Kulmbach-class mine hunter

The Type 333 Kulmbach class is a class of five German Navy ships. Built as Type 343 Hameln class minesweepers, they have been upgraded to minehunters using Seefuchs expendable drones to detonate detected naval mines.

Kulmbach-class mine hunters stationed at Kiel Naval Base
Class overview
Operators	German Navy
Preceded by	Hameln class minesweeper
Built	1999–2001
In commission	1989-2016
Completed	5
Retired	5
General characteristics
Displacement	635 tonnes
Length	54.4 m (178 ft 6 in)
Beam	9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught	2.84 m (9 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	Two propeller shafts driving controllable pitch propellers; two Renk PLS 25 gearboxes 2 × MTU 16V 538 TB91 diesel engines; 2240 kW each
Speed	18 knots
Complement	37
Sensors & processing systems	Navigation radar Hull-mounted DSQS-11 mine-detection sonar GPS-Navstar navigation system PALIS Digital data links M 20/2 fire-control system
Electronic warfare & decoys	2 × TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launcher (currently under procurement)
Armament	2 × Bofors 40mm/L70 dual-purpose gun (currently upgrading to MLG 27 remote-controlled autocannons) 2 × FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile (MANPADS) stands Mine-laying capabilities

List of ships

Pennant number	Name	Call sign	commissioned	decommissioned
M1091	Kulmbach	DRFU	May 23, 1990	March 31, 2012
M1095	Überherrn	DRFS	September 19, 1989	June 30, 2016
M1096	Passau	DRFJ	December 18, 1990	September 27, 2013
M1097	Laboe	DRFK	December 7, 1989	March 28, 2012
M1099	Herten	DRFP	March 26, 1991	June 30, 2016

Notes: The listed commission dates are from their original commission as Type 343 boats since they were not formally recommissioned after their upgrade to Type 333 mine hunters.

The ships currently belong to the 3. Minensuchgeschwader (3rd Minesweeping Squadron) based in Kiel at the Baltic Sea.

References

• "Minenjagdboot KULMBACH-Klasse". German Navy. Retrieved 5 August 2008.

External links

• Marine-Portraits (in German)