Tapi-class corvette

Last updated
Royal Thai Navy corvette Tapi (5) underway in the Gulf of Siam, in 1983.jpg
HTMS Tapi (5) in 1983
Class overview
NameTapi class
BuildersAmerican Shipbuilding Co / Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, both USA
OperatorsFlag of the Royal Thai Navy.svg  Royal Thai Navy
Built1970–1974
In commission1971–present
Completed2
Active1
Retired1
General characteristics Following 1980s refit and rearmament [1]
Type Corvette
Displacement
  • 885 long tons (899 t) standard
  • 1,172 long tons (1,191 t) full load
Length275 ft (83.8 m)
Beam33 ft (10.1 m)
Draft14 ft 1 in (4.3 m) (sonar dome)
Propulsion
  • 2× Fairbanks-Morse 38TD8-1/8-9 diesel engines, 2 shafts
  • 5,250 hp (3,910 kW)
Speed20  kn (23 mph; 37 km/h)
Range2,400  nmi (2,800 mi; 4,400 km) at 18 knots (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement15 officers, 120 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar:
  • Signaal LW04 Air/surface search
  • Raytheon SPS-53E surface search
  • Signaal WM-22-61 fire control
  • Sonar:
  • Atlas Elektronik DSQS-21C hull-mounted, medium frequency active search/attack
Armament

Tapi-class corvettes are a class of two corvettes that were built for the Royal Thai Navy in the early 1970s. Both ships remain in service.

Contents

Design and construction

In 1969, Thailand ordered from the United States a single small PF 103-class frigate, of which four examples, the Bayandor class, had been built for Iran in the 1960s, with a second example being ordered in 1971. For procurement purposes, they were allocated the US Navy hull numbers PF 107 and PF 108. [2]

As built, single 3 inch/50 calibre Mk 34 automatic anti-aircraft guns were mounted fore and aft, [2] each capable of firing 6.8 kg (15 lb) shells to a range of 13,400 m (14,600 yd) at a rate of 45 rounds per minute, [3] backed up by a twin Bofors 40mm/L60 mount. Two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes for anti-submarine torpedoes and a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar comprised the ships' anti-submarine armament. [2] AN/SPS-6 air-search radar and SQS-17 sonar comprised the ships' sensor suite. [2]

Operational history

The first ship, Tapi, was commissioned on 19 November 1971, with the second ship, Khirirat, following on 10 August 1974. [1] Both ships were modernised during the 1980s, with the US 3-inch guns being replaced by a rapid fire OTO Melara 76 mm gun forward, and a Bofors 40mm/70 gun aft, with two single 20 mm cannon replaced the existing twin Bofors mount. The obsolete Hedgehog was removed, and the ships were fitted with new radar and sonar systems. [2] [1]

As of 2002, they were used for patrolling Thailand's Exclusive economic zone. [1]

Units

Pennant
number		NameBuilderLaid Down [4] Launched [4] Commissioned [4]
5
(later 431)		 Tapi American SB Co, Toledo, Ohio 1 April 197017 October 19701 November 1971
6
(later 432)		 Khirirat Norfolk SB18 February 19722 June 197310 August 1974

Related Research Articles

JDS <i>Teruzuki</i> Akizuki-class destroyer

JDS Teruzuki (DD-162) was a Japanese Akizuki-class destroyer. The vessel was laid down in 1958 and served as a front line warship with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force until 1986, and as an auxiliary until 1993.

<i>Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu</i>-class corvette

The Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu-class corvette is a series of four corvettes designed and constructed for the Romanian Naval Forces primarily for anti-submarine warfare. Only two corvettes out of a total of the four are still in service. Designed and constructed in the 1980s, they are a product of the Cold War with their armament and sensors based on Soviet designs. This class of corvettes was superseded by the Rear-Admiral Eustațiu Sebastian (Tetal-II) class.

<i>Claud Jones</i>-class destroyer escort Class of American destroyer escorts

The Claud Jones-class destroyer escorts were four destroyer escorts built for the United States Navy in the late 1950s. These ships were a diesel-powered version of the earlier Dealey class and were designed with the aim of producing a cheaper ship suitable for rapid production in wartime. These ships also had reduced armament and speed compared to their predecessors. They were not seen as effective anti-submarine warfare vessels by the United States Navy and were sold after only 15 years service to the Indonesian Navy.

<i>Kasturi</i>-class corvette

The Kasturi-class corvettes are two ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy, KD Kasturi and KD Lekir. They were acquired in the mid-1980s. The two ships constitute the Malaysian Navy's 22nd Corvette Squadron, their homeport being Lumut. After about 25 years of service, they underwent an extensive modernisation known as Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) starting in 2009, enabling them to be employed for another 10 to 15 years. They have since been returned to active duty.

The Sleipner class was a series of corvettes ordered as part of the Royal Norwegian Navy's 1960 fleet plan. It was intended to build five ships of the class, but because of economic problems only two were built; Sleipner and Æger.

HMS <i>Rhyl</i> (F129) Frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Rhyl was a Rothesay-class or Type 12I anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy, launched by Lady Macmillan on 23 February 1959 and commissioned in October 1960. Following Royal Navy service she was scuttled whilst being prepared as a target in 1985.

HMS <i>Tenby</i> (F65) Frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Tenby was a Whitby-class or Type 12 anti-submarine frigate of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<i>Commandant Rivière</i>-class frigate

The Commandant Rivière class was a class of frigates built for the French Navy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Labeled "aviso-escorteur", they were designed to perform the role of overseas patrol in peacetime and anti-submarine escort in wartime. This vessel class is named after the French Navy officer Henri Rivière (1827–1883).

<i>Badr</i>-class corvette Class of American-built corvettes of the Saudi Navy

The Badr class is a class of corvette built by the United States and operated by the Saudi Navy. The class has been relegated to a coastal defence role following the modernisation of the Saudi fleet. There are four vessels in service; Badr, Al Yarmook, Hitteen and Tabuk.

Poti-class corvette

The Poti class was the NATO reporting name for a group of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes built for the Soviet Navy. The Soviet designation was Project 204 small anti-submarine ships. These ships were the first Soviet warships powered by gas turbine engines; two propellers were mounted in tunnels to give a very shallow draught. A twin 57 mm (2 in) gun mounting provided self-defence. Three ships of the class were exported to Romania and six to Bulgaria during the Cold War. By 2008, all ships of the class were no longer extant.

Stenka-class patrol boat Soviet patrol boat class

The Stenka class is the NATO reporting name for a class of patrol boats built for the Soviet Navy and Soviet Allies. The Soviet designation was Project 205P Tarantul. The boats are an anti-submarine (ASW) patrol boat version of the Osa-class missile boat.

<i>Dealey</i>-class destroyer escort Class of American destroyer escorts

The Dealey-class destroyer escorts were the first post-World War II escort ships built for the United States Navy.

HNLMS <i>Van Kinsbergen</i> (F809)

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.

<i>Albatros</i>-class corvette

The Albatros class was a class of eight corvettes designed and built in Italy in the 1950s. Paid for by US funds, they were operated by Italy, Denmark, Indonesia and the Netherlands. The last ships of the class were retired from service in Italy in 1991.

Saar 2-class missile boat

The Sa'ar 2 class ("Shalechet") is a class of missile boats built in Cherbourg, France at the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie shipyard based on Israeli Navy modification of the German Navy's Jaguar-class fast attack craft. Three of the ships class were converted from Sa'ar 1-class patrol boats in 1974.

<i>Admiral Pereira da Silva</i>-class frigate

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.

<i>Atrevida</i>-class corvette

The Atrevida class was a class of six corvettes built for the Spanish Navy in the 1950s.

HNLMS <i>Kortenaer</i> (F807)

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 <i>Callenburgh</i> (F808)

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".

<i>Esmeraldas</i>-class corvette

The Esmeraldas-class corvettes are a class of corvette in service with the Ecuadorian Navy, built in Italy by Fincantieri, entering service in the early 1980s.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Saunders 2002, p. 708.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 462.
  3. ↑ Friedman 1997, p. 463.
  4. 1 2 3 Baker 1998, pp. 870–871.

Sources

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.