HMIS Khyber (J190) was a Bangor-class minesweeper built during World War II, originally ordered by the Royal Navy but transferred to the Royal Indian Navy before her launch. Constructed by William Hamilton and Company, she was designed as a small, versatile minesweeper that could be produced efficiently in civilian shipyards. The vessel displaced 656 long tons at standard load and 820 long tons at deep load, with an overall length of 174 feet, a beam of 28 feet 6 inches, and a draught of 10 feet 3 inches. Her propulsion system comprised two Parsons geared steam turbines powered by two Admiralty three-drum boilers, producing a total of 2,000 shaft horsepower. This machinery enabled her to reach a maximum speed of 16 knots. She carried a fuel oil capacity of 160 long tons, which provided her with a range of approximately 2,800 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots. The ship's typical complement consisted of 60 officers and ratings. Armament on HMIS Khyber included a 12-pounder 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun and a QF 2-pounder (4 cm) AA gun. Over the course of the war, her armament was modified, with some ships replacing the 2-pounder with twin or single 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns, and most ships receiving additional Oerlikon mounts. Her minesweeping gear could be exchanged for approximately 40 depth charges, allowing her to perform escort duties and anti-submarine warfare. Originally ordered in 1939 as HMS Harwich, Khyber was transferred to the Royal Indian Navy before her launch and commissioned as HMIS Khyber. She served as part of the Eastern Fleet during the war, escorting numerous convoys across regions including Africa, British India, and Australia from 1943 to 1945. The vessel was decommissioned and scrapped in 1949, marking her as a significant asset in maritime escort and minesweeping operations during her service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.