Romanian minehunter Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu
The arrival Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu in Constanța | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | Blyth |
| Builder | Vosper Thornycroft |
| Launched | 4 July 2000 |
| Commissioned | 19 July 2001 |
| Decommissioned | 4 August 2021 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Transferred to Romania |
| Romania | |
| Name | Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu |
| Namesake | Ion Ghiculescu |
| Acquired | October 2022 |
| Commissioned | 27 September 2023 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | In active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Sandown-class minehunter |
| Displacement | 600 t (590 long tons) |
| Length | 52.5 m (172 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement | 34 (accommodation for up to 40) |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu (M270) is a Sandown-class minehunter 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. She was the second vessel to carry this name, the first being a Bangor-class minesweeper of the Second World War, wearing pennant number J15. Blyth served in the Middle East as part of the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron.