The newly commissioned HMS Stirling Castle will serve as a floating command and control platform for the Royal Navy’s Mine Threat Exploitation Group, supporting remotely operated and autonomous uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). The MTEG is tasked with finding and neutralizing mines and other unexploded ordnance. Displacing nearly 6,000 tonnes (6,613 tons) and 96.8 m (317 ft 7 in) in length, HMS Stirling Castle is far larger than the Royal Navy’s Hunt-class mine countermeasure ships, which displace just 740 tonnes (750 tons) and are 60 m (196 ft 10 in) long.
However, the larger ship could further enhance the group’s capabilities.
Instead of relying on hull-mounted sonar, the minehunter will deploy sea-based drones to carry out mine detection.
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