Absalon-class frigate

Last updated
KDM Absalon (L16) underway in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Greenland on 16 August 2019 (190816-N-TJ319-1251).JPG
Absalon in 2019
Class overview
Builders Odense Staalskibsværft
Operators Royal Danish Navy
Preceded byFalster class minelayer
Cost DKK2.5bn (total), [1] (~US$189m/ship) excluding weapon modules
Built2003–2004
In commission2005–present
Completed2
Active2
General characteristics
TypeFrigates (formerly support ships)
Displacement
  • 4,500 tonnes light, [1]
  • 6,600 tonnes full load [1]
Length137 m (449 ft 6 in) [1]
Beam19.5 m (64 ft 0 in) [1]
Draft6.3 m (20 ft 8 in) [1]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 8000 M70 diesel engines
  • Two shafts
  • 22,300 bhp (16.6 MW) [1]
Speed24 knots (44 km/h) [1]
Range9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) [1]
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × RHIBs, 2 × SB90E LCP
Complement100, plus aircrew and transients (accommodation for up to 300 in total)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales SMART-S Mk2 3D volume search radar
  • Terma Scanter 6002 surface search radar
  • Atlas ASO 94 sonar
  • 3 × Saab CEROS 200 fire control radars
  • ES-3701 Tactical Radar Electronic Support Measures (ESM)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 4 × 12-barrelled Terma DL-12T 130 mm decoy launchers
  • 2 × 6-barrelled Terma DL-6T 130 mm decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × AW-101 helicopters [1] or 2 MH-60R helicopters
Aviation facilitiesAft helicopter deck and hangars

The Absalon class are frigates of the Royal Danish Navy, [2] [3] [4] commissioned in 2005. The two ships in the class may be described as a hybrid between a frigate and military transport ship with multiple role capabilities, [5] with the capacity to be transformed from a combat ship with the firepower of a traditional frigate to a hospital ship within a day. [6]

Contents

Design

The class is based on a frigate-like design, but built with an internal multipurpose deck (flex deck) and a stern vehicle ramp. The ships can serve as command platforms for a staff of 75 persons (naval or joint staff) with a containerized command and control centre, transport and base of operations for a company-sized landing force of some 200 soldiers with vehicles. Alternatively, the flex deck can be used for mine-laying operations with a capacity of some 300 mines, or be fitted out for mine-clearing operations and launch and recover mine detecting and clearing equipment via a retractable gantry crane, adjacent to the stern vehicle ramp, which also is used for launching and recovering the fast landing craft. Furthermore, the flex deck can support a containerized hospital or simply transport a number of ISO standard containers or some 55 vehicles, including up to seven main battle tanks. The ships can carry two landing craft, personnel (LCPs) (Storebro SB90E), two rigid hull inflatable boats and two AW-101 helicopters.

The ships have been designed by a joint team from The Royal Danish Navy (RDN), the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) and a group of contractors, primarily Odense Maritime Technology (OMT) to the Royal Danish Navy's requirements for a multi-mission frigate-like ship with an emphasis on flexibility.

The ships are built to the naval standards of Det Norske Veritas (DNV GL), an international certification body and classification society, heavily utilizing STANAG.

The design is built with the aim of a large margin for growth over life-cycle, to a relatively low cost of ownership, with open architecture for ease of upgrades, with a high degree of automation allowing smaller crews, and utilizing StanFlex modules that can be shared across several ship classes in service with the Royal Danish Navy.

The hulls were built in highly competitive commercial shipyards using the latest development in the industries shipbuilding technology and cost-effective production procedures and processes. The outfitting and integration of sensor, communication and weapons systems was primarily carried out "in-house" by the RDN and DALO.

The standard weapons of the Absalon class can be supplemented through the use of StanFlex mission modules. [7] A special weapons deck (nicknamed the 'Bathtub') is designed with five StanFlex module slots. [7] Because of the Bathtub's position, only missile-firing weapons modules can be installed. [7]

History

The ships were named after two brothers, Esbern Snare and archbishop Absalon, who led the naval campaigns in the 12th century against the Wends, a group of pagan Slavs in northern Germany.

Production started at Odense Steel Shipyard on 30 April 2003, [1] with the lead ship Absalon laid down on 28 November of that year. [1] Esbern Snare followed on 24 March 2004; they were both launched later that year. [1] They were delivered on 19 October 2004 and 17 April 2005 respectively, and commissioned on 10 January 2005 and 17 June 2005. [1] At this point they had the StanFlex modules installed, but would have to wait until 2007 for full operational capability, [1] with the installation of the 35mm CIWS, Mk32 torpedo launchers and Seagnat/SRBOC decoy systems. For political reasons, the ships were originally launched as "Flexible support ships" to avoid antagonising Russia after the end of the cold war. [8]

Among other upgrades the two ships of the Absalon class were fitted with the newer Terma Scanter 6002 to replace the Scanter 2001 in 2020.

Reclassification

On the 16th of October 2020, both ships were reclassed as anti-submarine warfare-frigates. Both ships will be upgraded with towed array sonars in addition to the existing, hull-mounted sonar. The Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters will be equipped with dipping sonars, sonobuoys and torpedoes. This upgrade is expected to complete in 2026. [9]

List of ships

NameOriginal NumberNumberLaunchedCommissionedStatus
Absalon L16F34125 February 200419 October 2004Active
Esbern Snare L17F34221 June 200418 April 2005Active

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absalon</span> Danish bishop and statesman (c. 1128–1201)

Absalon was a Danish statesman and prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and church father of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of Denmark. He was a key figure in the Danish policies of territorial expansion in the Baltic Sea, Europeanization in close relationship with the Holy See, and reform in the relation between the Church and the public. He combined the ideals of Gregorian Reform with loyal support of a strong monarchical power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Danish Navy</span> Sea-based branch of the Danish Defence

The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish territorial waters. Other tasks include surveillance, search and rescue, icebreaking, oil spill recovery and prevention as well as contributions to international tasks and forces.

<i>Fridtjof Nansen</i>-class frigate Class of ships of the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates are a class of frigates that are the main surface combatant units of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The ships are named after famous Norwegian explorers, with the lead ship of the class bearing the name of Fridtjof Nansen. Five ships were ordered from Spanish shipbuilder Bazan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frogman Corps (Denmark)</span> Danish maritime special operations unit

The Frogman Corps is the maritime special operations force of the Danish Armed Forces part of Special Operations Command. On 1 July 2015, the Frogman Corps transferred from the Royal Danish Navy to the newly established Special Operations Command.

HDMS <i>Olfert Fischer</i> (F355)

HDMS Olfert Fischer (F355) was a Niels Juel-class corvette of the Kongelige Danske Marine. The vessel was laid down in December 1978 and commissioned in October 1981. The corvette operated in the Persian Gulf on two occasions, first in 1990 and 1991 as part of the multinational fleet enforcing the United Nations sanctions against Iraq, then again in 2003 in support of the United States-led invasion of Iraq. Olfert Fischer was deployed as part of the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic on at least four occasions during her career.

A joint support ship (JSS) is a multi-role naval vessel capable of launching and supporting joint amphibious and airlift operations. It can also provide command and control, sealift and seabasing, underway replenishment, disaster relief and logistics capabilities for combined land and sea operations.

HDMS <i>Absalon</i> (F341) Frigate of the Royal Danish Navy

HDMS Absalon (F341) and her sister ship Esbern Snare are the two members of the Absalon class. The lead ship of the class is named after Danish archbishop and statesman Absalon and received full operational status in 2007.

HDMS <i>Esbern Snare</i> (F342) Absalon-class frigate of the Royal Danish Navy

HDMS Esbern Snare (F342) is an Absalon-class frigate and is, along with her sister ship, the HDMS Absalon, amongst the largest combat vessels currently commissioned in the Royal Danish Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combined Task Force 150</span> Intergovernmental naval operations

Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 34-nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, board, inspect, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "War on Terror" and in the Horn of Africa region (HOA) includes operations in the North Arabia Sea to support operations in the Indian Ocean. These activities are referred to as Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

MV <i>Taiko</i> Ship

MV Taiko was a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) freighter managed by the Norwegian-Swedish shipping line Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. She was built as Barber Hector by Hyundai Heavy Industries at Ulsan, South Korea in 1984 for Blue Funnel Line, part of the Liverpool company Ocean Transport & Trading Ltd, and was Blue Funnel's last newbuilding. She was deployed on Barber Blue Sea Line, a joint venture between Blue Funnel, Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Oslo and the Broström Group of Sweden. In 1988 Ocean withdrew from Barber Blue Sea line and Barber Hector was sold to the Swedish partner, chartered to Wilhelmsen and renamed Taiko. Wilhelmsen purchased the vessel in 1993.

<i>Iver Huitfeldt</i>-class frigate Air defence frigates of the Danish Navy

The Iver Huitfeldt class is a three-ship class of air defence frigates that entered service with the Royal Danish Navy in 2012 and 2013.

HMS <i>Blackmore</i> (L43) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Blackmore(pennant number L43) was an escort destroyer of the Type II Hunt class. The Royal Navy ordered Blackmore's construction three months after the outbreak of the Second World War. A. Stephen & Sons laid down her keel at their Glasgow yard on 10 February 1941, as Admiralty Job Number J1479. The ship was adopted by the civil community of Langport, Somerset after a successful Warship Week campaign. The ship was sold to the Royal Danish Navy and renamed HDMS Esbern Snare.

Two ships of the Royal Danish Navy have been named HDMS Esbern Snare, named after Esbern the Resolute, brother of Absalon:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">StanFlex</span>

StanFlex is a modular mission payload system used by the Royal Danish Navy. Originally conceived during the 1980s as a way of replacing several classes of minor war vessel with a single class of multi-role ships, the StanFlex system consists of weapons and equipment mounted in standardised containers, which can be loaded into slots on the ships. These containers can be swapped out in a short period of time, allowing the ship to switch between roles when needed. The success of the modular payload system led the Royal Danish Navy to design all new warships with StanFlex slots, and to install slots on older vessels during major refits. By 2012, nine ship classes capable of carrying StanFlex payloads were in service.

MV <i>Beluga Nomination</i> incident 2011 conflict

The MV Beluga Nomination incident was the capture and attempted liberation of a German freighter from Somali pirates by the Seychelles Coast Guard and Royal Danish Navy in January 2011. A few days after the taking of MV Beluga Nomination, a Seychelles patrol boat and a Danish flexible support ship, HDMS Esbern Snare, encountered the pirates and engaged in a failed rescue operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Danish Naval Museum</span> Museum dedicated to the history of the Royal Danish Navy, based in Søkvæsthuset, Denmark

The Royal Danish Naval Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the Royal Danish Navy. The displays include a collection of naval models which dates back to late 17th century. The museum is based in Søkvæsthuset, a former naval hospice which overlooks Christianshavn Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Trojahn</span>

Rear Admiral Frank Trojahn is a Danish naval officer.

HDMS <i>Hauch</i> (1862)

HDMS Hauch was a Danish gunboat, launched in 1862 and under command the following year. It was named after the naval officer Jens Erik Hauch, who died during the Battle of Copenhagen, while bravely defending the decommissioned frigate Kronborg against three Royal Navy ships of the line. Hauch can be viewed as a scaled-down version of the preceding six gunboats of the Thura class. Hauch was built entirely in iron and the smaller size meant that it could only accommodate a single cannon. The 30 lb smoothbore cannon was not very accurate and was replaced by a smaller, but rifled 18 lb cannon in 1864. Towards the end of her career the armament consisted of two small smoothbore cannons (falconets), used for warning shots during fisheries inspection duties. The steam engine was reused from the scrapped gunboat Støren. This engine lasted until 1886, when it was replaced by a new Burmeister & Wain 200 HP steam engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esbern Snare</span>

Esbern Snare, also known as Esbern the Resolute, (1127–1204) was a høvding, or chieftain, royal chancellor and crusader. His family were members of the powerful Hvide clan. In 1192, during the Crusades and after the fall of Jerusalem, he led a small group of Danish soldiers to the Holy Land. Upon his return, he had the Church of Our Lady, Kalundborg built.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Fleksible Støtteskibe" (PDF) (in Danish). Danish Defence . Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  2. Royal Danish Navy: Support Ships, ABSALON-class Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval projects -- 2005-2009 Absalon class Command and Support Ship (CSS / Transport Frigate)". Canadian American Strategic Review. May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  4. "An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval projects 2005-2009 Projekt Patruljeskib – a Patrol Ship or Heavily-Armed Future Frigate". Canadian American Strategic Review. July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  5. "HDMS Absalon and HDMS Esbern Snare - Royal Danish Navy". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  6. Pike, John. "Absalon Class Flexible Support Ship / Command Support Ship". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Lok, Joris Janssen (24 April 2006). "New Danish combat support ships offer greater flexibility for NATO operations". International Defence Review. Jane's Information Group.
  8. "Med malerpensler har Søværnet slettet et 20 år gammelt 'underligt' ord". 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-26.
  9. "Søværnets nye fregatter" [Navy's new frigates]. forsvaret.dk (in Danish). 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
Ship's bell and Lindo Yard nameplate on board Esbern Snare (L17) HDMS Esbern Snare L17 shipbell.jpg
Ship's bell and Lindø Yard nameplate on board Esbern Snare (L17)