Kondor-class minesweeper

The Project 89 minesweeper, also known as the Kondor class, was a class of minesweepers designed in the German Democratic Republic which was given the NATO designation of "Kondor". There were three versions, namely, the prototype unit, Project 89.0; the first version, Project 89.1 (NATO designation: Kondor I); and the second version, Project 89.2 (NATO designation: Kondor II).

Ueckermünde (GS01) in Malta service as P30
Class overview
BuildersPeene-Werft, Wolgast
Operators
Succeeded by
Built1967-1970
In commission1967-present
Completed
  • 21
  • 4 modified
Active2
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement339 tonnes (334 long tons)
Length51.98 m (170 ft 6 in) o/a
Beam7.12 m (23 ft 4 in)
Draft2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
PropulsionMD 40 diesel engines
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range1,900 nmi (3,500 km)
Complement24
Armament
  • 1 × 25 mm FlaK 2M-3
  • up to 28 mines or 20 depth charges
Eisleben (312)
Class overview
BuildersPeenewerft shipyard
Operators
Succeeded byTripartite class (Latvia)
Built1971-1973
In commission1971-present
Completed
  • 30
  • 2 modified
Active10
Lost1
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement449 tonnes (442 long tons)
Length59.52 m (195 ft 3 in) o/a
Beam7.76 m (25 ft 6 in)
Draft2.22 m (7 ft 3 in)
PropulsionMD 40 diesel engines
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range1,900 nmi (3,500 km)
Complement29
Armament
  • 3 × 25 mm FlaK 2M-3
  • up to 24 mines or 24 depth charges

Ships in class
Pennant Name In commission Fate
Project 89.0
V32 unnamed 1967-1981
Project 89.1 (Kondor I)
V814 Greifswald 1969-1990 Sold in Guinea-Bissau as Mawia
S425 Bergen 1969-? Fishing surveillance, 1981 as Warnemünde
Transferred to Tunisia as Ras Ipirkia
S426 Anklam 1969-1976 Sport and training vessel, 1976 as Ernst Thälmann
Rebuilt in the UK, Denmark and Israel
GS01 Ueckermünde 1969-1990
1992-2004		 Transferred to Malta, 1992 as P30
Laid up as of 2013
GS02 Demmin 1969-? Transferred to Tunisia as Ras el Blad
GS03 Malchin 1969-? Transferred to Tunisia as Ras el Drek
GS04 Altentreptow 1969-? Transferred to Tunisia as Ras Mamoura
GS05 Pasewalk 1969-1990
1992-2004		 Transferred to Malta, 1992 as P31
Scuttled 2009
GS06 Templin 1969-? Transferred to Tunisia as Ras Ajdir
G412 Neustrelitz 1969-1990
G421 Vitte 1970-1990
G444 Zingst 1970-1990
G413 Prerow 1970-1990
G424 Graal-Müritz 1970-1990
GS07 Kühlungsborn 1970-1995
1998–present		 Transferred to German Coast Guard as Kühlungsborn (BG 32).
Transferred to Cape Verde, 1998 as Vigilante (P521)
GS08 Ahrenshoop 1970-1995 Transferred to German Coast Guard as Ahrenshoop (BG 33).
G425 Kirchdorf 1970-1990
GS09 Boltenhagen 1970-1996
1997-2004		 Transferred to German Coast Guard as Boltenhagen (BG 31).
Transferred to Malta, 1997 as P29
Scuttled 2007
G416 Klütz 1970-1990
G426 Rerik 1970-1990
G446 Bansin 1970-1990
Project 65.1 or 129 (torpedo trials craft)
V661 Libben 1971-1990
V662 Strelasund 1971-1990
Project 65.2 or 115 (reconnaissance ships)
Komet 1972-1990
1994-2000		 Transferred to Estonia, 1994 as Vambola (M411)
Laid up
Meteor 1972-1990
1994-2000		 Transferred to Estonia, 1994 as Sulev (M412)
Scrapped 2000
Project 89.2 (Kondor II)
V811 Wolgast 1971-1990
1994–2019		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rote (721)
S321 Kamenz 1971-1981
1992-2008		 Transferred to Latvia, 1992 as Viesturs (M01)
334 Stralsund 1971-1990
315 Wittstock 1971-1990
321 Kyritz 1971-1990
345 Neuruppin 1971-1990
346 Strasburg 1971-1990
324 Röbel 1971-1990
1992-2008		 Transferred to Latvia, 1992 as Imanta (M02)
325 Pritzwalk 1971-1990
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Romang (723)
326 Rathenow 1972-1990
331 Dessau 1972-1990
332 Bitterfeld 1972-1991
1994–present		 Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Bitterfeld (M2672)
Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rimau (724)
333 Tangerhütte 1972-1991 Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Tangerhütte (M2669)
V812 Genthin 1972-1988
335 Zerbst 1972-1990
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rondo (725), later renamed KRI Kelabang (826)
V813 Rosslau 1972-1990
341 Oranienburg 1972-1990
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rusa (726)
342 Jüterbog 1972-1990
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rangsang (727)
343 Bernau 1972–2014 Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Bernau (M2673)
Transferred to Uruguay, 1991 as Fortuna (ROU 33)
344 Eilenburg 1972-2000 Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Eilenburg (M2674)
Transferred to Uruguay, 1991 as Valiente (ROU 32)
Sunk after collision in 2000
322 Riesa 1973-1990
1991–present		 Transferred to Uruguay, 1991 as Temerario (ROU 31)
323 Wilhem-Pieck-Stadt Guben 1973-1990
311 Sömmerda 1973-1991
1994–present		 Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Sömmerda (M2670)
Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Raibu (728), later renamed KRI Kala Hitam (828)
312 Eisleben 1973–present Transferred to Germany, 1990 as Eisleben (M2671)
Transferred to Uruguay, 1991 as Audaz (ROU 34)
313 Gransee 1973-1990
314 Zeitz 1973-1981
315 Hettstedt 1973-1981
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Raas (722)
316 Altenburg 1973-1990
314 Schönebeck 1973-1990
336 Grimma 1973-1990
1994–present		 Transferred to Indonesia, 1994 as KRI Pulau Rempang (729)
Project 131 (state yacht)
Ostseeland 1971-1990
Project 136 (survey vessel)
Carl Friedrich Gauß 1975-? Transferred to Germany

Foreign service

Cape Verde

The Kondor I vessel Kuhlungsborn was used by the German Coast Guard. In 1998 it was transferred to Cape Verde and was renamed Vigilante carrying the pennant number P 521.[1] It is still in service.

Estonia

The Kondor I vessels Komet and Meteor were transferred to Estonia as Vambola and Sulev in 1994. Sulev was scrapped in 2000 while Vambola remains laid up awaiting to be scrapped.

Indonesia

Nine Kondor II vessels were transferred to Indonesia around 1994. They are still in active service.

Latvia

Two Kondor II vessels were transferred to Latvia in 1992 and were renamed Viesturs and Imanta. They were used as minehunters until they decommissioned in 2008.

Malta
The wreck of P29 (ex-Boltenhagen)

Two Kondor I vessels, Ueckermünde and Pasewalk, were sold to Malta in 1992, where they were given the pennant numbers P30 and P31. A third ship, Boltenhagen, was also sold in 1997 and it was given the pennant number P29. The three vessels served with the Offshore Command of the Maritime Squadron of the AFM until they were decommissioned in 2004 and were replaced by more modern patrol boats. P29 was scuttled as an artificial diving site off Ċirkewwa in 2007,[2] while P31 followed being sunk off Comino in 2009.[3] As of 2013, P30 was laid up at Cassar Ship Repair Yard, Marsa.[4]

Tunisia

Five Kondor I minesweepers were transferred to the Tunisian Navy as coastal patrol craft according to Jane's Fighting Ships for 1999-2000.[5] Today only one is still in service.

Uruguay

The Kondor II vessels Riesa, Eilenburg, Bernau and Eisleben were transferred to Uruguay and renamed Temerario, Valiente, Fortuna and Audaz on 11 October 1991. Valiente was rammed by the Panamian freighter Skyros on 5 August 2000 and was torn in half with 8 sailors killed and 3 missing.[6] Fortuna was scrapped and the other two are still in service.

References
  1. JFS 1999-2000 p.102
  2. "Another wreck off Cirkewwa". Times of Malta. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  3. "Malta's newly scuttled wreck – The ex-Pasewalk P31 Patrol Boat". Oxygene Malta. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  4. Dalli, Lawrence. "Filming Marine Units". Malta Ship Photos. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  5. JFS 1999-2000 p.718
  6. "El bagayo del barreminas "Valiente"". El Muerto. Retrieved 8 September 2014.

Further reading
  • Hans Mehl, Knut Schäfer (2004). Die Seestreitkräfte der NVA (in German). Stuttgart: Motorbuchverlag. ISBN 3-61302406-3.
  • ((East German Navy: German naval forces during the Cold War)), Volksmarine der DDR: Deutsche Seestreitkräfte im Kalten Krieg. 1999. by Friedrich Elchlepp, Walter Jablonsky, Fritz Minow, Manfred Röseberg. 360 pages. Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn, Hamburg-Berlin-Bonn. ISBN 3-8132-0587-8 paperback, ISBN 3-8132-0715-3 other. On page 231, "Verbleib der Schiffe und Boote nach Auflösung der VM" ((fate of ships after dissolution of the volksmarine)) ... Uruguay is listed as acquiring three Kondor-II class minesweepers.
  • ((Ships and Boats of the East German Navy)), Schiffe und Boote der Volksmarine der DDR, by Manfred Röseberg, ISBN 3-935319-82-7, Ingo Koch Verlag Rostock, 2002
  • ((The other German Navy)), Die andere deutsche Marine, by H.Mehl / K.Schäfer, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-613-01675-3
  • ((Military Tech series: Minesweepers and Ramming-ships)), Heft Minensuch- und Räumschiffe, Reihe Militärtechnische Hefte, by Bernd Oesterle, 1983, Militärverlag der DDR, Berlin
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