Alta-class minesweeper: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 12:00, 1 March 2015

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{{Infobox Ship Class Overview

|Name=''Alta'' class minesweeper

|Builders=[[Kvaerner Mandal]], [[Mandal, Norway]]

|Operators={{navy|Norway}}

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The '''''Alta'' class minesweeper''' is a [[ship class]] of [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweepers]] operated by the [[Royal Norwegian Navy]]. An almost identical class of [[minehunters]] is known as the [[{{sclass-|Oksøy class |mine hunter|Oksøy class]]4}}.

==Design==

The ''Alta'' class was built by [[Kvaerner]] [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]] during 1996 and 1997, while the related ''Oksøy'' class was built in 1994 and 1995. A total of 9 vessels were built, 5 minesweepers and 4 minehunters. HNoMS ''Orkla'' was completely destroyed in a fire, and HNoMS ''Oksøy'' was damaged when it ran aground in 2005. The pair, along with HNoMS ''Glomma'', are no longer in active service. The [[catamaran]] hull is built in a [[Glass-reinforced plastic|fibre-reinforced plastic]] sandwich of very low magnetic signature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2013-news/september-2013-navy-world-naval-forces-maritime-industry-technology-news/1253-kongsberg-to-supply-minesniper-mk-iii-mine-disposal-weapon-system-to-royal-norwegian-navy-.html |title=Kongsberg to Supply MINESNIPER Mk III Mine Disposal Weapon System to Royal Norwegian Navy |date=September 20, 2013}}</ref>

Two large fans located on each side create an air cushion between the two hulls and a front and aft rubber skirt, lifting the vessel, giving small drag and a high cruise speed, as well as low susceptibility to the shock of exploding mines since only a small portion of the hull is actually exposed in the water. Propulsion by [[Pump-jet|water jet]], again one in each hull, gives a low acoustic signature. A degaussing system gives the vessels extremely low electromagnetic signature.

==Ships==

{| class="wikitable"

|colspan=5 align=center|'''''Alta'' class'''

|-

! Number

! Name

! Builder

! Commissioned

! Status

|-

|M350

|''Alta''

|rowspan=4|[[Kvaerner]], [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]]

|12 January 1996

|

|-

|M351

|''Otra''

|8 November 1996

|

|-

|M352

|''Rauma''

|2 December 1996

|

|-

|M354

|''Glomma''

|1 July 1997

|

|}

==Service history==

HNoMS ''Glomma'' is no longer in active service.

==References==