Osprey-class
Summary
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Category | Mine warfare |
| Subtype | Coastal minehunter |
| Manufacturer | Intermarine USA / Avondale Shipyard |
| Year commissioned | 1993 |
| Units |
521 Al Seddiq 534 Al Farouk M61 HS Evniki M64 HS Kalypso |
Technical specifications
| Displacement | 895 tons |
| Range | 1500 km |
| Endurance | 15 days |
| Crew | 51 members |
| Width | 11.0 m (36.1 ft) |
| Length | 57.0 m (187.0 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 × Isotta Fraschini ID36 SS8V-AM diesel engines, 1,600 hp; 2 × Voith-Schneider cycloidal propulsion |
| Armament |
|
| Maximum speed | 12 knots |
Description
The Osprey class is a series of twelve coastal minehunters built for the United States Navy, based on the Italian Lerici/Gaeta design. Eight vessels were constructed by Intermarine USA in Savannah, Georgia, while four were built by Avondale Industries in New Orleans. The ships were launched between 1991 and 1997, and commissioned between 1993 and 1999. They were the world's second-largest minehunters built entirely of fiberglass, designed to survive the shock of underwater explosions.
At 57.3 meters long and displacing 904 tons at full load, the Osprey class is significantly larger than the Italian Lerici vessels it was derived from. The ships are powered by two Isotta Fraschini ID36 diesel engines driving two Voith Schneider cycloidal propellers, giving a maximum speed of 12 knots and a range of 1,500 nautical miles. Major equipment is suspended from the main deck in glass-reinforced plastic holders to protect it from mine blast shock. The sensor suite includes the AN/SQQ-32 variable-depth sonar for mine detection, the AN/SLQ-48 mine neutralization system tethered by a 1 km cable, and the AN/SLQ-53 deep sweep system.
All twelve ships were decommissioned from US Navy service in 2006-2007, replaced in the MCM role by Littoral Combat Ships equipped with the Mine Counter-Measures Module. Two ships were transferred to the Hellenic Navy, two to the Egyptian Navy, and two to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, where they continue to serve.