Bay-class minehunter
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. Two prototype ships were ordered in 1981, with the first ship, Rushcutter, commissioned in November 1986. 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. The ships did not enter service until 1993, due to problems with the sonar.
The former HMAS Rushcutter, berthed in Rozelle Bay, New South Wales | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bay |
| Operators | Royal Australian Navy |
| Preceded by | Ton-class minesweeper |
| Succeeded by | Huon-class minehunter |
| In commission | 1986-2001 |
| Planned | 6 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Cancelled | 4 |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Minehunter Inshore |
| Displacement | 178 tons |
| Length | 30.9 m (101 ft) |
| Beam | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Draught | 2 m (6.6 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 × Poyard 520-V8-S2 diesel generators; 650 hp(m) (478 kW); 2 Schottel hydraulic transmission and steering systems (one to each hull) |
| Speed | 10 knots |
| Complement | 3 officers, 10 crew |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| 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 |
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