HNLMS Tromp F803 Ship Class Frigate Dutch High Technology Armament Ship

The HNLMS Tromp F803 ship displaces 6,044 tonnes fully loaded and has a length of 144m. Powered by two diesel engines with the expected boost of twin turbines driving twin shafts, she is reported to have a speed of around 30 knots through the water. In keeping with modern design thinking, the ship carries a low radar and heat signature.

Three days later, on 17 March 2010, HNLMS Tromp was involved in an incident with suspected pirates off the coast of eastern Africa. Two small boats approached the frigate at high speed. After realizing the Tromp was a warship, the pirates fled. However, the Tromp pursued and captured the two boats, along with a mother ship. The frigate destroyed the two boats and released the pirates to the mother ship, after it had been cleared of weapons.

On 5 April 2010, HNLMS Tromp rescued the container ship MV Taipan by rappelling 6 Marines from its Lynx helicopter (under covering fire from the helicopter and the Tromp) to the deck of the Taipan, resulting in the capture of 10 pirates. The 13 crew (2 German, 3 Russian, 8 Sri Lankan) were unharmed having taken refuge in a secure location after stopping the ship's engines.

 The HNLMS TROMP F803 Class Frigate armaments consist of a large array of missiles, with a single gun on the foredeck and several lighter guns plus four torpedo tubes. She is equipped to carry two helicopters and has a crew of 220.

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HNLMS De Ruyter F804 WarShip Class Frigate Dutch Royal Navy

HNLMS De Ruyter saved the situation for the Netherlands in the Third Anglo-Dutch War. His strategic victories over larger Anglo-French fleets at the Battles of Solebay (1672), the double Schooneveld (1673) and Texel (1673) warded off invasion. The new rank of Lieutenant-Admiral-General was created especially for him in February 1673, when the new stadtholder William III of Orange became Admiral-General.

 Again taking the battle to the Caribbean, this time against the French, HNLMS De Ruyter F 804 arrived off Martinique aboard his flagship De Zeven Provinciën on 19 July 1674. He led a substantial force of eighteen warships, nine storeships, and fifteen troop transports bearing 3,400 soldiers. Attempting to assault Fort Royal, his fleet was becalmed, allowing the greatly outnumbered French defenders time to solidify their defenses. The next day, newly-placed booms prevented de Ruyter from entering the harbor. Nonetheless, the Dutch soldiers went ashore without the support of the fleet's guns, and were badly mauled in their attempt to reach the French fortifications atop the steep cliffs. Within two hours, the soldiers were returning to the fleet, with 143 killed and 318 wounded, as compared to only fifteen French defenders lost. His ambitions thwarted and with the element of surprise lost, De Ruyter sailed north to Dominica and Nevis, then returned to Europe while disease spread aboard his ships.

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U.K Navy Sales HMS Cornwall To Brazilian Navy Seals Broadswords Class Frigates

Ten Type 22 Broadsword frigates were brought out of service half way through their working lives. The reduction in the size of the destroyer and frigate force from 35 to 32, as announced in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review White Paper, was achieved by paying off the Type 22 frigates HMS Boxer, Beaver and London in 1999. HMS Brave was replaced by a new Type 23 frigate in 2000 as was HMS Coventry in 2001. The remaining five Type 22 frigates had a planned service life of approximately 23 years.

The actual cost per annum of operation for ships such as Type 23 frigates, Type 22 frigates, SSNs, Hunt Class minehunters and Sandown Class minehunters will vary considerably dependent on the tasking/maintenance undertaken. Indicative annual costs, including manpower, fuel and stores only, would be in the region of £16 million for a Type 23 and a Type 22 frigate, £11 million for an SSN, £3 million for a Hunt Class minehunter and £2 million for a Sandown Class minehunter.

It was originally envisaged that all Type 22s would have names beginning with 'B' (Broadsword, etc), following the 'A' names used for Type 21s (Amazon, etc). This changed when two under-construction ships (Sheffield and Coventry) were re-named to commemorate ships lost in the South Atlantic, with London being similarly honoured. The alphabetical progression was re-established with the Batch 3 ships (Cornwall, etc) before being temporarily abandoned with the Type 23 class, named after Dukedoms (Norfolk, Lancaster, etc). The Royal Navy's latest escort class (the Type 45 or Daring class) have re-introduced the alphabetical progression, using destroyer names from the 1930s and 1950s.

The names selected for the four Batch 3 ships were an interesting mixture: two, Cornwall and Cumberland, revived County-class names previously carried both by First World War-era armoured cruisers, and by Second World War-era heavy cruisers. The other Batch 3s, Chatham and Campbeltown, were Town names, the former reviving a 1911 light cruiser name, and the latter commemorating the most famous of the US destroyers transferred to the Royal Navy in 1940; the name for HMS Chatham was selected as a salute to the Medway town, where the naval dockyard, established in 1570, had closed in 1984.

The Type 22 HMS Cornwall class frigates was designed to be a specialist anti-submarine warfare vessel as part of the Royal Navy's contribution to NATO. Since then they have evolved into a general purpose frigate with weapons for use against other surface ships, aircraft and submarines. They were built in three batches giving rise to three sub-classes, the first Broadsword of four ships, the second Boxer of six ships and the third and final, Cornwall of four ships.

The four Broadswords class frigates (which included two Falklands War veterans) were sold to Brazil in the mid 1990s. Romania has acquired and modernized two of the Batch 2 ships, while a third was purchased by Chile. The  Broadswords class frigates ships have enhanced command, control and co-ordination facilities that results in their often being used as deployment flagshipsHMS Cornwall in 2007.

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Type K 130 Ship Class Corvette Best Germany Ship Technology System

The Type K 130 corvettes replace the German Navy's Tiger Class and Albatross Class missile fast patrol boats which no longer meet operational requirements. The K130 corvettes will be based at Warnemunde. The remaining four K130 ships are: FGS Magdeburg (F261) built by Lurssen, launched in September 2006, commissioned in September 2008; FGS Erfurt (F262) built by Thyssen Nordseewerke, launched in March 2007, to be commissioned in 2009; FGS Oldenburg (F263) built by Blohm + Voss, launched in July 2007, to be commissioned in 2009; FGS Ludwigshafen (F264) built by Lurssen, launched in September 2007, to be commissioned in 2010. The K130 corvettes are designed with stealth features, low draft, and highly automated weapons and defence systems to support littoral warfare and particularly for operations of a multi-national crisis reaction force.

The K130 class carries four RBS15 missiles. The missile uses active Ku-band radar homing and has a range of more than 200km. The missile has a high subsonic speed, Mach 0.9, and is armed with a 200kg warhead. The K130 class corvettes are armed with two Raytheon / RAMSYS Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) 21-cell mk49 surface-to-air missile launchers. The RAM guided-missile weapon system is a naval self-defence system for engagement of hostile aircraft and incoming missiles. The RAM missile has a dual-mode radar / infrared seeker and a range of 9.5km.

The K-130 corvette will be also equipped with the Ewation (Ulm, Germany) UL 5000K electronic-support-measures/electronic-countermeasures (ESM/ECM) system, based on the Aldebaran system developed for Spain's F100 frigate. The system consists of an ESM subsystem, working in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz, and an ECM subsystem for active radar jammning. According to some sources, these subsystems are designated SPS-N-5000 and KSJ-N-5000, respectively.

The system intercepts and analyzes radar signals and classifies them according to data stored in its reprogrammable threat library. It has multiple-target-tracking capabilities and a high signal- and bearing-measurement accuracy. Interestingly, the system does not control the other countermeasures directly but only provides inputs to a combat-management system, which uses multiple data sources (such as radar, Link 11/16/22) to control the countermeasures launchers.

The countermeasures launchers in question will be two Multi-Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) self-protection systems. The system has been developed and is produced by Buck Neue Technologien (Neuenburg, Germany), a subsidiary of Rheinmetall DeTec Group. Altogether, 64 81 mm decoys will be carried in both launchers (32 in each). The decoys are dual mode--infrared (IR) and passive radar--with both elements are present in every round. The launcher has eight magazines with four decoys in each.

Each decoy can provide IR protection across a wavelength range of 3-14 [micro]m, as well as across the radio-frequency (RF) range of 8-18 GHz. The round also provides additional obscurance in the following spectrums: 0.5-1.0 [micro]m (visible, near-IR), 1.06 [micro]m (Nd:YAG laser) and 10.6 [micro]m (C[O.sub.2]) laser). The launch can be directed to any part of side hemisphere of the ship, and the launcher's turn speed is 100[degrees] per second. Decoys can be launched in preset sequences, optimized for recognized threats.

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Brandenburg Type 123 Class Frigates Repalce Hamburg Ship Made Germany

The Brandenburg Type 123 Class frigates were ordered in June 1989 to replace the Hamburg class. The frigates are primarily tasked with anti-submarine operations, but they also contribute to anti-air defence, the tactical command of group forces and surface operations. The ships form part of the Wilhelmshaven-based 6th frigate squadron.The all-steel ship has stealth features, extra space for Task Group personnel, and fin stabilisers. It is designed to carry two AgustaWestland Sea Lynx Mk 88 helicopters and a rigid inflatable boat for boarding operations.

In addition, the Brandenburg Type F123 ship design features improved radar signatures, the inclusion of growth potential, the integration of power boosting sensors and anti-aircraft systems, improved installation and removal routes on board taking into account operational experience gained with the MEKO export frigates and other frigates in service with the German Navy.

In the Brandenburg Type 123 Class frigates field of damage control and operational equipment, there is a number of innovations when compared to previous frigates. For the purposes of survivability, the number of damage control areas has been doubled to four. The ventilation, fire fighting and damage control system have been upgraded and designed as independent systems in accordance with MEKO Mod. 3.

The ship is armed with four Aerospatiale Exocet MM38 surface-to-surface missiles, 16 Nato Sea Sparrow surface- to-air missiles with a Lockheed Martin Mk-41 Mod-3 vertical launch system, two 21-cell RAM launchers one Otobreda 76mm/62 Mk- 75 main gun, two Rheinmetall 20mm Rh 202 guns; and 4-324mm Mk-32 Mod-9 (2 twin) anti-submarine torpedo tubes. Two Otobreda SCLAR decoys, chaff, IR flares, intercepts and jammers act as countermeasures.

The order for the building of four Class 123 frigates was placed by the German Ministry of Defence once it had been demonstrated that, with the Blohm + Voss modular method of construction, Consortium "F123" was capable of meeting the BWB demands basically formulated in the following tex.

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Sachsen Warship Class F124 Class Frigates Anti Technologie Surface Warfare

The Sachsen Class F124 has two Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), Mk 31 launchers and two four-cell Harpoon missile launchers. The RAM missile from Raytheon and RAM Systems GmbH, is a fire and forget missile which provides short range defence against incoming anti-ship missiles including sea-skimming missiles The ship is fitted with two triple Mk 32 torpedo launchers and also has helicopter-borne long range lightweight torpedoes. The flight deck and hangar accommodate two NH90 helicopters.

The Sachsen Class F124-class frigates can also assume Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) employing two NH90 helicopters. These helicopters are accommodated in a hangar at the stern of the ship. The F124-class ships will be able to fire torpedoes. The propulsion system combines a gas turbine (23,500 KW) with two diesel engines (7,400 KW each) (CODAG). The ship design is an evolution of F123-class frigates.

The Sachsen-class F-124 frigates can launch Standard SM-2 Block IIIA, Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles (ESSM) against airborne threats and Harpoon missiles against surface ships. The 155mm MONARC artillery system could be installed on the F124-class frigates but it must be determined yet. MONARC would provide onshore attack capability to the new German frigates. 2 RAM systems and two 20mm guns have been provided for self-defense purposes as close-in weapons.

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U.K Made HMS Daring Type 45 Class Destroyers Ship High Technologie Anti Submarine

The first six of potentially eight Type 45 Destroyers have been ordered by the MoD. The first is due to enter service in 2010 and will be named HMS Daring, the second and third are to be HMS Dauntless and Diamond respectively and these should be in service by 2011. The successor three ships, that will be joining the Fleet at intervals of about six months after HMS Diamond, are to be named HMS Duncan, Dragon and Defender.

The MoD originally planned to buy 12 Type 45 destroyers, but that was reduced to eight in 2004 and last year to just six. Nevertheless, the NAO said the procurement programme, initially meant to total £5bn, would eventually cost an estimated £6.5bn.

The first of the destroyers, HMS Daring - which was launched in 2006 - is without its full communications system and will not get its new principal anti-air missile system (PAAMS) - which can shoot down multiple enemy aircraft or missiles simultaneously - until 2011. It will have to wait until 2014 to be fitted with the co-operative engagement capability (CEC), which links together weapons systems and sensors on a number of ships, improving their ability to work together in combat.

The NAO said these delays would leave the Navy "struggling" to make do with its ageing Type 42 destroyers, which were designed and built for the Cold War and which the Type 45 is set to replace. Project control and decision-making were poor [and] governance structures were ineffective," it continued. The situation was so bad in the early stages that relations between the MoD and the shipbuilders had completely broken down, it added. However, it acknowledged that the situation improved after the contract was renegotiated in 2007 and that no delays or cost increases had been reported since then.


The Type 45 will succeed the Royal Navy's long-serving Type 42 destroyers, which were designed in the 1960s and came into service between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. The Type 42's main armament is the powerful Seadart area defence missile system, which has served the Royal Navy well on operations from the Falklands conflict to the Gulf War, but which now needs replacement. But a new type of system is now needed, and PAAMS is a fresh design with the prime role of defending ships against salvo attacks by potent anti-ship missiles that are expected to come into service in the coming decades. The Sampson radar, the associated command and control system, long-range radar, vertical launch system and the very fast and agile Aster missiles combine to create a system several orders of magnitude more powerful and effective than Seadart.

The Type 45 will also have a comprehensive suite of other weapons and equipment that will ensure that it can be deployed on a wide range of military tasks. Equipment selected already for the class will includes a main gun for shore bombardment - currently the 4.5" Mark 8 Mod 1 weapon - and either the Merlin HM Mark1 anti-submarine helicopter or the Lynx HMA Mark 8 helicopter. These aircraft will carry Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes. The ship will also be equipped with the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System, which is being procured by the Defence Procurement Agency Torpedo Countermeasures project team.

This equipment will protect the Type 45 against the threat of the most advanced current and future torpedoes. The ship will also be able to embark a force of up to 60 of Royal Marine Commandos or other troops and use its aircraft and boats to support them on operations. The Type 45 is large and spacious enough to accommodate lengthened vertical launchers that could carry cruise missiles, should the requirement for a land attack capability arise.

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HMS Dauntless Type 45 Class Destroyers BAE Systems Technologie

HMS Dauntless is the second of six Type 45 destroyers being built for the Royal Navy. All will be based in Portsmouth.The Type 45 destroyer represents the cutting-edge of air defence and propulsion technology and reflects the excellence of British manufacturing expertise delivering real operational capability. The HMS Dauntless ship is able to deal not only with today's threats but most importantly tomorrow's and will be a key element of the 21st century Royal Navy.

The HMS Dauntless Type 45 destroyer is the largest and most powerful air defence destroyer ever built for the Royal Navy. It will provide UK Defence with a world-class military capability. The HMS Dauntless sailed from the Clyde for the first time on 14 November 2008 to conduct sea trials, testing power and propulsion, weapons and communications systems. Although not yet transferred to the Royal Navy, some of her future crew sailed with her.

The HMS Dauntless arrived at HMNB Portsmouth for the first time on 2 December 2009, and was formally handed over to the Ministry of Defence by her builders on 3 December 2009 During her sea trials Dauntless made her inaugural visit to her affiliated city of Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2010.

The prime role of the HMS Dauntless Type 45 destroyer will be air defence: protecting UK national and allied/coalition forces against enemy aircraft and missiles. It will carry the UK variant of the world-leading Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) including the UK-designed Sampson multi-function radar.
In addition to its world-class air defence capability, one of the Type 45s greatest assets is its versatility. The Type 45 will be able to act as a base platform for a deployable headquarters, from where operations can be commanded. This will result in an improvement in our expeditionary capability.

The Type 45 will also be able to embark up to 60 troops (over and above its own complement) and their equipment, and support them with a modern medical facility that can deliver surgical capability.
The Type 45 has frequently been cited by the British press as being the first class of warship to include e-mail and entertainment systems (including iPod charging points)[9] within the messdecks. These reports relate to 240-volt domestic supplies and access to external e-mail, both of which have been common features in most RN vessels for several years.

The Sea Viper missile system consists of the SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar with a range of 400 kilometres (250 miles) and the S1850M 3D air surveillance radar also with a range of 400 kilometres (250 miles). Capable of tracking up to 1,000 targets, including outer atmosphere objects such as Ballistic missiles. The launcher is a 48 cell SYLVER A50 vertical launcher with capacity for a mix of 48 Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. Aster 15 is a short to medium range (2 – 30 km) anti-air missile while Aster 30 is a long range (3 – 120 km) anti-air missile which is also effective against Ballistic missiles.

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HMS Westminster Type 32 Class Frigate Royal Navy Seals PowerMade and Technology By Royal Navy

HMS Westminster's Type 23 frigates form 50% of the total frigate/destroyer force in the Royal Navy. Originally designed for the principal task of anti-submarine warfare, they have evolved into powerful and versatile multi purpose ships with the capability to operate anywhere in the world. The effectiveness of these ships is enhanced by their stealth design, which reduces their radar signature significantly. In addition to the war fighting roles described above, the ship is trained to conduct a wide range of other tasks.

HMS Westminster commanding officer, Commander Tim Green, said: "The purpose of the visit is primarily to support the spectacular Sunderland International Airshow. Highlight of the visit will be a demonstration of her fighting capabilities as part of this weekend's Sunderland International Airshow, where spectators will see the modern Royal Navy in action, demonstrating its capability as a highly versatile maritime force.

Using fast and manoeuvrable rigid inflatable boats, with the ship's Merlin HM Mk 1 helicopter providing airborne support, Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel will mount a spectacular amphibious beach assault. We work closely with industry to equip our Armed Forces and this refit will boost several of HMS Westminster's systems, making her the most advanced frigate in the fleet. The Seawolf update that is being rolled out across the Type 23s is designed to combat the increasing threat of faster, lower flying and more manoeuvrable missiles today and also to guard against future advances. The system can now track an object the size of a cricket ball at twice the speed of sound from over 20 miles [32km] away and launch two counter missiles.

The HMS Westminster class Frigate was designed for anti-submarine operations and this refit will also see her state-of-the-art Sonar 2087 system updated to maintain this capability as well as an update that will increase the range and performance of her 4.5-inch (114mm) gun. The new 'brain' of the ship's weapons systems, called DNA(2), is also being installed as part of a class-wide programme upgrade across the Type 23 frigate force to help ensure that operational capability can be sustained and optimised for the future.

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HMS Duncan Type 45 Class Destroyers Technology BAE System U.K Royal Navy

The HMS Duncan 7,500 tonne warship, HMS Duncan, slipped into the water from BAE's shipyard at Govan. The vessel will provide air defence cover, be able to carry up to 60 Royal Marine Commandos and operate a variety of helicopters from its flight deck. It will enter service in 2014. The completed Type 45s are Daring, Diamond, Dauntless, Dragon and Defender. The ship is equipped with the Sea Viper missile system, designed to tackle multiple airborne or sea-based targets.

Minister for Defence Equipment, Peter Luff, said: The launch of HMS Duncan is the culmination of a huge effort by workers here on the Clyde, across the country throughout the supply chain, and in the MoD, completing this class of potent warfighters of which everyone involved can be very proud. HMS Duncan is the sixth and last of the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers, which are meant to protect the fleet by shooting down enemy aircraft and missiles.

It is only 60% complete and has still to be fitted out before undergoing extensive sea trials. It is not expected to be in operational service until 2014. The HMS Duncan Type 45 is world class. These ships are as versatile as they are powerful.

"Naturally, her war-fighting capability includes the ability to engage hostile forces using the Sea Viper missile system, her gun or other onboard weapon systems, while her ship's company provide anything from boarding parties that deter and disrupt pirates, to landing ashore for the provision of humanitarian disaster relief. HMS Duncan can also deploy up to 60 Royal Marines Commandos and their equipment and operate a range of helicopters from her flight deck. The 7500-tonne HMS Duncan was built by BAE Systems using 2800 tonnes of steel and is covered with 40 tonnes of paint.

The warship is affiliated to Dundee and Belfast and completes the class of six Type 45 destroyer along with Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon and Defender. BAE Systems is over halfway through the programme to deliver all six ships to the Royal Navy by the end of 2013. HMS Duncan can also deploy up to 60 Royal Marine Commandos and their equipment and operate a range of helicopters from her flight deck. These are fantastic ships and I look forward to HMS Duncan joining the Fleet."

The Type 45 destroyer is the largest and most powerful air defence destroyer ever built for the Royal Navy and will provide UK defence with a world-class military capability. The Type 45s will provide the backbone of the UK's naval air defences for the next 30 years and beyond.

Launch of HMS Duncan 11th October 2011 The 'last' dynamic launch of a Royal Naval vessel from a Glasgow shipyard. How very sad and poignant. My wife and I drove through Yoker in September and thought her silhouette against the sky evoked great memories. I'm an Airdrie boy who has lived in Gloucestershire for the past 30 years. One of my neighbours is a Bankie, Isobel Lindsay, wee Shug and Betty's lassie. Great pics. Well done.

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U.K Toyal Navy Lunch HMS Dragon Type 45 Class Destroyrs High Technology BAE System

The launch of Dragon Type 45 Ship Class Destroyers is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the progress that is being made on this programme here on the Clyde and I am delighted that so many people have turned out to share this occasion with us. Only four days ago, the second ship in the class, Dauntless, departed the Clyde on her maiden voyage, her first set of sea trials off the west coast of Scotland, and today we have seen their magnificent sister ship take to the water for the first time.

Each of these milestones on the Dragon Type 45 contract is testament to the innovation, design and engineering skills of our employees and partners and proof of our commitment to building the next generation of warships for the Royal Navy.” Dragon was being escorted down the river from Scotstoun by Clyde Marine’s tugs Bruiser and Battler just before 9.00am. Dropping speed to 9 knots she then turned to starboard on 240 WSW, seeming to be set on a gentle curve towards the north end of the Isle of Arran. Dragon spent the night at anchor and in now back on manoeuvres in the Firth of Clyde between the southwest of the Isle of Bute and the  northeast of the Isle of Arran.

At the moment, from a northwesterly heading, she’s turned to the west and is on a steady 26wW heading to the west coast of Arran at speeds coming down from 8.7 knots, to 6.3 knots and currently at 5.4 knots. Dragon is now on a counter course and at higher speeds – sailing 2 N at 10.8 knots and currently north of Holy Island at the entrance to Lamlash Bay on Arran degrees north. Her speed has jut come down to 4.2 kts and she has turned to 40° NE, on a heading for the Ayrshire coast at Ardrossan. She’s staying in that sea area, mid-channel and just north of a line from Carnlough in N Ireland to the Corsewall Light o the Galloway coast = and doing her familiar series of sharp turns. At the moment she’s at 2.8 kts  on 159° SSE, on the fifth of a series of turns completing a rough box shape.

Like her sister vessels she was constructed by shipyards on the Clyde and by VT at Portsmouth. HMS DARING, the first of class was launched at Scotstoun on the North Bank of the Clyde whilst the reminaining ships were and will be launched at Govan.

All of the ships are now being built/fitted out by the new joint venture between BAE Systems and VT called BVT Surface Fleet. These are exciting times for shipbuilding here in the UK and today’s launch marks another milestone in the T45 programme. Work for the Type 45 Destroyers and the Future Aircraft Carriers is sustaining thousands of jobs, not just here in Scotland but across the country. I look forward to watching Dragon’s progress as she undergoes her sea trials next year.

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