Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate

Last updated

Danish frigate KDM Niels Juel (F363) underway in the Red Sea on 15 April 2019 (190415-N-IL409-0016).JPG
HDMS Niels Juel underway in the Red Sea, April 2019
Class overview
Builders
OperatorsNaval Ensign of Denmark.svg  Royal Danish Navy [2]
Preceded by Niels Juel-class corvette [3]
SubclassesArrowhead 140 frigate (Type 31 frigate)
CostUS$325 million per ship [4] [5]
Built2008–2011
In commission2012–present
Planned3
Completed3
General characteristics
TypeAir defence frigate
Displacement6,645  t (6,540 long tons) (full load)
Length138.7 m (455 ft 1 in)
Beam19.75 m (64 ft 10 in)
Draft5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range9,000  nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) [7]
Complement165
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales Nederland SMART-L long-range air and surface surveillance radar
  • Thales Nederland APAR air and surface search, tracking and guidance radar (I band)
  • Terma SCANTER 6000 surveillance and helicopter guidance radar
  • Atlas ASO 94 hull mounted sonar
  • 2 × Saab CEROS 200 fire control radars
  • ES-3701 Tactical Radar Electronic Support Measures (ESM)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × MH-60R
Aviation facilitiesAft helicopter deck and hangar

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. [8] [9] [10]

Contents

Description

The class is built on the experience gained from the Absalon-class frigates. By reusing the basic hull design of the Absalon class, the Royal Danish Navy has been able to construct the Iver Huitfeldt class considerably cheaper than comparable ships. [11]

HDMS Iver Huitfeldt underway, June 2018 Warships steam in formation for a photo exercise during exercise Baltic Operations 2018.jpg
HDMS Iver Huitfeldt underway, June 2018

Design

The frigates are compatible with the Royal Danish Navy's StanFlex modular mission payload system used in the Absalons, and they are designed with slots for six modules. Each of the four StanFlex positions on the missile deck is able to accommodate the Mark 41 8-cell Harpoon launcher module, or the 12-cell Mark 56 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Vertical Launching System (VLS). [12]

The Absalon-class ships are primarily designed for command, support, and ASW roles, with a large ro-ro deck. The three new Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates are equipped for an air defence role with Standard Missiles, as well as the potential to use Tomahawk cruise missiles, [13] a first for the Royal Danish Navy.

The ships were constructed in blocks in Estonia and Lithuania. These blocks were then towed to the Odense Steel Shipyard where they were assembled. [1]

Anti-air warfare

Most of the weapons for the three ships were reused from the previous Niels Juel-class corvettes and the Flyvefisken-class patrol vessels. Other components were reused to keep the cost at a minimum.

These ships share their anti-air warfare suite with the Royal Netherlands Navy's De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates and the German Navy's Sachsen-class frigates. The sensors of this suite include the long range surveillance radar SMART-L (passive electronically scanned array) and the multi-function radar APAR active electronically scanned array. [14]

The SMART-L and APAR are highly complementary in the sense that SMART-L is an L band radar, providing very long range surveillance. APAR is an I band radar, providing precise target tracking, a highly capable horizon search capability, and missile guidance using the Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination (ICWI) technique, allowing guidance of 32 semi-active radar homing missiles in flight simultaneously, including 16 in the terminal guidance phase. [14]

The primary anti-air weapons are the medium-range ESSM [15] and the area defence SM-2 IIIA. The Mk 41 VLS is used to house and launch these missiles. Depending on the number of Harpoon launchers installed, up to 24 ESSMs and 32 SM-2 IIIAs or SM-6s may be carried.

List of ships

NameNumberLaid DownLaunchedCommissionedStatusBadge
Iver Huitfeldt F361June 2008March 2010January 2011In service Ship's badge for Iver Huitfeldt (F361).svg
Peter Willemoes F362March 2009December 2010June 2011In service Ship's badge for Peter Willemoes (F362).svg
Niels Juel F363December 2009December 2010November 2011In service Ship's badge for Niels Juel (F354).svg

Export bids

HDMS Peter Willemoes entering Copenhagen, August 2012 F362 HDMS Peter Willemoes.jpg
HDMS Peter Willemoes entering Copenhagen, August 2012

Australia

The builder's successor, OMT, suggested the type for the Procurement programme of the Royal Australian Navy's frigates, but built in Australia and modified for anti-submarine warfare. [16] They were suggested for the Royal New Zealand Navy, as they currently operate modified Anzac-class frigates similar to those of the Royal Australian Navy. However, OMT was not among the three warship designers shortlisted by Australia for the SEA 5000 frigate program in April 2016.

Canada

The Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate was a contender in the Canadian Single Class Surface Combatant Project. [2] It has been claimed that due to concerns over the fairness of the bidding process, two European shipbuilders, possibly Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Odense Maritime Technology, declined to submit bids. [17]

United Kingdom

In late May 2018 a consortium of Babcock International, BMT Group and Thales Group announced the "Arrowhead 140" design, based on the hull of the Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, for the Royal Navy Type 31e frigate programme. [18] In September 2019, it was announced that the Arrowhead 140 design had been selected for the Type 31 frigate. [19] [20] [21]

Indonesia

In March 2019, a variant of Denmark's Iver Huitfeldt class emerged as a front-runner for the Indonesian Navy's US$720 million two-frigate acquisition programme. [22] The Indonesian Navy expected to purchase two Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, with a budget plan of US$720 million for its MEF Phase 3 in 2020–2024. Indonesian officials and Ministry of Defense officials held multiple meetings about the ships. By 14 March 2019 there was discussion between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and Odense Maritime Technology about the technical issues and potential cooperation. Denmark offered a scheme of "transfer of technology" (ToT) to Indonesia, such as modular frigate building designed by BUMN PT PAL. [22]

In February 2020, a defense delegation from Indonesia visited Denmark, and toured Niels Juel. According to Indonesian media, the deputy of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said in March that Indonesia's PT PAL was tasked to develop a design for two ships over five years, for Rp1.1 trillion (or US$720 million) in collaboration with Denmark, for the Indonesian Navy. [23] [24] In April 2020, representatives from the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, PT PAL shipbuilders and PT Sinar Kokoh Persada, an Indonesian agent for the Danish Odense Maritime Technology (OMT) company, agreed to an opening contract for the procurement of the Danish frigate. Points in the contract include workshare arrangements that will be made after the effective (actual) contract can be realized. [25]

In September 2021, Indonesia signed a contract with Babcock for the purchase of the Type 31 frigate design license, which based on the Iver Huitfeldt design, in order to construct 2 frigates locally in Indonesia. [26]

See also

Similar ships

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frigate</span> Type of warship

A frigate is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAMPSON</span> Multifunction, rotating AESA radar

The SAMPSON is a multi-function dual-face active electronically scanned array radar produced by BAE Systems Maritime. It is the fire control radar component of the Sea Viper naval air defence system. The Sea Viper system is also known as PAAMS(S) to denote the use of the SAMPSON radar and to distinguish it from the PAAMS system on the Franco-Italian Horizon-class frigate.

HNLMS <i>De Zeven Provinciën</i> (F802) Frigate

HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) is the first ship of the De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigates in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN). There are three other ships in this class, HNLMS Tromp, HNLMS De Ruyter, and HNLMS Evertsen. De Zeven Provinciën is the eighth ship in the Royal Netherlands Navy to carry this name. The name refers to the original seven Dutch provinces which together formed the Union of Utrecht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RIM-162 ESSM</span> Medium-range surface-to-air missile

The RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) is a development of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft. ESSM is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. ESSM also has the ability to be "quad-packed" in the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System, allowing up to four ESSMs to be carried in a single cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stealth ship</span> Ship which uses stealth technology to reduce risk of detection

A stealth ship is a ship that employs stealth technology construction techniques in an effort to make it harder to detect by one or more of radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods.

<i>Sachsen</i>-class frigate German air-defense frigates

The F124 Sachsen class is the German Navy's latest class of air-defense frigates. The design of the hull is based on that of the F123 Brandenburg class but with enhanced stealth features designed to deceive an opponent's radar and acoustic sensors. The class incorporates an advanced multifunction radar APAR and a SMART-L long-range radar which is purported to be capable of detecting stealth aircraft and stealth missiles.

<i>De Zeven Provinciën</i>-class frigate Dutch air-defence and command frigates

The four De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates are air-defence and command frigates in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy. This class of ships is also known as "LCF". The ships are similar to the German Sachsen-class frigates in role and mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active Phased Array Radar</span> Shipborne multi-function radar

Active Phased Array Radar (APAR) is a shipborne active electronically scanned array multifunction 3D radar (MFR) developed and manufactured by Thales Nederland. The radar receiver modules are developed and built in the US by the Sanmina Corporation.

<i>Absalon</i>-class frigate Danish multipurpose frigate

The Absalon class are frigates of the Royal Danish Navy, 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, with the capacity to be transformed from a combat ship with the firepower of a traditional frigate to a hospital ship within a day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun</span> Type of close-in weapon system

The Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun or Rheinmetall GDM-008 is a close-in weapon system designed by Rheinmetall Air Defence AG for mounting on ships. It is based on the 35/1000 revolver gun land-based air defense system and uses Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) ammunition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark 41 vertical launching system</span> Missile launching system

The Mark 41 vertical launching system is a shipborne missile canister launching system which provides a rapid-fire launch capability against hostile threats. The vertical launching system (VLS) concept was derived from work on the Aegis Combat System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SMART-S Mk2</span> Dutch naval radar system

SMART-S Mk2(Signaal Multibeam Acquisition Radar for Tracking, S band Mk2) is a naval medium to long-range air and surface surveillance multibeam passive electronically scanned array 3D radar designed by Thales Nederland, formerly Hollandse Signaalapparaten (Signaal). While the original SMART-S radar was only produced in small numbers, SMART-S Mk2 is more successful with 30 systems were sold to navies all over the world within six years after being introduced. The radar transmitter/receiver (T/R) modules for the radar are purchased by Thales from the Turkish defence company Aselsan.

Type 31 frigate Future frigate of the Royal Navy

The Type 31 frigate, also known as the Inspiration class, and formerly known as the Type 31e frigate or General Purpose Frigate (GPF), is a class of five frigates being built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, with variants also being built for the Indonesian and Polish navies. The Type 31 is intended to enter service in the 2020s alongside the eight submarine-hunting Type 26 frigate and will replace the five general-purpose Type 23 frigates. The Type 31 is part of the British government's "National Shipbuilding Strategy".

F110-class frigate Class of Spanish Navy frigates

The F110 class, also known as the Bonifaz class, are a multi-purpose, anti-submarine class of Aegis combat system-fitted heavy frigates under construction for the Spanish Navy. The project is being co-developed by the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the state-owned company Navantia. The construction of the first unit (Bonifaz) started in April 2022. Deliveries are scheduled to start in about 2025.

The Type 32 frigate is a frigate currently in development in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy. It was officially announced in November 2020 by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a result of the Integrated Review. Built after the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, the ship will be general-purpose and modular in its design and, after entering service in the 2030s, is expected to help grow the Royal Navy's surface escort fleet from 19 to 24 vessels.

HDMS <i>Iver Huitfeldt</i> (F361) Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate

HDMS Iver Huitfeldt (F361) is a Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate in the Royal Danish Navy. The ship is named after Iver Huitfeldt, a 17th-century Danish officer.

HDMS <i>Peter Willemoes</i> (F362) Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate

HDMS Peter Willemoes (F362) is a Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate in the Royal Danish Navy. The ship is named after Peter Willemoes, a 18-19th-century Danish officer.

HDMS <i>Niels Juel</i> (F363) Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate

HDMS Niels Juel (F363) is an Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate in the Royal Danish Navy. The ship is named after Niels Juel, a 17th-century Danish admiral.

Future Air Defender Ship design project of the Royal Netherlands Navy and German Navy

The Future Air Defender (FuAD) was a joint program from the Dutch and German navies to find a common replacement for both the De Zeven Provinciën and the Sachsen-class frigate. The joint German-Dutch programme was cancelled in November 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Balsved, Johnny (1 February 2008). "Produktionsstart på søværnets nye fregatter". navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 Pryce, Paul (13 November 2013). "The Future of Canada's Navy". RealClearDefense. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  3. "Store fregatter på vej". Forsvaret.dk (in Danish). 11 February 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014.
  4. Cavas, Christopher (21 November 2014). "Sleek, modern and built on a budget – Denmark's latest frigate". Intercepts. Defense News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  5. Hammes, Thomas (6 August 2013). "Getting Our Money's Worth: LCS vs Iver Huitfeldt-Class". War on the Rocks.
  6. Muradian, Vago (29 November 2016). "Design Philosophy of Denmark's Iver Huitfeldt-Class Frigates". Defense & Aerospace Report.
  7. "The Iver Huifeldt Class: Modular Frigates for an Uncertain Future". Odense Maritime Technology. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  8. "Danish frigate program" (PDF). Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  9. "Nye fregatter". forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2 April 2009.
  10. "An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval Projects 2005–2009 Projekt Patruljeskib – the Iver Huitfeld class Patrol Ship/Future Frigate". Canadian American Strategic Review . July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Euphemisms for 'frigate' have become the norm in Denmark – the frigate-sized Thetis class OPVs were dubbed Inspektionsskib and Absalon class support ships will never be called Transport Frigates in official use. However, it is hard to see the planned powerful, heavily-armed Patruljeskib as anything other than frigates.
  11. Brøndum, Christian (6 March 2009). "Skibe til hvad som helst hvor som helst". Berlingske (in Danish). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  12. Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 153. ISBN   978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC   140283156.
  13. Article in July 2008 issue of Defence Technology International describes new frigates
  14. 1 2 "Live firing tests rewrite the guiding principles", Jane's Navy International, October 2005
  15. "Video: Thales Active Phased Array Radar excels in ESSM firings from new Danish Frigate". navyrecognition.com. 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  16. Stewart, Cameron (17 March 2016). "Navy frigates in a $30bn race to the future". The Australian . Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  17. Pugliese, David (5 December 2017). "Liberals reject warship proposal that companies said would save taxpayers as much as $32B". National Post. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  18. Allison, George (31 May 2018). "Babcock launches 'Team 31', selects Arrowhead 140 design for Type 31e frigate competition". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  19. Tovey, Alan (24 August 2019). "Babcock set to build new cut-price frigates and weaken BAE shipbuilding monopoly" . Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  20. Pfeifer, Sylvia; Payne, Sebastian & Dickie, Mure (12 September 2019). "Babcock group wins contract to build Royal Navy frigates" . Financial Times. London and Edinburgh. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  21. "Design of new Type 31 frigates selected". Royal Navy. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  22. 1 2 Rahmat, Ridzwan (12 March 2019). "Indonesia leans towards Iver Huitfeldt class for frigate acquisition". Jane's Navy International. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  23. Gunawan, Deden. "Bicara Industri Pertahanan, Wamenhan: Harusnya Tak Rugi". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  24. "Indonesia Looking at Iver Huitfeldt-class Frigate to Boost TNI-AL's Blue Water Force". Naval News. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  25. "Jelang Pembangunan Unit Perdana Frigat Iver Huitfeldt, Kemhan, PT PAL dan Prinsipal Atur Soal Workshare". Indomiliter.com. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  26. "Babcock sells first new frigate design licence to Indonesia". Babcock International. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.