CASR
- Canadian Defence Policy, Foreign
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In Detail
Current Danish Naval Projects
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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 a Patrol Ship or
Heavily-Armed Future Frigate
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
Absalons 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 [1] 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). [2]
Of most interest to Canadians, of course, is how prices for these European frigates compare with DNDs
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 frigates ultimate armament is plugged in. In the meantime, further economies are made by
taking full advantage of Standard Flex and using the available armaments.
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Danish Projekt Patruljeskib
Frigate |
Displacement: |
6,200 tonnes |
Dimensions: |
length 138 m, beam 20 m, draught
6 m |
Complement: |
100 crew (accommodation for up to 160
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Propulsion: |
4 x 8,200 kW (11,000 hp) MTU
8000 M70 diesel engines, 2 x props, 1 x bow thruster |
Range: |
9,000 nautical miles (16,666 km) at 15 kts |
Performance: |
maximum speed 28 knots (51.89 km/h) |
Armament: (final fit) |
1 x 127 mm main gun (5"/62 / M/02
LvSa) 2 x 35 mm CIWS (Millenium / M/04 LvSa) 16 x SSM, 24 x ESSM, 1 x
Mk 41 VLS, 4 x Stinger SAM, 2 x torpedo launchers, mgs |
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[1] Odense Staalskibsværft is a part of AP Møller-Maersk A/S as are the Baltija and Loksa
yards.
[2] 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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