Seaforth World Naval Review 2014 by Waters Conrad

Author:Waters, Conrad
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bisac Code 1: HIS027150; HISTORY / Military / Naval
ISBN: 9781848321823
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Published: 2013-11-06T16:00:00+00:00

The Iver Huitfeldt class were assembled in the Odense Steel Shipyard, where these images of the construction process were taken during the first half of 2009. All three units of the class were constructed in the same giant dry dock from sections fabricated in the Baltic Republics. Most of the outfitting of military equipment was carried out after delivery at the Korsør naval base. (DALO)

For its Patruljeskibe, the RDN envisaged a multi-purpose design but with anti-air warfare being the primary role. The NMC opened up a competition for the advanced anti-air warfare suite in 2004, looking for a phased-array, multifunction radar capable of surveillance, tracking, threat evaluation, weapon alignment, illumination and missile-guidance management. This specification evolved into a requirement for a more substantial area air defence capacity capable of protecting other shipping and pushing an air defence umbrella over troops ashore, thus expanding the competition’s scope. A 2005 request for information encompassed both a multifunction radar and long-range interceptor missiles. The bids for the missile package saw Raytheon face off against MBDA, offering respectively their Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) and Aster 30 systems. Raytheon was the ultimate winner. The completion for the radar system drew initial interest from Lockheed Martin (SPY-1), Raytheon (SPY-3), BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technologies (Sampson with CEAMOUNT illuminators) and Thales Nederland (APAR in combination with SMART-L). The NMC narrowed the field down to BAE Systems and Thales Nederland, before selecting the latter bid in August 2006 and inking a contract deal – worth an estimated total of around €160m (c. US$210m) – four months later. The decisive factors in this selection were (i) the Dutch system’s proven capabilities (the package was already in service with the German and the Netherlands navies in combination with SM-2) and (ii) its inherent growth potential and relative ease of upgrade.

Meanwhile, approval for three PS was confirmed in the Danish Defence Plan for 2005–09, paving the way for the construction phase to start. On 20 December 2006 the Danish Ministry of Defence (MOD) awarded the construction contract for three ships, worth c. US$850m to the Odense Steel Shipyard (OSS) in Lindø; a mere US$283m per ship due to re-use of Standard Flex weapon containers, carry-through of design elements from the Flexible Support Ships, adoption of civilian production methods; and the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation’s (DALO’s) responsibility for weapon and sensor integration.3 ‘Whilst the shipyard bore full responsibility for the design and performance of the platform itself, responsibility for all the combat system elements and their physical interface in the ships resided with DALO. To speed up construction, workers from DALO installed all navigation systems and many kilometres of cables and wires whilst the frigates were being assembled at the shipyard’, Commander s.g Per Hesselberg – the current Frigate Project Officer – pointed out.

To achieve economies in the build process, OSS outsourced block construction to the Baltija Shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania (fabricating the lower fore and aft and keel blocks) and Loksa Shipbuilding in Estonia (fabricating the upper, central and superstructure sections), after which the blocks were shipped to Odense for assembly.

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