The regeneration of a former UK Royal Navy minesweeper for the Lithuanian Navy is continuing at the Harland & Wolff Belfast shipyard, with the company announcing on 4 January that it had installed replacement main propulsion diesel engines into the ex-HMS Quorn in December 2023.
Detailing the regeneration programme development on social media, Harland & Wolff stated that current planning forecast a handover of the vessel to the Lithuanian Navy in summer 2024.
Reported in July 2022, the UK Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) revealed that it had awarded a contract to Harland & Wolff to regenerate a former Royal Navy Hunt-class mine-countermeasure vessel (MCMV) under a £55m ($69.6m) deal on behalf of the Lithuanian Government.
The decommissioned HMS Quorn was acquired by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence from the UK Ministry of Defence in April 2020. Prior to its acquisition, HMS Quorn completed 27 years of service with the Royal Navy.
According to DESA the restoration work included upgrading the mission and sonar systems, search and rescue capability along with adding new main engines, generators and propulsion gear.
Additionally, the contract involves refurbishing the accommodation, hull, ancillary systems, electrical systems and painting.
HMS Quorn is the third MCMV that DESA has sold to Lithuania, following the sale of the former Hunt-class vessels HMS Dulverton (M54 Kuršis) and HMS Cottesmore (M53 Skalvis) in 2008.
Speaking at the time DESA head commodore Richard Whalley said that it was planned that the vessel would be handed over to the Lithuanian Navy in 2024.
