HMS Ledbury (M30) is a Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel of the Royal Navy, launched in 1979 by Vosper Thornycroft and commissioned in 1981 as the oldest ship in her class. Featuring a glass-reinforced plastic hull for low magnetic signature, she displaces around 750 tonnes, measures 60 metres in length, and is equipped with advanced sonar systems and SeaFox mine disposal vehicles for detecting, classifying, and neutralising sea mines, while also supporting offshore patrol and diver operations. Ledbury has undertaken NATO deployments, Gulf operations, and infrastructure protection tasks over four decades. In 2025, she was fitted with a Persistent Operational Deployed System (PODS) container to trial unmanned underwater vehicles, enhancing autonomous minehunting capabilities. As of early 2026, she remains actively in service, one of the operational Hunt-class vessels bridging the transition to future autonomous systems expected in the 2030s.
