Sauda Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel

Sauda Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel

The Sauda class was a class of nine minesweepers and one minehunter in service for the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1953 to 1996. The class was designed at Sparkman & Stephens Inc., New York, as an improvement of the NYMS class (Norwegian Yard Mine Sweepers). Five of the vessels were built in the United States, three were built at Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek Verksted in Mandal, one at Skaaluren Skibsbyggeri in Rosendal and one at De Forenede Båtbyggerier in Risør. The class was fully financed by the US government as a part of the Military Assistance Program (MAP).

Most of the vessels were named after Norwegian rivers:Sira, Tana, Alta, Ogna, Vosso, Glomma, Tista, Kvina and Utla. Sauda is however a town, not a river. HNoMS Alta is the only vessel still in existence. She is a museum vessel owned by the Royal Norwegian Navy Museum but maintained and sailed by a dedicated friendship association. Some of the vessels were in service in the United States Navy and the Royal Belgian Navy before entering Norwegian service.