The Skrunda class is a class of SWATH patrol vessels used by the Latvian Navy. The main duties of the vessels include fisheries inspections, search and rescue, environmental protection, sovereignty enforcement, and participation in NATO and EU operations.
Description
The Skrunda class was ordered in 2008 and built in cooperation by Abeking & Rasmussen Shipyard in Germany and Riga Shipyard in Latvia between 2009 and 2013. The class and the five vessels are named after towns and cities in Latvia from each of the five historical regions of Latvia, where important battles for Latvia's independence took place. The design is based on the well proven Abeking & Rasmussen SWATH Pilot boat design, which is known for its excellent seaworthiness, offering motions in high sea state similar to conventional monohull ships three to four times its size. Skrunda-class vessels are able to perform 100% of their duties in waves as high as . The propulsion system was designed specifically for the Skrunda class and places two MAN D 2842 diesel engines in the lower torpedo hulls, driving Servogear controllable pitch propellers via Servogear reduction gearboxes.
Tasked to monitor and control the Latvian and EU territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, the Skrunda class can perform a number of different missions by changing the mission module between the bows of the two hulls, which adheres to the dimensions of a ISO container and has a payload of 6 tons. A Mission Module may contain weapons systems, equipment for hydrographic surveying, environmental protection, support for divers, or mine countermeasure operations.
Armament
The standard armament consists of two machine guns. In addition, one Mission Module can be installed with a weapons system that weighs up to 6 tons.
Vessels in class
PennantNumber Name Shipyard Launched In service P-05 Skrunda Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany 20 January 2011 18 April 2011 P-06 Cēsis Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany 23 November 2011 2 April 2012 P-07 Viesīte Riga Shipyard, Latvia 11 April 2012 22 August 2012 P-08 Jelgava Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany 16 April 2013 24 July 2013 P-09 Rēzekne Riga Shipyard, Latvia 14 October 2013 20 March 2014
References
External links Maritime Journal SWATH Skrunda P-05 testing in Germany