HMS Quorn, mine-countermeasures and search and rescue vessel procured by the Ministry of National Defence will be fully regenerated and prepared for service with the Lithuanian Navy over the coming 18–24 months.
The work will be completed on the basis of GBP 55 million contract awarded by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) within the UK Ministry of Defence to a UK repairs company, Harland & Wolff Group, on July 12.
Implementation of the contract will be transferred to the Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence.
“This contract is especially important. It will ensure mine hunting and sweeping and search and rescues capabilities are restored which will become a significant boost to the Lithuanian Navy in its peacetime and wartime tasks,” says Vice Minister of National Defence Vilius Semeška.
The Ministry of National Defence has acquired a decommissioned mine-countermeasures vessel, HMS Quorn, from the Ministry of National Defence of the United Kingdom by the contract of 9 April 2020. The contract also covered the UK DESA arranging the bidding procedure for its regeneration.
The vessel is planned to be transferred to the Lithuanian Navy in 2024.