Minehunter “SELLA” (M-32)

The Commanding Officer of the minehunter ‘Sella’ welcomes you and invites you to visit this website. This unit belongs to the 1st Minehunter Squadron of the MCM Force with home port in Cartagena (Murcia).

Displacement: 570 tons.

Length: 54 meters.

Beam: 9,5 m.

Draft: 2,5 m.

Max speed: 14 Knots.

Propulsion: 2 plants with 2 Diesel MTU-BAZAN engines 6V 396 TB83; 2 electric engines for low speeds; Voith-Schneider helical propellers

The main task of nay minehunter is the detection, identification, and neutralization of bottom and moored mines, as well as sea floor surveying and mapping.

In peacetime:

• Survey routes and port approaches.
• Guide high value assets and shipping control.
• Control of historical wreckages.

In wartime:

• Mine sweeping.
• Guide other ships through mine-cleared routes.

The ship’s home port is Cartagena Naval Base where the MCM Squadron, COMANDRAG-1 and other Spanish Navy ships are stationed.

The ‘Sella’ has a VDS AN/SQQ-32 sonar, a remote controlled ‘Pluto Plus’ submarine and MINESNIPER vehicles.

The ship has a sophisticated navigation system and an integrated command and control system for information and operations management like the integrated Platform Control SICP COMPLEX system.

She also has a positioning and manoeuver control system to sail and be able to conduct automatic mine-hunting operations.

Systems and equipment permit to operate in mine infested areas to search, classify and destroy those mines.

MCM WARFARE

• Navigation radar.
• Navigation and positioning sensor.
• Navigation processor.
• Ship control system.
• Tactical console tables.
• Electronic server.
• Remote-controlled vehicles to neutralize all types of mines.
• 20 mm. machine-gun.
• Two craft.
• A hyperbaric chamber.

The ship has a good maneuverability thanks to her excellent electro-mechanical configuration:

PROPULSION PLANT

• CODOE (Diesel and Electric propulsion).
• 2 main DIESEL magnetic engines.
• 2 electric propulsion engines for detection at low speeds.
• 2 VOITH SCHNEIDER helical propellers.

The ship has a reduced acoustic-magnetic signature, a reinforced plastic hull meeting NATO standards, a CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) protection system and an efficient damage control system.

The ‘Sella’ (M-32) is the second unit of the ‘Segura’-class minehunters. She was built by Bazán in Cartagena. She was launched in July 1998 and delivered to the Spanish Navy on May 28th 1999. The Battle Ensign was presented in Ribadesella (Asturias), June 10th 2000.

The crew consists of 42 people: 1 Lieutenant-Commander, 6 officers, 14 NCOs and 21 seamen and ratings.

The ship usually embarks divers from the MCM Diving unit, specifically trained to neutralize, deactivate and destroy all sort of mines, as well as military nurses from the MCM Force.

The ship has carried out three international deployments with NATO’s current Mine Countermeasures Force (SNMCMG-2) and three other deployments with the former MCMFOURSOUTH/MCMFORMED.

At national level, the ship has participated in several maneuvers like GRUFLEX, TAPON and FLOTEX in Rota, MAR MCM in Cartagena, and the surveillance exercises ROUTE SOURVEY in most Spanish ports.

Further activities are carried out with other State Constabulary and Security Corps, like a January 2010 rescue operation of a SAR helicopter sunk in Almeria, or a protection campaign of our underwater archaeological heritage in September of the same year, and the recovery of a small aircraft off Tarragona waters in November 2020.