Ensdorf-class minesweeper

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Type 352 Ensdorf-class minesweepers are a class of five minesweepers of the German Navy. They are Type 343 Hameln-class minesweepers that have been upgraded with the Troika Plus system of minesweeping drones

M1098 Siegburg, at the Kiel Week 2007
Class overview
NameType 352 Ensdorf class
Builders
Operators German Navy
Preceded byHameln class
Built1999-2001
Completed5
Laid up5
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement650 tonnes
Length54.40 m (178.5 ft)
Beam9.20 m (30.2 ft)
Draft2.84 m (9 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement45
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Navigation radar
  • Hull-mounted DSQS-11 mine-detection sonar
Armament

Design

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The Ensdorf class have three modes to clear mine fields:

  • Troika Plus: This system employs up to four remote controlled Seehund ("seal") drones which perform the sweep. The drones are small unmanned boats that can simulate the acoustic and magnetic signatures of bigger ships to trigger mines. Their small size and special construction let them survive the effects of exploding mines unharmed.
  • Mine hunting: Mines detected with the hull-mounted sonar can be identified and exploded with expendable Seefuchs (Seafox) ROVs.
  • Classical minesweeping: Against moored mines the classical minesweeping using towed wire cutters to cut the anchors of mines can be conducted.

The Ensdorf class replaced the Type 351 Lindau-class minesweepers in service with the German Navy.

Seehund

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Three Seehund ROVs

The Seehund unmanned surface vehicles can be controlled remotely or manually by an onboard crew (usually three) for maneuvering in harbours or in training (the Seehund is too large to be carried by Ensdorf-class vessels). A life raft is carried for this reason. Seehunds are 25 m (82 ft) long with a displacement of 99 t. They are propelled by a Schottel Z-drive which gives them a maximum speed of 9–10 kn (17–19 km/h; 10–12 mph).

Ship list

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Pennant
number
Name Call
sign
Commissioned Decommissioned
M1094 Ensdorf DRFN 16 October 1990 31 July 2014
M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz DRFR 7 May 1991 17 December 2015
M1092 Hameln DRFO 29 June 1989 11 December 2014
M1090 Pegnitz DRFT 8 March 1990
M1098 Siegburg DRFL 26 July 1990

Notes

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  • The ships were not decommissioned for their rebuilding to Type 352, so the listed dates are the ones of their commission as Type 343.
  • Auerbach/Oberpfalz is one single name.
  • The ships currently belong to the 5. Minensuchgeschwader (5th Mine Sweeping Squadron) based in Kiel at the Baltic Sea.

ROVs

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Number Commissioned Mothership
1 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln
2 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln
3 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln
4 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz
5 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz
6 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz
7 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg
8 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg
9 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg
10 11 November 1981 M1098 Siegburg
11 11 November 1981 M1092 Hameln
12 11 November 1981 M1090 Pegnitz
13 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz
14 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz
15 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz
16 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf
17 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf
18 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf

The Seehunde ROVs were taken from the six decommissioned Type 351 class, which means that they are older than their motherships.

Citations

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References

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  • "Hohlstablenkboot ENSDORF-Klasse". Deutsche Marine. Retrieved 4 August 2008.