The Beemster-class was a class of fourteen minesweepers that were built at different shipyards in the United States for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN).[1] The minesweepers were based on the AMS-60 design and paid for by the United States under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP).[2] The minesweepers served in the RNN between 1953 and 1976.[3] [4]
The fourteen Beemster-class minesweepers were ordered in 1951 in the United States.[5] They were based on the AMS-60 design. The first ships were taken into service of the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1953 and the last in 1954.
As built the ships were equipped with a W Mk 3 mod 1 mechanical sweep and either a A X Mk 6B or A X Mk 4V acoustic sweeper. Furthermore, it had a double machine gun of 20 mm. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, the ships got equipped with a MB 5 magnetic sweeper.
The ships were named after the smaller Dutch municipalities that started with the letter B.
Ship | Pennant No. | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M845 | 30 November 1951 | 24 September 1952 | 17 July 1953 | 14 August 1974 | |
M846 | 8 October 1951 | 5 November 1952 | 5 November 1953 | 18 September 1972 | |
M847 | 14 December 1951 | 29 October 1952 | 28 August 1953 | 1 July 1976 | |
M848 | 29 October 1951 | 14 February 1953 | 26 April 1954 | 13 August 1975 | |
M849 | 29 December 1951 | 26 November 1952 | 20 October 1953 | 14 August 1974 | |
M850 | 29 January 1952 | 7 January 1953 | 3 December 1953 | 13 August 1975 | |
M851 | 29 February 1952 | 31 December 1952 | 23 February 1954 | 14 August 1976 | |
M852 | 29 February 1952 | 12 March 1953 | 15 February 1954 | 18 September 1972 | |
M853 | 29 September 1952 | 31 October 1953 | 26 May 1954 | 1 July 1976 | |
M854 | 11 December 1952 | 17 October 1953 | 29 December 1954 | 13 August 1975 | |
M855 | 29 April 1952 | 11 April 1953 | 21 April 1954 | 1 July 1976 | |
M856 | 29 February 1952 | 31 December 1952 | 21 January 1954 | 18 September 1972 | |
M857 | 1 May 1952 | 12 September 1953 | 28 July 1954 | 1 July 1976 | |
M858 | 7 May 1952 | 19 April 1954 | 3 November 1954 | 2 July 1973 | |