Finnish Navy MHC Purunpää mine counter-measure vessel deploys Double Eagle mine disposal vehicle at BALTOPS 2020

According to a Tweet released by the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet on June 14, 2020, the crew of the Finnish Navy MHC Purunpää (41) Katanpää class mine counter-measure vessel has deployed remotely operated Double Eagle Mark II mine disposal vehicle to conduct mine identification task during NATO naval military exercise BALTic OPerationS (BALTOPS) 2020.
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Finnish Navy MHC Purunpää (41) Katanpää class mine counter-measure vessel. (Picture source Wikipedia)

Katanpää-class mine countermeasure vessels are a class of three multipurpose mine countermeasure vessels (MCMV) ordered by the Finnish Navy. The nearly 250 million euro contract was awarded to the Italian shipyard Intermarine S.p.A. in 2006.

The Katanpää Class vessels are equipped with advanced mine countermeasures systems enabling them to hunt, locate and destroy naval mines. The onboard remotely operated vehicles (ROV) include the Saab Double Eagle Mark II ROV and the Atlas Elektronik SeaFox I ROV.

The Katanpää Class is armed with a Bofors 40mm L/70 naval gun. It has a rate of fire of 300 rounds a minute. The gun’s firing is controlled by an Atlas Elektronik fire control system operated from either the battle command system or from the bridge. The ships are armed with depth charges for sinking hostile submarines.

The Katanpää Class is powered by low-signature diesel-electric propulsion system integrating two MTU 8V-396-TE74 diesel engines. Each engine driving a Voith Schneider propeller provides a power output of 1,000 kW. The propulsion system provides a service speed of 13 k and a maximum range of 1,500 nm.

Double Eagle Mark II mine disposal vehicle. (Picture source U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Twitter account)

The Double Eagle is a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) built by the Swedish defense company Saab Underwater Systems AB and used for the disposal of naval mines. The modularity of the design allows the operator to utilize the vehicle for both mine detection and mine disposal missions. The stability of the vehicle simplifies the identification of sea mines in harsh underwater conditions.

The Double Eagle Mark II is larger but lighter than the first Double Eagle. The system is equipped with an extendable manipulator arm, which is commonly used to place a small explosive charge on a mine.