This page provides details of the Tri-ang Minic Ships model of the Hunt Class Minesweeper currently in service with the Royal Navy.

The Hunt Class Minesweepers were ordered to replace the aging Ton Class vessels and were designed principally to work in coastal and shallow water areas, such as the approaches to the River Clyde, where many of Britain's nuclear submarines are based.

They are the largest warships ever constructed of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) giving them the advantage of having a reduced magnetic signature whilst being strong enough to withstand shock from explosions. The ships are designed with noise reduction features to avoid accidentally triggering acoustic mines.

The Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMVs) combine the roles of minehunting and minesweeping. There are three ways they can neutralise mines:

1) severing moored mines with towed wire sweeps so they can be destroyed by gunfire;

2) triggering (acoustic) mines using acoustic or influence sweeps;

3) using Clearance Divers to destroy mines identified by the sophisticated sonar

The Hunt Class also carry a small unmanned submersible, known as the Remote Control Mine Disposal System (RCMDS), which can destroy underwater mines using explosives.

Three Hunt Class vessels, Cottesmore, Brecon and Dulverton, were assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron in 1998 to patrol the province's waterways and participate in counter terrorist operations in support of British Forces and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).

The model is marked on the underside with the famous Tri-ang Minic logo, the model number, "Royal Navy Modern Edition", and the description "Hunt Class Minesweeper".