M-class minesweeper (Germany)

M1940 series minesweeper in 1941
Class overview
Name	M class
Operators	Kriegsmarine  Royal Romanian Navy Post-war:  United States Navy  Royal Navy  Soviet Navy  Royal Norwegian Navy  French Navy  German Navy  Italian Navy
Subclasses	M1915 M1916 M1935 M1940 M1943
Built	1937–1945 (not including older M1915 and M1916 ships)
Completed	M1935 : 69 M1940 : 131 M1943 : 18
Lost	M1935 : 35 M1940 : 63 M1943 : 1
General characteristics : M1935[1]
Displacement	682 long tons (693 t) standard 874 long tons (888 t) full load
Length	68.4 m (224 ft 5 in)
Beam	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught	2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 oil-fired boilers, 3,200 hp (2,386 kW)
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	113
Armament	2 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 guns 2 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 guns 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) SK C/30 guns
General characteristics : M1940[2]
Displacement	543 long tons (552 t) standard 775 long tons (787 t) full load
Length	62.3 m (204 ft 5 in)
Beam	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Draught	2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers , 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	80
Armament	1 × 105 mm (4.1 in) gun 1 × 37 mm gun 6–8 × 20 mm guns
General characteristics : M1943[3]
Displacement	582 long tons (591 t) standard 821 long tons (834 t) full load
Length	67.8 m (222 ft 5 in)
Beam	9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft VTE engines with exhaust turbines, 2 coal-fired boilers, 2,400 hp (1,790 kW)
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	107
Armament	2 × 105 mm (4.1 in) guns 2 × 37 mm guns 6–8 × 20 mm guns

The M class were the standard minesweeper (German: Minensuchboot) of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The vessels were the primary force in Germany's harbor defense command and were organized administratively into minesweeper flotillas.