CASR
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In Detail |
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Danish Naval |
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In Detail |
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Comparisons – NATO Allies –
Current Danish Naval Projects – July 2008 An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval Projects 2005-2009 Projekt Patruljeskib – the Iver Huitfeld class Patrol Ship/Future Frigate Update 11 March 2010: the first Danish Patruljeskib frigate, the name-ship F 361 Iver Huitfeldt [1] has been launched – after a fashion. The semi-completed hull of F361 has been floated off its keel blocks at Odense Staalskibsværft. Assembly of F362 Peter Willemoes is also well underway. The first construction 'blocks' for F363 Niels Juel were laid down (on schedule) on 22 Dec 2009. These ships are to enter service in 2012-2013. Iver Huitfeldt was initially scheduled to begin sea trials in November of 2010. That may be pushed back since the 'floating' of F361 was delayed by a month. Following the two Absalon class Command and Support Ships are new patrol frigates. In Danish, this is referred to as Projekt Patruljeskib (or Project Patrol Ship). 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. 
The frigate is a direct evolution of the Absalon class. Based on the same hull, the frigates will be
much more powerful – Absalons have two 8,200 kW MTU diesels, frigates will have four
such engines. Frigates will also have a lower profile ( having dispensed with the
Absalon's internal vehicle deck. Another difference is the plan to do final fit-outs
while in the shipyard.The yard in question is Odense Lindø (Odense Staalskibsværft ) which will complete three patrol frigates. Cutting of steel for frigate number 1 (F351) began in late February 2008 (five months later than originally planned) but not at Lindøværft. The first 'blocks' for the frigate were welded up at Baltija Shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania. The first completed blocks were towed to Lindø at the end of May 2008 in time for the first keel laying in June. Loksa in Estonia [2] is also producing blocks. 
The new Patruljeskibe will be very similar in size and other respects to other current frigate programs such
as the German Type 124/125, Dutch De Zeven Provinciën class, Franco/Italian FREMM, and
the Spanish F100. Where there is a difference is in price. The cost for all three frigates fitted with sensors and
weapons (save Standard SM-2 air defence missiles) is given as 4.7 billion Kroner (Cdn $1B or about $333M per ship).
The other European frigates mentioned range from $447M Cdn (for FREMM, French version) to $1.12B Cdn (for German
Type 124 Sachsen class). [3]Of most interest to Canadians, of course, is how prices for these European frigates compare with DND's planned Single Class Surface Combatant. The 12 SCSC future frigates were given a project price of $20B plus. That would work out to an averaged per hull cost for SCSC frigates of $1.7M. 
Although fit-out of the frigates will occur before leaving the yard, the use of Standard Flex containers
allow for an interim armament arrangement. The planned main gun armament is the 127mm M/02 LvSa (the BAE
5-in. Mk 45 Mod 4 as on Absalon, right). However, as an interim measure, that forward
'A position' slot will be filled by a 76mm M/85 LvSa – the same OTO Melara Super Rapid
gun used on Canadian Tribal class destroyers. A second 76mm M/85 will be mounted in the
'B position' slot above and behind the first gun. This too is a temporary expedient and will soon be
replaced.
Ultimately, that 'B position' slot will be filled by a close-in weapon system – the same
35mm Rheinmetall Millenium revolver cannon CIWS as will be mounted above the rear hangar (in a similar
fore and aft arrangement as is used on the Albsalons). Other armament is 24 x ESSM air defence
missiles (optional Standard SM-2s), 16 x Harpoon surface to surface missiles, plus torpedos and short-range
SAMs.Even in its initial, interim armament form, the Danish patrol ship will be an impressive frigate. This has been achieved at a lower cost than any comparable vessel by evolving the hull from another in-service 'frigate'. The similarity of major systems between the patrol ship and the Absalons also means that crews can be interchanged without the need for further training. Those similarities will be increased when the patrol frigate's ultimate armament is 'plugged in'. In the meantime, further economies are made by taking full advantage of Standard Flex and using the available armaments.
[1] Iver Huitfeldt class spellings vary as they did for the man for which the ships are named (hero of the 18th C Great Northern War with Sweden, Sjøoffiser Iver or Ivar Huitfeld – Huitfeldt – or his Norwegian birth name, Iffuer Tønnesen ). Even official documents sometimes use 'Ivar Huitfeldt'. [2] Odense Staalskibsværft is a part of AP Møller-Maersk A/S as are the Baltija and Loksa yards. [3] Unit costs for naval vessels (especially when averaged) are notoriously unreliable – there are simply too many variables and accounting practices. With that caveat in mind, the following are rough unit prices for the frigates mentioned in the text and the Single Class Surface Combatant. • Danish – 1.5B Kr = $333M Cdn (Project Patruljeskibe) • FREMM – 280M € = $447M Cdn (French version, diesel powered) • FREMM – 350M € = $600M Cdn (Italian version, turbine powered) • Dutch – 400M € = $639M Cdn (De Zeven Provinciën class) (or up to – 450M € = $719M Cdn quotes vary according to source) • Spanish – 400M € = $639M Cdn (F100/Nansen class, prices vary) • Typ 125 – 550M € = $878M Cdn (projected German Fregatte Klasse F125) • FREMM – 550M € = $879M Cdn (projected air defence version) • Typ 124 – 700M € = $1.12B Cdn (German Sachsen class air defence frigate) • CF SCSC – 1.06B € = $1.70B Cdn (Single Class Surface Combatant) Further reading: Danish Naval History Patrol Ship, Patrol Ship photo album (digitial impressions) |
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