Kondor I-class

The Kondor I class, designated Project 89.1, was a series of minesweepers designed in the German Democratic Republic. Developed at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, the class was built between 1967 and 1970 as the first production variant of the Project 89 family. NATO assigned the designation Kondor I to differentiate the vessels from the earlier prototype and the subsequent Kondor II class.

The class consisted of 21 completed minesweepers and four modified units. These specialized variants included Project 65.1 (Project 129) for torpedo trials and Project 65.2 (Project 115) for reconnaissance. The vessels utilize MD 40 diesel engines for propulsion. While designed for minesweeping, the hull was adapted for diverse roles including fishery protection, coastal surveillance, and training.

Initially operated by the East German Volksmarine, the ships were absorbed into the unified German Navy and the German Coast Guard in 1990. The German Coast Guard operated three units—Kühlungsborn, Ahrenshoop, and Boltenhagen—before their retirement or foreign transfer.

International transfers of the class occurred throughout the 1990s. Malta acquired three vessels between 1992 and 1997 for the Offshore Command of the Maritime Squadron of the AFM. These units served until 2004, and two were subsequently scuttled as artificial reefs. Tunisia received five units for use as coastal patrol craft, with one remaining in service. Estonia acquired two reconnaissance variants in 1994, designated Vambola and Sulev. In 1998, Cape Verde took delivery of the former German vessel Kühlungsborn, which remains in service as the Vigilante. One unit was sold to Guinea-Bissau, while others were utilized as training vessels or converted for commercial use.