HMS Ledbury (M30)

HMS Ledbury in Portsmouth 2007
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Ledbury
Ordered: 31 March 1977[1]
Builder: Vosper Thornycroft
Launched: December 1979
Sponsored by: Lady Elizabeth Berthan[2]
Commissioned: 11 June 1981
Homeport: Portsmouth
Identification:
Motto: Mors Mina "Death to Mines"
Honours and
awards:
  • Malta (1942)
  • Arctic (1942–43)
  • Sicily (1943)
  • Salerno (1943)
  • Adriatic (1944)
  • Aegean (1944)
  • Kuwait (1991)
  • Al Faw (2003)
Status: Ship in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel
Displacement: 750 t (740 long tons; 830 short tons)[3]
Length: 60 m (196 ft 10 in)
Beam: 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
Draught: 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Propulsion: 2 × Caterpillar C32, 2 × FPP – 757 kW (1,015 hp)
Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 × MIB Diving Support Boats
Complement: 45 (5 officers & 39 ratings)
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Sonar Type 2193
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • SeaFox mine disposal system
  • Diver-placed explosive charges
Armament:

HMS Ledbury, the second ship of the name, is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy. She was launched in December 1979 and commissioned on 11 June 1981, the second ship of her class. She cost £65 million at time of building, which was at the time the most expensive cost-per-metre for any class of ship built by the Royal Navy.[2] Most of this cost went into the research and development of Ledbury's glass reinforced plastic hull.[4]

Operational history

Ledbury is attached to the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron, based in Portsmouth.

1981–1990

Ledbury was not involved in the Falklands Conflict itself but arrived in the South Atlantic in July 1982 with sister ship Brecon to clear the waters around the islands of Argentinian mines.[5]

2001–2010

Ledbury underwent a docking maintenance period, commencing in June 2009, to fit the new Seafox mine disposal equipment. This new equipment (replacing the French built PAP RCMDS) is a significant improvement in both mine detection and disposal technology.

2011–present

In 2013, Ledbury twice joined NATO Mine Countermeasure groups, one deployment taking her to the Mediterranean Sea, the other to the Baltic Sea.[6] In June 2014, Ledbury took part in the commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings.[7]

Ledbury entered refit in 2015 during which her engines were replaced with newer, more efficient diesels. Following sea trials, Ledbury took part in Exercise Joint Warrior off the west coast of Scotland. It was announced in March 2017 that Ledbury will deploy to the Persian Gulf later 2017 to relieve sister ship HMS Chiddingfold, it is expected she will remain in the region for at least three years.[8]

The ship's current Commanding Officer is Lt Cdr C Collins RN.

References

  1. ↑ Hansard Hand Written Answers, theyworkforyou.com, 1981
  2. 1 2 HMS Ledbury (archive), royalnavy.mod.uk
  3. ↑ Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels – MCM, globalsecurity.org
  4. ↑ HMS Ledbury Introduction (archive), royalnavy.mod.uk
  5. ↑ http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/the_forgotten_few_of_the_falklands.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2013/october/30/131031-hms-ledbury-ready-for-action-in-the-baltic
  7. ↑ http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2014/june/19/140619-ledbury-on-ceremonial-and-training
  8. ↑ http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2017/march/23/170323-ledbury-gears-up-for-gulf-mission


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