NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Bittern 1958

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AMCU43, 2.1958- MHC43	Bittern		Consolidated, City Island	8.1955	4.3.1957	8.1957	stricken 2.1972

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	300
Displacement full, t	360
Length, m	42.1 wl 44.1 oa
Breadth, m	8.50
Draught, m	2.40
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 Packard diesels
Power, h. p.	1200
Max speed, kts	14
Fuel, t	diesel oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	2500(10)
Armament	1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3
Electronic equipment	SPS-53 radar, SQQ-14 sonar
Complement	40

Graphics

Project history

Bittern, built under the FY54 programme, was a prototype to succeed thirty-one YMS and LSI(L) conversions (then called underwater object locators, or AMCU) under the FY52 (SCB 73) programme. She had no mine destruction capability at all, and was intended rather to locate and plot mine locations, so that small boats or divers could destroy them. To that end she was extremely manoeuvrable, with controllable-pitch propellers and active rudders. Her hull duplicated that of the contemporary Bluebird class coastal sweeper.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

No significant events.