Mirna-class patrol boat
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The Mirna class (referred to as the Type 171 in some sources) is a class of eleven patrol boats built for the Yugoslav Navy (Serbo-Croatian: Jugoslavenska ratna mornarica - JRM) by the Tito's Kraljevica Shipyard. Intended as a replacement for the earlier Type 131 patrol boats, the new class was completed during the early 1980s and commissioned in the JRM Maritime Border Brigade.
Šolta (OB-02) photographed in the Lora Naval Base, August 2011 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Tito's Shipyard Kraljevica, Kraljevica, SR Croatia |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | Type 131 |
| Succeeded by | Omiš class |
| Completed | 11 |
| Active | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol boat |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 33.4 m (109 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 6.74 m (22 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 600 nm at 15 knots |
| Complement | ~ 20 |
| Armament |
|
Design
Mirna class patrol boats were built between 1979 and 1985 for the needs of Yugoslav navy and were intended mainly for patrolling Yugoslavia's maritime borders, however it can also be outfitted with depth charges for ASW duties and it's Simrad SQ3D/SF sonar can detect submarines at ranges up to 1.8km (1.11mi). Their hull is made of steel and is divided into 7 watertight compartments, while the superstructure is made of aluminum alloy. It is also equipped with Decca RM 1216A navigational radar with maximum range of 88.9km (55.23mi). It's crew consists of two officers, five junior officers and fifteen sailors. [2]
History
Following the outbreak of the Croatian War of Independence, two boats were damaged and subsequently captured by Croatian forces, while another two were captured in the Šibenik Shipyard during the Battle of Šibenik. All four were commissioned in the Croatian Navy and are in active service as of 2017. The remaining seven boats were relocated to Boka Kotorska where they became part of the Navy of FR Yugoslavia. All seven were decommissioned during the early 2000s: two were handed over to the Ministry of Interior and scrapped in 2012 after seeing little service, while the remaining five were sold off to civilian owners.
Boats
| Name (original) |
Pennant number (original) |
Launched | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biokovo | PČ-171 |
1980[3] | Damaged off Škarda by a 9K11 Malyutka missile fired by Croatian naval personnel landed from an armed motor boat and a schooner anchored at a cove in the island[4] on 10 September 1991,[5] limped to Mali Lošinj.[4] Later captured by the Croatian Navy at Šibenik. In operational use as OB-01 Novigrad. Located at Lora Naval Base in Split. |
| Pohorje | PČ-172 |
1981[3] | Relocated to Montenegro. Sold to a private owner who uses it as a tourist ship. |
| Koprivnik | PČ-173 |
1981[3] | Shelled Šibenik on 17 September 1991, during the Serb assault on the city. Relocated to Montenegro.[6] Sold to a private owner who uses it as a tourist ship. |
| Učka | PČ-174 |
1982[3] | Relocated to Montenegro. Transferred to the Ministry of Interior Affairs in 2003 and used by the Naval police since 2005 under the name P-01 Bar. Sold for scrap in 2012.[7] |
| Grmeč | PČ-175 |
1982[3] | Relocated to Montenegro. Sold to a private owner from Biograd, Croatia who uses it as a tourist ship. |
| Mukos | PČ-176 |
1983[3] | Captured by Croatian forces after being disabled by Croatian naval commandos with an improvised torpedo off Brač during the battle of the Dalmatian Channels, on 14 November 1991. In service with the Croatian Navy as OB-02 Šolta. |
| Fruška Gora | PČ-177 |
1983[3] | Relocated to Montenegro. Sold to a private owner who uses it as a tourist ship. |
| Kosmaj | PČ-178 |
1983[3] | On 5 October 1991, intercepted and eventually destroyed, togheter with ground artillery and tank fire, the Croatian coaster Perast in the bay of Slano, .[8][9] Intercepted and sank a fishing motorboat carrying six Croatian naval commandos in a sabotage mission off Šipan island on 23 October. Only one of the commandos survived.[10] Relocated to Montenegro. Transferred to the Ministry of Interior Affairs in 2003 and used by the Naval police since 2005 under the name P-03 Herceg Novi. Sold for scrap in 2012.[7] |
| Zelengora | PČ-179 |
1983[3] | Relocated to Montenegro. Sold to a private owner from Croatia in 2007 who uses it as a tourist ship Iliria. |
| Cer | PČ-180 |
1984[3] | Shelled Šibenik on 17 September 1991, during the Yugoslav assault on the city.[6] Captured by Croatian forces on 22 September 1991 after they took over the naval base at Šibenik.[11][12] In service with the Croatian Navy as OB-03 Cavtat. |
| Durmitor | PČ-181 |
1985[3] | Captured by Croatian forces at Šibenik. In service with the Croatian Navy as OB-04 Hrvatska Kostajnica. |