| Belgian minehunter Aster | |
|---|---|
|
M915foto.jpg Aster M915 | |
| Career (Belgium) |  |
| Name: | Aster |
| Namesake: | Aster |
| Builder: | Mercantile-Belyard Shipyard, Rupelmonde |
| Launched: | 16 December 1985 |
| Identification: | Pennant number M915 |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2025[update] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Tripartite-class minehunter |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 51.5 m (169 ft) |
| Beam: | 8.96 m (29.4 ft) |
| Height: | 18.5 m (61 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Range: | 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: |
|
| Complement: | 4 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers, 17 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
|
| Armament: | 3 × 12.7 mm machine guns |
Aster is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 16 December 1985 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Queen Paola of Belgium. The patronage of Aster was accepted by the city of Blankenberge. Aster was the first of the Belgian Tripartite-class minehunters.
On 11 October 2007, Aster was damaged when the minesweeper collided with a fuel lighter on the River Scheldt.[1]
In early October 2018, it was reported that the Pakistan Navy had received a decommissioned MCMV from Belgium. Jane's in its article, speculated that this could be Aster decommissioned by the Belgian Navy. Further, since the details were not provided by the parties involved, it was not clear whether the Pakistan Navy will operate it or use it as spares.[2]
References[]
- ↑ Silverstone 2007, p. 9.
- ↑ "Pakistan receives decommissioned MCMV from Belgium". Jane's 360. https://www.janes.com/article/83658/pakistan-receives-decommissioned-mcmv-from-belgium. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
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The original article can be found at Belgian minehunter Aster and the edit history here.