| Mine Countermeasures Ships - MCM |
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Description
Ships designed to clear mines from vital waterways. |
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Background
In the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy began development of a new mine countermeasures (MCM) force, which included two new classes of ships and minesweeping helicopters. The vital importance of a state-of-the-art mine countermeasures force was strongly underscored in the Persian Gulf during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991 when the Avenger (MCM 1) and Guardian (MCM 5) ships conducted MCM operations. To learn more about mine warfare visit the Commander Mine Warfare Command web site.
Avenger class ships are designed as mine hunter-killers capable of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines. The last three MCM ships were purchased in 1990, bringing the total to 14 fully deployable, oceangoing Avenger class ships.
These ships use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. They are also capable of conventional sweeping measures. The ships are of fiberglass sheathed, wooden hull construction. They are the first large mine countermeasures ships built in the United States in nearly 27 years.
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Point Of Contact
Corporate Communications Office
Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA 00D)
Washington, D.C. 20376 |
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General Characteristics, Avenger class
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| Builder: Peterson Shipbuilders, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; Marinette Marine, Marinette, WI. |
| Date Deployed: Sept. 12, 1987 (USS Avenger) |
| Propulsion: Four diesels (600 horsepower each), two shafts with controllable pitch propellers. |
| Length: 224 feet (68.28 meters). |
| Beam: 39 feet (11.89 meters). |
| Displacement: 1,312 tons (1,333.06 metric tons) full load. |
| Speed: 14 knots (16.1 mph, 25.76 kmph). |
| Crew: 8 officers, 76 enlisted. |
| Armament: Mine neutralization system. Two .50 caliber machine guns. |
| Ships: |
| USS Avenger (MCM 1), Sasebo, Japan |
| USS Defender (MCM 2), Sasebo, Japan |
| USS Sentry (MCM 3), San Diego, CA |
| USS Champion (MCM 4), San Diego, CA |
| USS Guardian (MCM 5), Sasebo, Japan |
| USS Devastator (MCM 6), San Diego, CA |
| USS Patriot (MCM 7), Sasebo, Japan |
| USS Scout (MCM 8), Manama, Bahrain |
| USS Pioneer (MCM 9), San Diego, CA |
| USS Warrior (MCM 10), San Diego, CA |
| USS Gladiator (MCM 11), Manama, Bahrain |
| USS Ardent (MCM 12), Manama, Bahrain |
| USS Dextrous (MCM 13), Manama, Bahrain |
| USS Chief (MCM 14), San Diego, CA |
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| Last Update: 28 October 2009 |
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