The Project 89 minesweeper, also known as the Kondor class, was a class of

minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

s designed in the

German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

which was given the

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

designation of "Kondor". There were three versions, namely, the prototype unit, Project 89.0; the first version, Project 89.1 (NATO designation: Kondor I); and the second version, Project 89.2 (NATO designation: Kondor II).

Ships in class

Foreign service

Cape Verde

The Kondor I vessel ''Kuhlungsborn'' was used by the German Coast Guard. In 1998 it was transferred to Cape Verde and was renamed ''Vigilante'' carrying the pennant number P 521. It is still in service.

Estonia

The Kondor I vessels ''Komet'' and ''Meteor'' were transferred to

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...

as ''Vambola'' and ''Sulev'' in 1994. ''Sulev'' was scrapped in 2000 while ''Vambola'' remains laid up awaiting to be scrapped.

Indonesia

Nine Kondor II vessels were transferred to Indonesia around 1994. They are still in active service.

Latvia

Two Kondor II vessels were transferred to Latvia in 1992 and were renamed ''Viesturs'' and ''Imanta''. They were used as minehunters until they decommissioned in 2008.

Malta

Two Kondor I vessels, ''Ueckermünde'' and ''Pasewalk'', were sold to Malta in 1992, where they were given the pennant numbers ''P30'' and . A third ship, ''Boltenhagen'', was also sold in 1997 and it was given the pennant number . The three vessels served with the Offshore Command of the Maritime Squadron of the AFM until they were decommissioned in 2004 and were replaced by more modern patrol boats. P29 was scuttled as an artificial diving site off

Ċirkewwa Ċirkewwa is a harbour situated on a point at the northernmost part of Malta. It is the site of the Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal, where regular car ferries operate to the port of Mġarr in Gozo. In the summer, boat trips to Comino also operate, as ...

in 2007, while P31 followed being sunk off

Comino Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents and i ...

in 2009. As of 2013, ''P30'' was laid up at Cassar Ship Repair Yard,

Marsa Marsa may refer to: Places *Marsa, Aude, a commune in the Aude départment of France * Marsa, Malta, a city in central Malta *Mârșa, a commune in Giurgiu County, Romania * La Marsa, a suburb of the city of Tunis, Tunisia *Mârșa, a village in Av ...

Tunisia

Five Kondor I minesweepers were transferred to the

Tunisian Navy Tunisian may refer to: * Someone or something connected to Tunisia *Tunisian Arabic *Tunisian people *Tunisian cuisine * Tunisian culture Tunisian culture is a product of more than three thousand years of history and an important multi-ethnic ...

as coastal patrol craft according to

Jane's Fighting Ships ''Jane's Fighting Ships'' by Janes Information Services is an annual reference book of information on all the world's warships arranged by nation, including information on ships' names, dimensions, armaments, silhouettes and photographs, etc. Ea ...

for 1999-2000. Today only one is still in service.

Uruguay

The Kondor II vessels ''Riesa'', ''Eilenburg'', ''Bernau'' and ''Eisleben'' were transferred to Uruguay and renamed ''Temerario'', ''Valiente'', ''Fortuna'' and ''Audaz'' on 11 October 1991. ''Valiente'' was rammed by the Panamian freighter ''Skyros'' on 5 August 2000 and was torn in half with 8 sailors killed and 3 missing. ''Fortuna'' was scrapped and the other two are still in service.

References

External links

Projekt 89.1 MSR - Kurz Kondor 1

parow-info.de
"Kondors" at Shipbucket.com
{{Indonesian Navy active ship classes Ships of the Volksmarine Naval ships of Cape Verde Naval ships of East Germany Naval ships of Estonia Naval ships of Germany Naval ships of Indonesia Naval ships of Latvia *Kondor class Naval ships of Tunisia Naval ships of Uruguay Mine warfare vessel classes Ships built in Wolgast Cold War minesweepers of Germany