Type 23 Frigate (Duke Class) (RN) [News Only]

[shark bait]

she does look very empty there, presumably the bits have already been taken away from an overhaul.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Noticed that the main radar, scot ,and 4.5 gun ae missing

Heh-heh, the RN SkunkWorks are in a secret location, where the first T31 has already been welded together from blocks that were transported under the very eyes of the even most dedicated (defence) train spotters?
- now, the military fitting out commences, from those "spare bits"

[SKB]

[donald_of_tokyo]

Can clearly see the CAMM update, not silos, but the data-link antenna.

Very flat top. Very clean.

I like it, although I wonder it may be a bit better to mount these up/down-link antenna a bit higher?

[SKB]

Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset escorts Russian submarine Krasnodar through the English Channel.

[donald_of_tokyo]

http://www.janes.com/article/70754/lock ... 23-upgrade

Chilian navy's 3 T23 will get upgrade by Lockheed Martin Canada, similar to those of RNZN Anzac class frigate, with CAMM.

- BAE not getting the contract is not so good news for UK (but not surprise). LMC do the work for 12 Halifax class. They are also doing it for 2 RNZN Anzac class for 180M USD. This means they are competitive. BAE is to do for 13 RN T23s. Do anyone know how much it costs?
- Anyway, CAMM getting further order confirmed is nice to see. Also, not Artisan 3D but TRS4D.

[shark bait]

It is very good, CAMM isn't even in service yet and it already has a handful of other customer, must mean it's pretty good!

[Defiance]

It is very good, CAMM isn't even in service yet and it already has a handful of other customer, must mean it's pretty good!

Definitely, it gives me a fair amount of confidence in it. The ground based order for Brazil slipped by me however.

[marktigger]

I wonder how much more the T23 refit program by both countries is costing due to the original design and concept being not for refit?
The ships were designed for the cold war and ops in GIUK gap and yes are working in gulf but aren't the best in Hot climates.

[SKB]

HMS Westminster leaves Devonport Naval Base at Devil's Point on 26th June 2017.


Three frigates together whilst the video maker (Ralph Astley: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPItZt ... AUxZ1nAiXA) went out walking. HMS Argyll (F231), HMS Westminster (F237), and HNLMS Van Speijk (F828).

[Aethulwulf]

HMS Montrose completes her refit.

http://m.plymouthherald.co.uk/this-plym ... story.html

[shark bait]

Surprised we haven't seen anything about a CAMM test at sea yet? They are fitted with the silos, I assume there are missiles in them, is that the case? or are deliveries yet to commence?

[abc123]

Surprised we haven't seen anything about a CAMM test at sea yet? They are fitted with the silos, I assume there are missiles in them, is that the case? or are deliveries yet to commence?

Interesting question. I was thinking the same thing...

[marktigger]

interesting video on RNAS Culdrose facebook page of Merlin being taken out of a Type 23 hanger its very tight wonder how easy it is to maintain them in that enviroment?

[ArmChairCivvy]

They are fitted with the silos, I assume there are missiles in them, is that the case?

May be we economise by not having them at sea (=longer life)? Out of context, Brazil is looking to economise by having the army fire their CAMMS from the domestically-produced rocket launchers... every trick in the book can be tried (Brazil is not riding the commodities boom anymore, and I have heard something about our budgets being tight, too, or worse than that ?)

[Ron5]

CAMM silo's are extremely simple, not much more than a metal framework. No fire suppression systems really needed just some thick surrounding plate to direct hang fires/BD upwards.

HMS Argyll was to have carried out initial CAMM firings early this year in the Hebrides with the missile becoming operational later in 2017. All T23s should be equipped by 2020. No idea why we've not seen any reports. Argyll sailed in February after her refit.

[Ron5]

I found this photoshop to keep us happy ...

[shark bait]

CAMM silo's are extremely simple, not much more than a metal framework. No fire suppression systems really needed just some thick surrounding plate to direct hang fires/BD upwards.

Yep, the beauties of cold launch and insensitive munitions, it makes it into a very simple system. The silo does nothing, the gas generator and piston used to launch the missile are single use and come with the missile canister.

[donald_of_tokyo]

Just accumulate T23s CAMM status from wiki... : Correct me if I'm wrong.

T23GP
Argyll______ F231 CAMM
Lancaster___ F229 now in refit for CAMM
Iron Duke___ F234 SeaWolf
Monmouth__ F235 SeaWolf
Montrose___ F236 CAMM

T23ASW
Westminster_ F237 CAMM
Northumberland F238 now in refit for CAMM
Richmond___ F239 SeaWolf
Somerset___ F82 SeaWolf
Sutherland__ F81 SeaWolf
Kent_______ F78 now in refit for CAMM
Portland____ F79 SeaWolf
St Albans___ F83 SeaWolf

[ArmChairCivvy]

That's interesting; do you have the latest refit dates for them as well?

E.g . for Iron Duke "The ship's crew returned onboard in March 2013 after the 11-month refit."
- did she "only just miss CAMM"
- or, did she not get it for being one of the first to go? My thinking is that the technical condition of the oldest Dukes might not correlate 100% with their time order as for launching

[Aethulwulf]

During Iron Duke's refit in 2013, she was the first ship to be fitted with Artisan 997 radar. However, Sea Ceptor did not start to be fitted to the fleet until 2016. It will be fitted to Iron Duke during her next refit.

[SKB]

HMS St Albans (F83) has been drydocked in Portsmouth since 6th July, she's having hull maintenance work done for several weeks.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... -sits-high

[WhiteWhale]

Hammering out all those dents at a guess! Poor old girl is looking quite sorry for herself.

[SKB]

St Albans is actually the youngest of the sixteen T23's ever built, having been commissioned in 2002...

[WhiteWhale]

Well, that's... worrying.

Hopefully the new ships are made from thicker steel.