Romanian minehunter Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu explained

Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu (M270) is a 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.[1] She was the second vessel to carry this name, the first being a of the Second World War, wearing pennant number J15. Blyth served in the Middle East as part of the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron.

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,, 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.[2] [3]

Blyth was based at as one of four minehunters of 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron[4] supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary on Operation Kipion until 2020, when she was replaced in theatre by .

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.[5]

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.[6] Blyth (together with Ramsey) was decommissioned in a joint ceremony at Rosyth on 4 August 2021.[7] 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".[8] However, in October 2022 it was reported that plan had subsequently altered to transfer both ships to the Romanian Navy instead.[9] [10]

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.[11]

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, and received the pennant number M270. The crew of 40 sailors under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Denis Giubernea, continued training, evaluation, and certification activities until 15 November when the ship departed Rosyth for Constanța.[10] [12] Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu arrived in the port of Constanța on 19 December 2023. She joined up with the 146th Mining-Demining Ships Divizion.[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Combat Fleets of the World . Naval Institute Press . 1-55750-197-1.
  2. The crucible of effort. Navy News. 632. March 2007. 4.
  3. Web site: Minehunter crews mark 15 years of achievement on key Gulf mission. Royal Navy. 13 June 2022.
  4. Web site: RFA Cardigan Bay's winter in the Gulf. Royal Navy . 29 January 2020 . 23 April 2020.
  5. Web site: Operational honours for those who led Gulf peacekeeping efforts . 2 October 2023.
  6. Web site: HMS Blyth goes from hot to cold on chilly NATO mission . 2 October 2023.
  7. Web site: McRoberts . Ally . Rosyth: Royal Navy mine hunters decommissioned at dockyard . Dunfermline Press . 12 August 2021 . 21 August 2021.
  8. Web site: Thank you Blyth and Ramsey for your service as minehunters pay off . Royal Navy . 4 August 2021 . 4 August 2021.
  9. Ex-HMS Ramsey and HMS Blyth have been sold to the Romanian Navy . 1582985004379799552 . NavyLookout . 20 October 2022 . 21 October 2022.
  10. Web site: 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. Victor Cozmei. ro. HotNews. 2 October 2023.
  11. Web site: Two retired Royal Navy minehunters sold to Romania . Royal Navy . 28 September 2023 . 3 October 2023.
  12. Web site: Corespondență transmisă de la bordul vânătorului de mine M 270 "Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu". ro. navy.ro. 17 November 2023.
  13. Web site: Sosirea vânătorului de mine M 270 "Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu" în portul militar Constanța. ro. mapn.ro. 18 December 2023.

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