Royal Navy: Plucky minehunter HMS Pembroke heading to Romania years after ship sold by MoD - when
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A Royal Navy minehunter will be heading to Romania this summer after being sold.
HMS Pembroke, a Sandown-class vessel, is set to say goodbye to her homeland and head to Eastern Europe. Under-then defence secretary Grant Shapps, HMS Pembroke and HMS Blyth were offered to Romania in 2023, with officials from the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) carrying out the transaction.
Minister for defence procurement, Maria Eagle, confirmed the timeline of the sale - and the future of other Sandown-class minehunters - when responding to a parliamentary written question by Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty.
She said: “With regards to the Sandown Class, the transfer of HMS Pembroke via Government to Government sale to Romania will complete in the summer of this year. Disposal options are being scoped for two additional Sandown Class ships and HMS Bangor remains in service.”
Move to automation
The Royal Navy has been steadily trialling more autonomous capabilities which can replace the role of minehunters. One of these is RNMB Ariadne, an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) which was launched for the first time in March this year. She can be deployed from a harbour or mother ship to seek and destroy seabed mines using sophisticated towed sonars. The ship is expected to be used on assignments close to the UK and across the globe.
XV Excalibur, a large un-crewed submarine that will protect critical infrastructure such as undersea cables, was also unveiled this month at HMNB Devonport. Former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, previously said one of the benefits of autonomation would be to protect sailors and avoid putting them in unnecessary danger.
Sandown-class minehunters
The Royal Navy retired HMS Pembroke in early 2024, with the ship now being more than 26-years-old. Other minehunters’ of HMS Pembroke’s class have already been sold. HMS Quorn, HMS Dulverton and HMS Cottesmore have been transferred to Lithuania, with HMS Sandown, HMS Inverness and HMS Bridport being purchased by Estonia.
Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is continuing and drifting mines pose a threat to Eastern European and Baltic states. Engineers have had to work on the minehunters to make sure they’re in top condition before being transferred to their new owners.
The former HMS Grimsby and HMS Shoreham were handed Ukraine, now named Cherkasy and Chernihiv. They were spotted sailing around Portsmouth in February and have been unable to reach their new home.