 HMS Middleton in Portsmouth | |
| Career (United Kingdom) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Middleton |
| Builder: | Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Launched: | 27 April 1983[1] |
| Sponsored by: | Lady Blake |
| Commissioned: | 4 July 1984[2] |
| Homeport: | HMNB Portsmouth |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | Ship in active service |
| Badge: |
 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel |
| Displacement: | 750 t (740 long tons; 830 short tons)[3] |
| Length: | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) |
| Beam: | 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in) |
| Draught: | 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Caterpillar C32 ACERT diesels[4] |
| Speed: | 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Complement: | 45 (6 officers & 39 ratings) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
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| Armament: |
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HMS Middleton is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the British Royal Navy. As of 2021, she forms part of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron operating out of HMS Jufair in Bahrain.
The ship was launched by Lord and Lady Blaker in 1983: Lady Blaker remains the patron of the ship.[6]
Operational history[]
In 2009, HMS Middleton sailed for the Persian Gulf for a three-year deployment operating out of Bahrain; she returned to Portsmouth on 31 August 2012.[7]
In early 2013, Middleton entered refit in Portsmouth, the work package included replacing her 30-year-old Napier Deltic engines with new more fuel efficient Caterpillar C32 ACERT diesels. Following sea trials, Middleton rejoined the fleet in 2014[8] and took part in that autumn's Exercise Joint Warrior off Scotland.[9]
On 9 November 2015, Middleton sailed from Portsmouth for a second three-year deployment in the Persian Gulf.[10] Alongside sister ship HMS Chiddingfold, the two Hunt-class ships form half of the Royal Navy's minehunter force permanently deployed in the region.
In 2018 Middleton returned to the UK, subsequently undergoing an upgrade to carry the Oceanographic Reconnaissance Combat Architecture (ORCA) system which assists vessels with a higher level of mine detection at greater stand-off distances. In mid-2021, Middleton returned to the Gulf accompanied by HMS Bangor to rejoin the other vessels of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron operating out of HMS Jufair. Middleton and Bangor were to relieve their sister vessels HMS Brocklesby and HMS Shoreham, which were to return to the UK.[11]
Affiliations[]
- Middleton, Rochdale
- Pendleton Royal Naval Association, City of Salford
- Middleton and Chadderton Sea Cadets - TS Tremadoc Bay
- Rochdale Sea Cadets - TS Frobisher II
References[]
- ↑ "Ship of the Month: Background on HMS Middleton". October 2001. http://www.navynews.co.uk/ships/middleton.asp.
- ↑ "HMS Middleton". http://www.thisismiddleton.co.uk/hmsmiddleton.htm.
- ↑ "Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". 11 July 2011. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/hms-hunt-specs.htm.
- ↑ Ministry of Defence (12 March 2012). "Minehunter's upgrade reaches major milestone". https://www.gov.uk/government/news/minehunters-upgrade-reaches-major-milestone.
- ↑ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. https://www.navylookout.com/in-focus-the-fleet-solid-support-ship-design/.
- ↑ "'Lucky' lady sees her ship off to the Gulf". 4 February 2010. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/lucky-lady-sees-her-ship-off-to-the-gulf-882207.
- ↑ "HMS Middleton returns after three years". 31 August 2012. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/hms-middleton-returns-after-three-years-1-4214343.
- ↑ "New lease of life for HMS Middleton". 7 August 2014. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2014/august/07/140807-midleton-lease-of-life.
- ↑ "Exercise Joint Warrior gets underway". 8 October 2014. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2014/october/08/141008-exercise-joint-warrior-gets-underway.
- ↑ "HMS Middleton leaves Portsmouth for three years in the Gulf". 10 November 2015. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2015/november/10/151110-middleton-deploys.
- ↑ "UK minehunter joins operations in region". https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/economy/story/UK_minehunter_joins_operations_in_region-SNG_228605924/.
External links[]
- "HMS Middleton". http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/the-fighting-arms/surface-fleet/minehunters/hunt-class/hms-middleton.
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The original article can be found at HMS Middleton (M34) and the edit history here.