M-class minesweeper (Germany)

	M1940 series minesweeper in 1941
Class overview
Name	M class
Operators	Kriegsmarine; Post-war:; Romanian Naval Forces; United States Navy; Royal Navy; Soviet Navy; Royal Norwegian Navy; French Navy; German Navy; Italian Navy;
Subclasses	M1915; M1916; M1935; M1940; M1943;
Built	1937–1945 (not including older M1915 and M1916 ships)
Completed	M1935 : 69; M1940 : 131; M1943 : 18;
Lost	M1935 : 35; M1940 : 63; M1943 : 1;
General characteristics : M1935
Displacement	682 long tons (693 t) standard; 874 long tons (888 t) full load;
Length	68.4 m (224 ft 5 in)
Beam	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught	2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 oil-fired boilers, 3,200 hp (2,386 kW)
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	113
Armament	2 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 guns; 2 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 guns; 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) SK C/30 guns;
General characteristics : M1940
Displacement	543 long tons (552 t) standard; 775 long tons (787 t) full load;
Length	62.3 m (204 ft 5 in)
Beam	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught	2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers , 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	80
Armament	1 × 105 mm (4.1 in) gun; 1 × 37 mm gun; 6–8 × 20 mm guns;
General characteristics : M1943
Displacement	582 long tons (591 t) standard; 821 long tons (834 t) full load;
Length	67.8 m (222 ft 5 in)
Beam	9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers, 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	107
Armament	2 × 105 mm (4.1 in) guns; 2 × 37 mm guns; 6–8 × 20 mm guns;

The M class were the standard minesweeper (German: Minensuchboot) of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The vessels were the primary force in Germany's harbor defense command and were organized administratively into minesweeper flotillas.