Bay-class minehunter

The former HMAS Rushcutter, berthed in Rozelle Bay, New South Wales
Class overview
Name	Bay
Operators	Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	Ton-class minesweeper
Succeeded by	Huon-class minehunter
In commission	1986-2001
Planned	6
Completed	2
Cancelled	4
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Minehunter Inshore
Displacement	178 tons
Length	30.9 m (101 ft)
Beam	9 m (30 ft)
Draught	2 m (6.6 ft)
Propulsion	2 × Poyard 520-V8-S2 diesel generators; 650 hp(m) (478 kW); 2 Schottel hydraulic transmission and steering systems (one to each hull)
Speed	10 knots
Complement	3 officers, 10 crew
Sensors and processing systems	Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1006; I-band Sonar: Atlas Elektronic DSQS-11M; hull-mounted; minehunting; high frequency
Electronic warfare & decoys	MCM: STN Atlas Elektronic MWS80-5 minehunting system (containerized); ECA 38 mine disposal system with two PAP 104 Mk 3 vehicles; Syledis and GPS precision navigation systems.
Armament	2 × remote control mine disposal vehicles 2 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machineguns

The Bay-class Minehunter Inshores were a class of catamaran-hull mine warfare vessels operating with the Royal Australian Navy from 1986. Also referred to as the MHCAT (MineHunter CATamaran), the class was an attempt to produce a locally designed inshore mine warfare vessel.^[1] Two prototype ships were ordered in 1981, with the first ship, Rushcutter, commissioned in November 1986.^[1] The two ships experienced delays in construction, and the RAN resorted to acquiring six minesweeper auxiliaries (MSA) under the Craft of Opportunity Program to provide an interim mine-warfare capability, while also keeping Ton-class minesweeper HMAS Curlew in service until 1990, well beyond her intended decommissioning date.^[1][2] The ships did not enter service until 1993, due to problems with the sonar.^[3]