Romania to receive minehunter from UK Royal Navy in summer 2025

Romania is set to receive HMS Pembroke, a 26-year-old Sandown-class minehunter, from the UK Royal Navy, with delivery anticipated for the summer of 2025, according to Naval-Technology.com.

The acquisition, reportedly confirmed by British defense minister Maria Eagle, finalizes an agreement from September 2023 that also included HMS Blyth, now named Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu. The contract for the two minehunters had a value of EUR 150 million.

The transaction also follows the donation by the United Kingdom of two other Sandown-class ships, HMS Grimsby and HMS Shoreham, to Ukraine in January 2024. The ships were, however, prevented from crossing the Dardanelles and Bosporus Straits by Turkey.

Sandown-class ships, renowned for their non-magnetic construction and shock resistance, are 52.5 meters long and use high-definition sonar and diver teams to neutralize mines. These ships, usually with a crew of 40, are crucial for securing sea lanes vital to international trade.

The Pembroke was decommissioned in 2021 and its sale must be considered regarding the possibility of underwater subversive actions against critical infrastructure. Both Russia and Ukraine have laid mines in the Black Sea during the war.

The minehunter is equipped not only with mine detection and deactivation systems, but also with a 30 mm gun and several machine guns.

As a NATO ally, Romania will operate these minehunters in the contested Black Sea region, protecting the alliance’s interests. Unlike the ships intended for Ukraine, these vessels theoretically have permission to enter the Black Sea.

(Photo source: royalnavy.mod.uk)