- Yes
- No
- (independent) BeNeLux tree
- France: BeNeLux subtree
- other
- no/negative
- 1x twin 12.7 mm Browning
- 1x twin 20 mm Oerlikon
- both versions
- other (please comment)
- no/negative
The M483 Ougrée of the MSI Ham Type Herstal-class, sponsored by the city of Ougrée, served for over three decades in the Belgian Naval Force before being sold into civilian hands after decommissioning in 1992. She represents not only the Cold War mine warfare fleet of Belgium but also the afterlife of small naval craft, having been sighted in 2007 as a civilian vessel on the River Medway in Chatham, Kent (UK).
TL;DR: A Belgian Cold War MSI-class minesweeper, armed with twin 12.7 mm or 20 mm, later sold to private hands and surviving into the 2000s.
History
History
The story of the M483 Ougrée begins at the Mercantile Marine Yard in Kruibeke, where her keel was laid on 16 November 1957. Launched less than a year later, she was commissioned into Belgian service on 9 December 1958. Like her sisters of the MSI Ham Type Herstal class, Ougrée was built of oak and non-magnetic alloys, designed specifically to survive in heavily mined coastal waters during the height of the Cold War.
Initially registered under the U.S. Navy hull number M95, she formally entered service with the Belgian Force Navale as M483 Ougrée, named after the industrial city along the Meuse River. She spent her career patrolling Belgian coastal waters, conducting mine clearance operations, and serving as a training vessel for crews specializing in mine warfare.
Throughout her career, Ougrée rotated through several commanders, including Lieutenant de vaisseau Haumont in 1964, as well as Captains Roger De Grande, Raymond Gilis, Jacques Lange, Pierre Lanoy, René Vandegehucte, and Roland Watttron.
After more than three decades of service, Ougrée was finally decommissioned in 1992 and sold to R. Putters of Antwerp. Remarkably, she avoided scrapping and instead transitioned into civilian ownership. By 2007, she was still afloat — sighted on the River Medway at Chatham, Kent (UK), a rare survival for a vessel of her type.
Ougrée’s journey from Cold War minesweeper to private vessel highlights the durability of Belgium’s MSI fleet and makes her one of the few class members known to have entered private hands after naval service.
Specifications
Displacement: 173 t (freshwater) / 178 t (seawater)
Length/Beam/Draught: 34.4 m / 6.7 m / 2.1 m
Propulsion: 2 × Nuove Reggiane diesels, 2 shafts, 1260 hp
Speed: 15 knots
Range: 2,300 nm @ 10 knots
Crew: 18 (2 officers, 7 petty officers, 9 sailors)Armament Variants:
Version Weapons Early 1 × twin 12.7 mm Browning HMG Alternate 1 × twin 20 mm Oerlikon AA gun Mine Warfare Gear: Acoustic, magnetic, and mechanical sweeps (operational depth 4–10 m)
Electronics: Radar Decca 707 (1958–1970)
Construction: Wooden hull, non-magnetic fittings
Place in War Thunder
Regarding nations
BeNeLux
The M483 Ougrée would be an excellent addition to a BeNeLux coastal fleet line-up, sitting alongside her sister ships such as M485 Andenne or the preserved M477 Oudenaarde. Her modest firepower is balanced by her historical role and rarity.
She could also appear in the French tree as part of the BeNeLux subtree, potentially as an event or premium ship, reflecting her unique post-service survival into civilian use.
Pictures
Sources
Sources
Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed 2025: M477 Oudenaarde [online], https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/99089
Anrys, H., De Decker de Brandeken, J.-M., & Eygenraam, P. (1992). De zeemacht: van de admiraliteit van Vlaanderen tot de Belgische zeemacht. Tielt.
Dragueurs de mines belges de type MSI. (2023). Wikipedia. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragueurs_de_mines_belges_de_type_MSI
Belgian MSC/MSI Archive. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbelgian-msc-msi.doomby.com%2F
NavSource Naval History. (2023). Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/0583.htm
Belgian Navy Forum. (n.d.). MSI mine sweeper inshore. Archived at: https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.belgian-navy.be%2Ff13-msi-mine-sweeper-inshore
Eyewitness records, Chatham River Medway photographs (2007).