Ukraine receives new minehunter from Netherlands
Ukraine has received the new mine countermeasure vessel Henichesk from the Netherlands (photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine)
Ukraine has received a new Alkmaar-class mine countermeasure vessel from the Netherlands as part of the Maritime Capability Coalition, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is noted that the ship was named Henichesk in honor of the raid minesweeper of the same name, which was sunk while carrying out a mission to cover fellow servicemen from a special operations unit.
The Ukrainian Navy emphasized that Henichesk will strengthen mine countermeasure capabilities, including the search, detection, and neutralization of naval mines.
"Following its transfer, the Navy now has five mine countermeasure vessels. Earlier, the United Kingdom transferred the Sandown-class ships Cherkasy and Chernihiv to Ukraine, while Belgium and the Netherlands transferred the Alkmaar-class ships Melitopol and Mariupol," said Ukrainian Navy Commander Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa.
photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
What is known about Alkmaar-class vessels
The ship has a displacement of 571 tons. Its armament includes a 20 mm cannon and three 12.7 mm machine guns. The fiberglass hull has an overall length of 51.6 meters, a beam of 8.9 meters, and a draft of 3.8 meters.
The propulsion system includes a diesel engine for long-distance transit, as well as an auxiliary thruster system that provides precise maneuvering during mine countermeasure operations.
How the minesweeper detects mines
The vessels are equipped with a Hull Mounted Sonar designed to detect underwater objects, including mines.
In complex hydrological conditions, remotely operated underwater vehicles and towed or variable-depth observation systems are additionally used to refine the characteristics of detected objects.
photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The primary means of mine neutralization are remotely operated vehicles, including the SeaFox type.
They are used to identify underwater objects and, if a threat is confirmed, destroy them using an explosive charge delivered directly to the target. Divers may also be involved in carrying out specialized demolition operations.
Earlier, a Ukrainian Navy crew completed training aboard the Dutch minesweeper Zr.Ms. Makkum. A total of 35 sailors took part in the training.
