Imanta (M-04) is the lead ship of the Tripartite class of minehunters for the Latvian Naval Forces. The vessel was formerly HNLMS Harlingen (M854), a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Royal Netherlands Navy built in 1984.[1] Alkmaar and Imanta are, respectively, the Dutch and Latvian navies' names of the Tripartite class of minehunters, developed jointly by France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_667223.jpg) Imanta in Belfast
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Netherlands | |
| Name | Harlingen |
| Launched | 1984 |
| Fate | Sold to Latvia, 2005 |
 Latvia | |
| Name | Imanta |
| Acquired | 2005 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | in active service, as of 2019[update] |
| General characteristics (in Dutch service) | |
| Class and type | Tripartite-class minehunter |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 51.5 m (169 ft) |
| Beam | 8.96 m (29.4 ft) |
| Height | 18.5 m (61 ft) |
| Draught | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Range | 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
|
| Complement | 4 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers, 17 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems | 1 × DUBM 21B sonar |
| Armament | 1 × 20 mm modèle F2 gun |
Harlingen was one of five minehunters sold to Latvia by the Netherlands in 2005 for approximately €11.4 million each. An investigation into possible corruption related to the vessels' acquisition was revealed in August 2009, when it was announced that the vessels were purchased without any instruction manuals or technical documents. It took Latvian officials over a year to acquire the necessary technical materials from France, at the cost of an additional €580,000.[2]
Since 2009 Imanta has been active service with the Latvian Naval Forces and available for NATO operations.[2]
References
edit- ^ Toppan, Andrew (2003). "Mine Countermeasures Vessels". World Navies Today: Netherlands. Hazegray.org. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Latvian navy buys Dutch ships 'without instruction manuals'". Earth Times. Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
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