HDMS Søehesten refers to vessels of the Royal Danish Navy that have borne the name "Søehesten," an older Danish spelling for "sea horse." The prefix HDMS stands for Hans/Hendes Danske Majestæts Skib, meaning "His/Her Danish Majesty's Ship." The name has been used for multiple ships throughout Danish naval history.
Vessels
HDMS Søehesten (T2)
An early vessel to bear the name was a torpedo boat, launched in the early 20th century.- Type: Torpedo Boat
- Class: Søløven-class (original, early 20th century)
- Launched: 1911
- Fate: Decommissioned in 1929.
HDMS Søehesten (P501)
The most prominent vessel named Søehesten in modern history was a motor torpedo boat (MTB), which was later reclassified as a patrol boat during its service. It was the second ship of its class.=History
=- Type: Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB), later Patrol Boat
- Class: Søløven-class (1960s)
- Builder: Orlogsværftet (Royal Danish Dockyard), Copenhagen
- Laid Down: 10 October 1960
- Launched: 20 June 1961
- Commissioned: 24 March 1963 (Royal Danish Navy)
- Decommissioned: 1990 (by Royal Danish Navy)
- Fate: After its decommissioning from the Royal Danish Navy, HDMS Søehesten was sold to the Lithuanian Navy in 1991. It was subsequently renamed LNS Žaibas (pennant number P32) and served with the Lithuanian Navy until its decommissioning in 2008.
=General Characteristics and Specifications
=- Displacement: 140 tons (full load)
- Length: 32.5 m (106 ft 8 in)
- Beam: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
- Draught: 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in)
- Propulsion: 3 × MTU 20-cylinder diesel engines, producing 9,000 hp (6.7 MW), driving 3 shafts
- Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)
- Crew: 22 officers and ratings
- Armament (as built):
- 4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
- 1 × 40 mm Bofors L/70 gun (positioned forward)
- 1 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannon (positioned aft)
- Capable of carrying up to 12 naval mines as an alternative to torpedoes.