Avenger-class

The Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships are a class of 14 ships constructed for the United States Navy from 1987 to 1994, designed to clear naval mines from vital waterways. The ships have the hull designator MCM (for mine, countermeasure). The Avenger-class ships are being replaced by the Freedom and Independence-class littoral combat ships, as well as other MCM platforms, which use unmanned air, surface, and undersea vehicles to detect and destroy naval mines at a standoff distance.