foam sandwich core 4 5 No metal is contained in the hull The former buildings of Ramsay Fibreglass The hulls of the minehunters were built in the building to the right The ships were built by Ramsay Fibreglass a subsidiary of Carrington Slipways located in Tomago New South Wales Australia 6 They were constructed in a purpose built facility and then carried by crane a short distance south to a small man made launching basin off the Hunter River Work on a third hull commenced before the project s cancellation but was never completed and remained at the rear of the facility until the early 2000s Although completed and commissioned in November 1986 Rushcutter and October 1987 Shoalwater the two minehunters were not formally accepted into naval service until June 1994 7 Deployment restrictions EditThe small size of the ships limited their ability at sea deployable in conditions up to Sea State 3 but recommended to seek shelter in Sea State 4 or above and prohibited regular deployment outside the Sydney Newcastle Jervis Bay area 3 7 The 1991 Force Structure Review recommended no further ships be built and that the two catamarans be restricted to training and operations in confined waters 3 Instead the RAN focused on acquiring four to six coastal minesweepers the Huon class and maintaining the MSAs as an as needed inshore mine warfare force 3 Despite these restrictions by the end of 1996 the two minehunters had been deployed to locations around Australia with Rushcutter leaving the Sydney operational area on 15 occasions and Shoalwater on 23 occasions 7 A cutaway model of the Bay class on display at the Australian National Maritime MuseumFate EditBoth ships in the class were decommissioned on 14 August 2001 8 Four additional ships to be named Westernport Discovery Esperance and Melville were planned but never constructed 9 The two ships were sold in 2002 for service in the Persian Gulf 10 Citations Edit a b c Jones in The Royal Australian Navy p 222 Jones in The Royal Australian Navy p 252 a b c d Spurling in The Royal Australian Navy p 275 Scott Eleventh International Conference on Composite Materials page needed Bay Class Minehunter Inshore Glass Reinforced Plastic Repair Manual Defence Instruction Navy ABR 5803 Royal Australian Navy July 1992 Flapan NSW Ship amp Boat Builders a b c Jocelyn Newman Minister for Social Security 5 February 1997 Question no 304 Parliamentary Debates Hansard Commonwealth of Australia Senate p 211 Navy News Hunters Paid Off Gillett Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946 p 85 Wertheim ed The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World p 23References EditBooksGillett Ross 1988 Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946 Brookvale NSW Child amp Associates ISBN 0 86777 219 0 OCLC 23470364 Murray L Scott 1997 Eleventh International Conference on Composite Materials Woodhead Publishing p 413 ISBN 978 1 85573 356 5 Bay class minehunter Stevens David ed 2001 The Royal Australian Navy The Australian Centenary History of Defence vol III South Melbourne VIC Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 555542 2 OCLC 50418095 Jones Peter Towards Self Reliance A Period of Change and Uncertainty The Royal Australian Navy Spurling Kathryn The Era of Defence Reform The Royal Australian Navy Wertheim Eric ed 2007 The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World Their Ships Aircraft and Systems 15th ed Annapolis MD Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 59114 955 2 OCLC 140283156 News articles Hunters Paid Off Navy News 3 September 2001 Retrieved 2 December 2007 WebsitesFlapan Mori 21 March 2008 NSW Ship amp Boat Builders The Register of Australian and New Zealand Ships and Boats Retrieved 9 August 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bay class minehunter amp oldid 1146695539, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
