Bay-class minehunter

The former HMAS Rushcutter, berthed in Rozelle Bay, New South Wales
Class overview
NameBay
Operators Royal Australian Navy
Preceded byTon-class minesweeper
Succeeded byHuon-class minehunter
In commission1986-2001
Planned6
Completed2
Cancelled4
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeMinehunter Inshore
Displacement178 tons
Length30.9 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)
Speed10 knots
Complement3 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.
Armament
  • 2 × remote control mine disposal vehicles
  • 2 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machineguns

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]

  1. ^ a b c Jones, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 222
  2. ^ Jones, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 252
  3. ^ Spurling, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 275