Type 352 Ensdorf-class minesweepers are a class of five minesweepers of the German Navy. They are Type 343 s that have been upgraded with the Troika Plus system of minesweeping drones
Design The Ensdorf class have three modes to clear mine fields:
Troika Plus: This system employs up to four remote controlled Seehund ("seal") drones which perform the sweep. The drones are small unmanned boats that can simulate the acoustic and magnetic signatures of bigger ships to trigger mines. Their small size and special construction let them survive the effects of exploding mines unharmed. Mine hunting: Mines detected with the hull-mounted sonar can be identified and exploded with expendable Seefuchs (Seafox) ROVs. Classical minesweeping: Against moored mines the classical minesweeping using towed wire cutters to cut the anchors of mines can be conducted.
The Ensdorf class replaced the Type 351 s in service with the German Navy.
Seehund
The Seehund unmanned surface vehicles can be controlled remotely or manually by an onboard crew (usually three) for maneuvering in harbours or in training (the Seehund is too large to be carried by Ensdorf-class vessels). A life raft is carried for this reason. Seehunds are long with a displacement of 99 t. They are propelled by a Schottel Z-drive which gives them a maximum speed of .
Ship list PennantnumberNameCallsignCommissionedDecommissionedM1094Ensdorf DRFN16 October 199031 July 2014M1093Auerbach/OberpfalzDRFR7 May 199117 December 2015M1092Hameln DRFO29 June 198911 December 2014M1090Pegnitz DRFT8 March 1990M1098Siegburg DRFL26 July 1990 Notes The ships were not decommissioned for their rebuilding to Type 352, so the listed dates are the ones of their commission as Type 343. Auerbach/Oberpfalz is one single name. The ships currently belong to the 5. Minensuchgeschwader (5th Mine Sweeping Squadron) based in Kiel at the Baltic Sea.
ROVs NumberCommissionedMothership1 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln2 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln3 5 May 1981 M1092 Hameln4 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz5 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz6 4 March 1982 M1093 Auerbach/Oberpfalz7 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg8 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg9 17 September 1981 M1098 Siegburg10 11 November 1981 M1098 Siegburg11 11 November 1981 M1092 Hameln12 11 November 1981 M1090 Pegnitz13 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz14 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz15 24 May 1982 M1090 Pegnitz16 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf17 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf18 7 November 1983 M1094 Ensdorf
The Seehunde ROVs were taken from the six decommissioned Type 351 class, which means that they are older than their motherships.
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