The Kortenaer class was a class of anti-submarinefrigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Like other frigate types of the 1970s and 1980s, they featured a COGOG (combined gas or gas) propulsion system with separate cruise and sprint gas turbines. Ten were built by De Schelde in Vlissingen and two by Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam between 1978 and 1982. Only ten served with the Royal Netherlands Navy: two were sold to Greece's Navy while still under construction and replaced by two Jacob van Heemskerck-class frigates which were an air defence variant of the Kortenaer class. The Greek frigates were renamed the Elli class. After service with the Dutch ended, eight of the frigates were sold to Greece in 1992 and the remaining two to the United Arab Emirates. Three of the ships have since been retired from active military service with one converted into the superyachtYas.
The Kortenaer class was designed as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigate intended to replace the two ASW classes (Holland and Friesland classes) already in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Dutch planning committee intended for the class to have the maximum number of NATO compatible systems to other NATO frigate classes, even offering to enter in agreements with other navies, such as the British Royal Navy. These offers were rejected and instead the Dutch designed a standard platform, later referred to as the "Standard design", that would allow for ASW and anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) variants, while conforming to NATO standards.[1]
Design and description
The design's hull form was similar to contemporary French designs with continuous upper and main decks, a single rudder and a clipper bow. The frigates were designed to operate smoothly in seaways with reduced length-to-beam ratio than usual for ships of their size. Furthermore, the ships would have a higher degree of automation to reduce the engine room complement requirement and overall crew size, with the frigates being able to be operated and fought from the operations room.[1] The Kortenaer class as built were 130.5 metres (428ft 2in)long overall with a beam of 14.6m (47ft 11in) and a draught of 4.3m (14ft 1in) at the hull and 6.2m (20ft 4in) at the base of the propeller. As built the frigates had a standard displacement of 3,100 tonnes (3,050 long tons) and 3,690t (3,630 long tons) at full load.[2] With varying gun and radar compositions of the ships over their careers, the displacement would later differ among the class.[3] Due to the high amount of automation within the ship, the complement was reduced from 196 to 176 officers and sailors.[4]
The Kortenaer class sported 15 watertight bulkheads. The vessels were powered by a combined gas or gas (COGOG) system incorporating two Rolls-RoyceTyne RM1Cgas turbines creating 3,700 kilowatts (4,900shp) each and Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines creating 19,200kW (25,700shp) each. These drove two LIPS[clarification needed]controllable pitch propellers giving the ships a maximum speed of 30 knots (56km/h; 35mph) and a cruising speed of 20 knots (37km/h; 23mph). The vessels had a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,700km; 5,400mi) at 16 knots (30km/h; 18mph) while using a single Tyne turbine. Electricity was provided by four SEMT-Pielstick PA4 750 kW diesel generators. The vessels also had redundancy in their design, being equipped with two auxiliary boilers and evaporators. The engineering plant was spread over four compartments. Moving forward to aft the plant was situated as follows; auxiliaries, Olympus turbines, Tyne turbines and reduction gear, and auxiliaries. To increase stability, the vessels mounted a pair of Denny–Brown fin stabilizers.[5]
The design originally called for the installation of two OTO Melara 76 millimetres (3in)/62 calibre naval guns in single mounts, with one placed forward and one mounted atop the hangar aft. However, after the first four ships, the aft 76 mm gun was swapped out for a Bofors 40mm (1.6in)/L70 calibre anti-aircraft (AA) gun.[6] The 76 mm guns could fire a 6kg (13lb) shell to a range of 8.6nmi (15.9km; 9.9mi) at 85 degrees elevation.[4] The aft guns were later replaced in all ships with a single-mounted, seven-barreled SGE-30 Goalkeeper30mm (1.2in)close-in weapons system (CIWS) that had a range of 2km (1.2mi).[4]
Each of the vessels were mounted with two quad launchers for Harpoonanti-ship missiles, each missile was capable of travelling 70nmi (130km; 81mi) at Mach 0.9 carrying a 227kg (500lb) warhead. They were also armed with a Mark 29 octuple launcher for the Sea SparrowAA missile and could carry up to 24 missiles. The Sea Sparrow had a range of 8nmi (15km; 9.2mi) at a speed of Mach 2.5 with a 30kg (66lb) warhead. Additionally the frigates were equipped with two twin-mounted Mk 32324mm (13in)torpedo tubes for Mk 46 Mod 5 torpedoes that had a range of 5.9nmi (10.9km; 6.8mi) at 40 knots (74km/h; 46mph) with a 44kg (97lb) warhead.[4]
The Kortenaer class was initially equipped with a Knebworth/Corvus rocket-launched chaff system, replaced by SRBOC six-tubed chaff launchers.[7] They sported an ESM/ECM Ramses jammer and a SEWACO II action data system. They utilised LW 08 air search radar operating on the D band, ZW 06 surface search radar operating on the I band and STIR and WM 25 fire control radars operating on the I/J bands. For ASW purposes, the frigates had bow-mounted SQS-505, SQS-509sonar or SQR-19 TACTASS towed sonar. The Kortenaer class had a flight deck and hangar at the stern of the ship that was initially capable of operating up to two Westland SH-14B Lynx helicopters, but normally carried only one during peacetime operations.[4]
Construction and service
The Dutch Government ordered the first batch of four ships on 31 August 1974. This was followed by a second batch of four on 28 November 1974 and a third batch of four on 29 December 1976.[4] The first eight ships were all constructed by Royal Schelde. The ninth and tenth ships were built by Wilton-Fijenoord, and the final two ships were constructed by Royal Schelde.[8] A contract was signed on 15 September 1980 with Greece for the sale of one the hulls under construction and the option for one more, which was taken up on 7 June 1981.[9] These turned into hulls six and seven of the second batch (Peter Florisz and Witte de With).[1] The remaining Kortenaer-class ships were initially used to patrol areas of the Atlantic Ocean until the 1990s, when their operations were shifted to the Mediterranean Sea and Strait of Hormuz. This was highlighted by NATO deployments in support of blockade operations during the Yugoslav Wars and operations in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf during the Gulf War. In 1993, Bloys van Treslong was sent west to the Caribbean Sea to enforce a United Nations blockade of Haiti. In 2001, the Kortenaers saw one last mission in Dutch service, with Philips van Almonde deploying to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. However, budget cuts to the military began and forced the early retirement of the class from Dutch service.[10]
On 9 November 1992, Greece signed an agreement to acquire more ships of the class, with the initial group totalling three. Banckert, Callenburgh and Van Kinsbergen were the first three to be sold. This was followed by Kortenaer, the second Peter Florisz, Jan van Brakel, Philips van Almonde and Bloys van Treslong.[9] The remaining two frigates were transferred to the United Arab Emirates in a contract signed on 2 April 1996 following a refit at Royal Schelde.[11]
Ships in the class
The ships were named after Dutch captains and admirals:
The first two frigates were acquired in 1980 and entered service with the Hellenic Navy in 1981 and 1982. Named Elli and Limnos construction of a third ship, to be built in Greece, was cancelled. On the initial Greek ships, the 40 mm gun was never installed and instead of the Goalkeeper CIWS, two American Phalanx Mk 1520mm (0.79in) CIWS were installed instead, to either side of the aft 76 mm gun.[12][13] Furthermore, the Hellenic Navy did not operate Lynx helicopters so the hangar was extended 2.2m (7ft 3in) to accommodate two Agusta-Bell AB 212ASW helicopters.[12][14] From 1993 to 1997 four more Kortenaer-class frigates entered service with the Hellenic Navy and underwent the same modifications as Elli and Limnos with the exception of the lengthened hangars. From 2001 to 2003, the final four ships entered Greek service and were also modified like the others taken over from Dutch service.[9][13] Six of the ships underwent an electronics refit from 2003 to 2006.[15] The first of the Greek frigates was taken out of service in 2013.[16]
Two ships were transferred to the United Arab Emirates military, entering service as Abu Dhabi and Al Emirat in December 1997 and May 1998 respectively. Based at Jebel Ali, the two frigates had additional air conditioning fitted, a new surface search radar (Signaal Scout using the I band) and operated two Eurocopter AS565 Panther helicopters. Al Emirat was later converted into a super luxury yacht known as Yas in 2015.[17][18] There were plans to convert Abu Dhabi into a superyacht as well.[17]
Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-85368-860-5.
Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-132-7.
Karreman, Jaime (16 August 2019). "Kortenaer klasse (S-) fregatten"[Kortenaer class (S) frigates]. Marineschepen (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 September 2022.
Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN0-7106-2623-1.
Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1991). Jane's Fighting Ships 1991–92 (94ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. ISBN0-7106-0960-4.
Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16thed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN9-7-815911-4954-5.
Further reading
van Amstel, W.H.E. (1991). De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN9060139976.
The Maestrale class is a class of frigates of the Italian Navy. The class is composed of eight vessels, all of which were built by Fincantieri S.p.A., Riva Trigoso, except for Grecale, which was built by Fincantieri S.p.A. – Muggiano, La Spezia.
ROCS Yueh Fei, is a Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigate of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). She is the fourth ship of the class. Named for the famous Chinese commander Yue Fei, the ship was constructed by the China Shipbuilding Corporation at their yard in Kaoshuing, Taiwan. The Cheng Kung-class frigates are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class and share many of the same characteristics, the main difference being armed with Taiwanese Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III surface-to-surface missiles and different sensors. Yueh Fei was laid down on 5 September 1992, launched on 26 August 1994 and commissioned into the ROCN on 7 February 1996.
Navarra (F85) is the fifth of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, which are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. The vessel was constructed by Bazan and launched on 23 October 1992 and commissioned on 27 May 1994. The Santa Maria-class frigates provide anti-submarine and anti-air defence for the Spanish Navy.
HNLMS Jan van Brakel (F825) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1983 to 2001. She was renamed HS Kanaris (F464) on transfer to the Hellenic Navy in 2002.
The Cheng Kung-class frigates are eight guided-missile frigates in service in the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). They are based upon the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry class and built by China Shipbuilding Corporation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan under license throughout the 1990s as part of the Kuang Hua I project. These frigates served as the mainstay of the ROCN's area air defense capability prior to the acquisition of the Keelung (Kidd)-class destroyers in 2005. They are designated with the hull classification PFG rather than FFG used by the Oliver Hazard Perry class.
The Jacob van Heemskerck-class frigate was a class of frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. They were designed to be an air defence version of the Kortenaer class. The helicopter was replaced by a Standard medium range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and associated radars. Two ships were built for the Royal Netherlands Navy. In 2005 they were sold to the Chilean Navy.
The Durand de la Penne class are two guided-missile destroyers operated by the Italian Navy. The design is an enlarged version of the Audace class, updated with diesel and gas turbine CODOG machinery and modern sensors. Four ships were planned but the second pair were cancelled when Italy joined the Horizon project.
The Baleares class were a group of five frigates built for the Spanish Navy in the late 1960s and 1970s. The ships were a modified version of the American Knox-class frigates. The key differences are the replacement of helicopter facilities by a medium-range surface-to-air missile system and associated radars. Constructed between 1968 and 1976, the Baleares class began entering service in 1973 and formed the 31 Escort Squadron, based at Ferrol. The five ships were upgraded several times during their service lives. The ships were retired beginning in the mid-2000s and replaced by the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates on a one-to-one basis.
HNLMS Van Kinsbergen (F809) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1980 to 1995. The frigate was named after Dutch naval hero Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen.
The Admiral Pereira da Silva class of frigates, also known as Admiral-class frigates, were in the service of the Portuguese Navy between 1966 and 1985. The class was based on the Dealey-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy. The three ships of the class were built in Portugal, at the Lisnave shipyards and the shipyards of Viana do Castelo. The construction of the ships was part of the effort of Portugal to expand its fleet in the face of unrest in the empire and was financed by the United States via the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. Financial problems prevented them from ever being modernised and they were deleted in 1989.
HNLMS Kortenaer (F807) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1978 to 1997 and today serves as HS Kountouriotis with the Hellenic Navy. The frigate was initially named after Dutch naval hero Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer and then after Pavlos Kountouriotis, distinguished Admiral of the Hellenic Navy, responsible for Greek naval victories in the Aegean Sea that secured the Aegean for Greece during the First Balkan War. The ship's radio call sign was "PADA".
HNLMS Callenburgh (F808) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1979 to 1994. The frigate was named after Dutch naval hero Gerard Callenburgh. The ship's radio call sign was "PADB".
HNLMS Van Speijk (F802) was a frigate of the Van Speijk class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1967 to 1986. The ship's radio call sign was "PAVA". She was sold to the Indonesian Navy where the ship was renamed KRI Slamet Riyadi (352). The ship was decommissioned in 2019.
HNLMS Pieter Florisz (F826) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1983 to 2001. The frigate was named after Dutch naval hero Pieter Floriszoon. The ship's radio call sign was "PADI".
KRI Oswald Siahaan (354) is an Ahmad Yani-class frigate operated by the Indonesian Navy. Prior to her service in the Indonesian Navy, she served in the Royal Netherlands Navy as Van Speijk-class frigateHNLMS Van Nes (F805).
HNLMS Van Galen (F803) was a frigate of the Van Speijk class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1967 to 1987. The ship's radio call sign was "PAVB". She was sold to the Indonesian Navy where the ship was renamed KRI Yos Sudarso (353).
HNLMS Evertsen (F815) was a frigate of the Van Speijk class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1967 to 1989. The ship's radio call sign was "PAVG". She was sold to the Indonesian Navy where the ship was renamed KRI Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma (355).
HNLMS Isaac Sweers (F814) is a frigate of the Van Speijk class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1968 to 1990. The ship's radio call sign was "PAVF". She was sold to the Indonesian Navy where the ship was renamed KRI Karel Satsuitubun (356).
HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes (F804) was a frigate of the Van Speijk class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1967 to 1986. The ship's radio call sign was "PAVC". She was sold to the Indonesian Navy where the ship was renamed KRI Ahmad Yani (351).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
