Romanian minehunter Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu

Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu (M270) is a Sandown-class minehunter of the Romanian Naval Forces. She was built as HMS Blyth (M111), for the Royal Navy, the eleventh of this class of twelve Single-Role Minehunters (SRMH) ships. She was laid down on 30 May 1999 by Vosper Thornycroft at their Woolston, Southampton shipyard, launched in May 2000 and entered service for the Royal Navy in February 2001.[4] She was the second vessel to carry this name, the first being a Bangor-class minesweeper of the Second World War, wearing pennant number J15. Blyth served in the Middle East as part of the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Blyth.

HMS Blyth in 2006
History
United Kingdom
NameBlyth
BuilderVosper Thornycroft
Launched4 July 2000
Commissioned19 July 2001
Decommissioned4 August 2021
Identification
StatusTransferred to Romania[1][2]
Romania
NameSublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu
NamesakeIon Ghiculescu
AcquiredOctober 2022
Commissioned27 September 2023
IdentificationPennant number: M270
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeSandown-class minehunter
Displacement600 t (590 long tons)[3]
Length52.5 m (172 ft 3 in)
Beam10.9 m (35 ft 9 in)
Draught2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Propulsion
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement34 (accommodation for up to 40)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • SeaFox mine disposal system
  • Diver-placed explosive charges
Armament

Service history

With the Royal Navy

HMS Blyth was deployed to the Middle East on Operation Aintree by the Royal Navy in 2007 and 2008, together with her sister ship, HMS Ramsey, to test the class capabilities in the hot climate and maintain force operational capability in the region. Crews from other Sandown-class vessels were rotated through the two ships.[5][6]

Blyth was based at HMS Jufair as one of four minehunters of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron[7] supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay-class landing ship on Operation Kipion until 2020, when she was replaced in theatre by HMS Penzance.

On 27 November 2020 the Royal Navy announced that the commanding officer of Blyth had been awarded the MBE for his leadership in Gulf peacekeeping efforts.[8]

On 10 February 2021, the Royal Navy announced that Blyth was being re-deployed to link-up with the Dutch-led NATO force operating in the North Sea.[9] Blyth (together with Ramsey) was decommissioned in a joint ceremony at Rosyth on 4 August 2021.[10] Following a refit by Babcock both vessels were initially earmarked for the Ukrainian Navy to "enjoy a fresh lease of life in the Black Sea".[11] However, in October 2022 it was reported that plan had subsequently altered to transfer both ships to the Romanian Navy instead.[12][13]

On 28 September 2023, the Royal Navy confirmed that Sandown-class mine countermeasures vessels, Blyth and HMS Pembroke, had been sold to Romania, one of the UK’s NATO allies, by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), which disposes of vehicles and equipment no longer needed by UK Armed Forces.[14]

With Romanian Navy

Ex-Blyth was officially taken over by the Romanian Navy during a ceremony that took place at Rosyth on 27 September 2023. She was renamed Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu, a name also carried by the World War II gunboat NMS Sublocotenent Ghiculescu, and received the pennant number M270. The crew of 40 sailors under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Denis Giubernea, will continue training, evaluation, and certification activities. The ship is expected to arrive in Constanța at the end of 2023.[13]

References
  1. @NavyLookout (28 September 2023). "@NavyLookout ex-HMS Blyth has been transferred to 🇷🇴Romania with, yet to decommission, @hms_pembroke to follow next year" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. "Romania acquires 2 former Royal Navy's Sandown class minehunters". Navy Recognition. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  3. "Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  4. Combat Fleets of the World. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-197-1.
  5. "The crucible of effort" (PDF). Navy News. No. 632. March 2007. p. 4.
  6. "Minehunter crews mark 15 years of achievement on key Gulf mission". Royal Navy. 13 June 2022.
  7. "RFA Cardigan Bay's winter in the Gulf". Royal Navy. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  8. "Operational honours for those who led Gulf peacekeeping efforts". Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  9. "HMS Blyth goes from hot to cold on chilly NATO mission". Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  10. McRoberts, Ally. "Rosyth: Royal Navy mine hunters decommissioned at dockyard". Dunfermline Press. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  11. "Thank you Blyth and Ramsey for your service as minehunters pay off". Royal Navy. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  12. @NavyLookout (20 October 2022). "Ex-HMS Ramsey and HMS Blyth have been sold to the Romanian Navy" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 October 2022 – via Twitter.
  13. Victor Cozmei (2 October 2023). "România a preluat primul vânător de mine din clasa Sandown de la Marea Britanie. Ce nume a primit cea mai recentă navă din dotarea Forțelor Navale". HotNews (in Romanian).
  14. "Two retired Royal Navy minehunters sold to Romania". Royal Navy. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
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