Ukraine will receive the "Henichesk" minehunter, equipped with underwater drones, from the Netherlands
In June, Ukraine will receive the Alkmaar-class minesweeper Zr.Ms. Makkum from the Netherlands, which will be renamed "Henichesk" upon transfer—in honor of the Ukrainian ship lost in 2022.
This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The primary mission of Alkmaar-class vessels is to search for and neutralize sea mines in coastal waters, protect shipping and naval formations in mine-threatened areas. They can also be used to support land operations from the sea and participate in the clearance of coastal zones prior to amphibious operations.
In addition, these ships are capable of detecting sunken vessels or containers that pose a threat to navigation.
Technical specifications of the vessel:
- crew: 28–38 personnel
- Displacement: 543 tons
- Length: 51.5 m
- width: 8.9 m
- Draft: 3.8 m
- Maximum speed: 13 knots (24 km/h)
The ship is equipped with a hydroacoustic station for detecting underwater objects, as well as SeaFox-type remotely operated underwater vehicles, which are used to identify and destroy mines. Divers may be deployed for specific operations.
A distinctive feature of these minesweepers is their hull made of non-magnetic materials, which reduces the risk of detonation by mines with magnetic detonators.
It is expected that the “Henichesk” will become the fifth mine countermeasures vessel transferred to Ukraine by its partners. Once the war ends, such ships will be deployed in large-scale mine clearance operations in maritime areas.
