Lerici class
 The Crotone in 2009
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The Lerici class (or Gaeta class ) is a minehunter class of the Italian Navy . Lerici- class boats were procured by the navies of a number of countries.
technology
The boats were manufactured using GRP ("Glass Reinforced Plastic") construction. The hull is up to 120 mm thick and designed to be particularly resistant to underwater explosions. The main propulsion system is suspended in a special shell construction, the electric generators are on deck, which improves the magnetic and acoustic properties of the boats. Drive systems and other devices are made of non-magnetic and acoustically insulating materials. The screws of the auxiliary motors are located in tubes and enable quiet and vibration-free slow travel.
After the first four boats, the next eight saw some improvements. This second lot, also known as the Gaeta class, received an improved mine-hunting sonar , which was later also scaffolded for the first four units. Further changes consist of a third hydraulic system, improved generators, Pluto Gigas mine-hunting drones, a newer type of decompression chamber and a further reduced magnetic signature.
A modernization of these eight Italian boats took place in the years 2010-2013. This included the replacement of the SQQ-14 sonar by the Thales 2093, a new combat data management system Datamat 712 (V) 4 and preparation for the inclusion of Plutino-MIKI, another mine destruction system. The new equipment also requires some changes to the superstructure.
units
The first construction lot of the Lerici class consists of four boats built by Intermarine in La Spezia in the 1980s , where they were also stationed. They bear the names of Italian coastal towns:
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 5550 | Lerici | 3rd September 1982 | May 4th 1985 | September 24, 2015 | in La Spezia | |
| M 5551 | Sapri | April 5th 1982 | December 14, 1985 | September 24, 2015 | in La Spezia | |
| M 5552 | Milazzo | April 1, 1982 | December 14, 1985 | active | ||
| M 5553 | Vieste | April 5, 1984 | December 14, 1985 | active |
The two still active units will shortly be assigned to the reserve and then also decommissioned.
The second, improved construction lot is known as the Gaeta class. All eight boats were again built by Intermarine in La Spezia, named after Italian port cities and also stationed in La Spezia:
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 5554 | Gaeta | October 9, 1990 | 3rd July 1992 | active | ||
| M 5555 | Termoli | 18th December 1990 | November 13, 1992 | active | ||
| M 5556 | Alghero | May 22, 1991 | March 31, 1993 | active | ||
| M 5557 | Numana | March 20, 1992 | July 30, 1993 | active | ||
| M 5558 | Crotone | September 8, 1992 | February 2, 1994 | active | ||
| M 5559 | Viareggio | May 11, 1993 | July 1, 1994 | active | ||
| M 5560 | Chioggia | June 23, 1994 | May 18, 1996 | active | ||
| M 5561 | Rimini | January 17, 1995 | November 10, 1996 | active |
The boats are divided between the two anti-mine squadrons 53 and 54 ( COMSQUADRAG53 and 54 ) of the “Mine Force Command” (“MARICODRAG”).
The six boats form the Huon class of the Royal Australian Navy , they were built at Australian Defense Industry in Newcastle (New South Wales) and are named after rivers. Her home port is the HMAS Waterhen base in Waverton near Sydney .
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 82 | Huon | July 25, 1997 | May 15, 1999 | active | ||
| M 83 | Hawkesbury | April 24, 1998 | February 12, 2000 | active | ||
| M 84 | Norman | May 3, 1999 | August 26, 2000 | active | ||
| M 85 | Gascoyne | March 11, 2000 | June 2, 2001 | active | ||
| M 86 | Diamantina | 4th August 1998 | November 18, 2000 | February 2001 | active | |
| M 87 | Yarra | January 19, 2002 | March 1, 2003 | active |
The three boats, known as the Katanpää class in Finland, are a further development of the Huon class and replace the Kuha class. The boats will be built at the Intermarine shipyard in Sarzana with the participation of Aker Yards in Rauma ; their home port will be Turku .
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katanpää | July 2007 | Mid 2011 | Sea trials | |||
| Purunpää | Late 2011 | under construction | ||||
| under construction |
(As of May 2011)
The four-boat Mahamiru- class for the Royal Malaysian Navy was built in La Spezia by Intermarine in the 1980s. Two boats are based in Lumut and two in Labuan , they all form the 16th Mine Counter Measures Squadron .
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 11 | Mahamiru | December 11, 1985 | active | |||
| M 12 | Jerai | December 11, 1985 | active | |||
| M 13 | Ledang | December 11, 1985 | active | |||
| M 14 | Kinabalu | December 11, 1985 | active |
The tactical data system was modernized in 2001, a "Minehunting Tactical Display System" (MTDS) was supplied by the South African Altech Defense System. The Mahamiru and Ledang were subjected to a service life-extending measure in 2007, the other two boats are to be brought up to date in the same way. These include a TSM Mk III sonar, an adaptation of the MTDS and a Kongsberg navigation echo sounder .
The two boats in service in Nigeria are derived from the Mahamiru class.
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 371 | Ohue | July 23, 1984 | November 22, 1985 | May 28, 1987 | ||
| M 372 | Barama | March 11, 1985 | June 6, 1986 | February 25, 1988 |
In contrast to the Italian and Malaysian sister boats, the two Nigerian boats do not have a separate hydraulic drive for mine hunting. In 1999 they received, among other things, two-man carry Galeazzi decompression chambers. Both boats are said to have been modernized again in 2009, but the serviceability of the mine control equipment is doubtful.
Thailand originally planned to procure eight boats of the type known in the country as the Lat Ya class, but six were canceled. The class built by Intermarine in Sarzana therefore only includes two boats:
| Identifier | Surname | Keel laying | Launch | In service | Off-duty | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M 663 | Lat Ya | 1998 | 1999 | |||
| M 634 | Tha Din Daeng | 1998 | 1999 |
See main article on the twelve Osprey- class boats (MHC-51), all of which are no longer in service with the US Navy .
