Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]

Contains threads on Royal Navy equipment of the past, present and future.

What will be the result of the 'Lighter Frigate' programme?

Programme cancelled, RN down to 14 escorts
52
10%
Programme cancelled & replaced with GP T26
14
3%
A number of heavy OPVs spun as "frigates"
127
25%
An LCS-like modular ship
22
4%
A modernised Type 23
24
5%
A Type 26-lite
71
14%
Less than 5 hulls
22
4%
5 hulls
71
14%
More than 5 hulls
103
20%
 
Total votes: 506

Repulse
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Repulse »

Interesting looks to me a 57mm gun and 24 CAMM launchers - no other VLS. Could this be the RN version?
”We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow." - Lord Palmerston

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

RichardIC wrote:
donald_of_tokyo wrote:...I feel more and more that, UK is just one of the "importer" of Iver Huitfeldt-class as Arrowhead 140 and not in the exporter market of the design. Even if it were selected as T31e for RN, there will be no export from UK, as expected. No merit for customer, nor OMT.
It's going to depend entirely on what agreement is reached regarding intellectual property etc if the Iver Huitfedt is selected for T31e. And it hasn't been yet.
In the meantime OMT continue to try and export what is still their design and I don't think we can have any problem with that.
At least we know any future Iver Huitfeldts can't be built in Denmark.
Do you think those sells activity is associated with a disclaimer as; "note if RN selects Arrowhead 140, you will be force to build these hull at UK, or build by your own under Babcock's technical support". Sorry, I cannot imagine such a thing to happen.

I guess it will be just
1: you can build by your own yard with support from Team Denmark
2: or any other yards can be used. As one of such candidate, UK ship yard can also do it.

I'm no saying "build in UK" option is zero. But, why customers will prefer to build it in UK? Note that Team Denmarks approach to Indonesia has a longer history than Babcock's Arrowhead 140.

inch
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by inch »

Mmh Let's hope with new pm they go for more t26 instead eh

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RichardIC
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by RichardIC »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:Do you think those sells activity is associated with a disclaimer as; "note if RN selects Arrowhead 140, you will be force to build these hull at UK, or build by your own under Babcock's technical support". Sorry, I cannot imagine such a thing to happen.

I guess it will be just
1: you can build by your own yard with support from Team Denmark
2: or any other yards can be used. As one of such candidate, UK ship yard can also do it.
Dunno, I'm not party to the negotiations. None of us on here are as far as I'm aware.

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

RichardIC wrote:
Great info.
- As Repulse-san says, 12 CAMM at bow, 12 CAMM amidship.
- A 57 mm gun at bow, and 2x 30 mm guns aside the hangar.
- no Phalanx CIWS
- 2 small radomes on the mizzen mast is the CAMM data links?
- ~1m extension astern on the flight deck.
- carrying 3 20ft ISO containers, and 2 RHIBs, and one 11m(?) alcove is empty.
- FCS for 57 mm gun is not shown. (why?)
- amid ship deck arrangement has been changed.

Overall, it looks very practical design, following the T31e RFI "requirements+FTRs". For example, if it carries CAMM, there is no need for CIWS. No requirement for Mk 41 VLS. It is good as it is. But if "more" is required, not much margin she has. No problem, she is only 3600t small ship, optimized for the original T31e RFI requirement.

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

RichardIC wrote:Dunno, I'm not party to the negotiations. None of us on here are as far as I'm aware.
Agreed. I am just guessing. My first point is, Babcock is still not "within" the Team Denmark (looks like a fact).

And if so, common sense says any sells activity under Team Denmark banner is independent of Babcock. So, Iver Huitfeldts itself will be a rival for Arrowhead 140. I see no strong evidence against thinking so, following common sense. This is my second point.

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Tempest414
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Tempest414 »

for me if they want to put 24 CAMM on Leander fit 2 EXLS in place of the tubs and clean the hole thing up those horrid tubs make the ship look cheap and now they have added another cheap tub

Repulse
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Repulse »

Tempest414 wrote:for me if they want to put 24 CAMM on Leander fit 2 EXLS in place of the tubs and clean the hole thing up those horrid tubs make the ship look cheap and now they have added another cheap tub
Perhaps the RN has offered up the existing T23 tubes for free?
”We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow." - Lord Palmerston

Repulse
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Repulse »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:~1m extension astern on the flight deck
I saw that, seems strange as the flight deck already looked to be Merlin capable and it’s not meant to be there for carrying any weight - any ideas?
”We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow." - Lord Palmerston

MikeKiloPapa
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by MikeKiloPapa »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:Zero smell of UK company, Babcock, involved in Iver Huitfeldt-class sales around Asia, in IMDEX Asia 2019.
"Asia" here really only meaning Indonesia, which have been eyeing the IHs at least since 2014-15 , so as you yourself notes , that offer to them predates OMT/Naval Team Denmarks involvement with Babcock by several years.....and is probably to far along by now to involve the latter. It should also be noted that the Indonesians are looking for a specification closer to the Huitfeldts, as opposed to those of the A140( if they can afford it is another matter though) .



I think Indonesia is a special case though,..... like DK , they are relatively cash-strapped , and they also want to bolster there own shipbuilding industry. Here the smaller danish companies is a perfect fit, because they are cheaper and much more flexible to work with.....another little known advantage is that OMT has substantial know-how and experience in upgrading and optimizing ship yards, something the Indonesians are likely to utilize and which is probably a part of OMTs offer.

But i also think this is the last shot for a pure Danish bid......what the last 10-15 years have aptly demonstrated , is that the Danish defence industry and its companies TERMA, OMT , NTD etc are simply too small to properly compete on the international market ....and further handicapped by the lack of our own shipbuilding yard(s).......Hence the tie-up with Babcock.
Just an impression, I agree, but I feel more and more that, UK is just one of the "importer" of Iver Huitfeldt-class as Arrowhead 140 and not in the exporter market of the design
http://navalteam.dk/index.php?id=25&tx_ ... 080aed4032

This news blurb from last year strongly suggests that you are wrong Donald-san. In fact i think you will see that any future bid or offer involving OMT will be as a part of Team 31, pitching the A140 and NOT the Huitfeldts.
Even if it were selected as T31e for RN, there will be no export from UK, as expected.
Perhaps, but what makes you think it would be any different with Leander ? ...Countries who are going to want to build A140 themselves, are also likely to insist on building Leander in their own yards......Regardless of which design is finally selected for T31 , i think the best UK can hope for in terms of export is selling the design but with a high level of UK content( propulsion systems,IPMS, CMS , Weapons and Sensors etc)

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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Ron5 »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:
RichardIC wrote:
Great info.
- As Repulse-san says, 12 CAMM at bow, 12 CAMM amidship.
- A 57 mm gun at bow, and 2x 30 mm guns aside the hangar.
- no Phalanx CIWS
- 2 small radomes on the mizzen mast is the CAMM data links?
- ~1m extension astern on the flight deck.
- carrying 3 20ft ISO containers, and 2 RHIBs, and one 11m(?) alcove is empty.
- FCS for 57 mm gun is not shown. (why?)
- amid ship deck arrangement has been changed.

Overall, it looks very practical design, following the T31e RFI "requirements+FTRs". For example, if it carries CAMM, there is no need for CIWS. No requirement for Mk 41 VLS. It is good as it is. But if "more" is required, not much margin she has. No problem, she is only 3600t small ship, optimized for the original T31e RFI requirement.
No "dedicated" FCS. However, RN ships don't usually carry one. Mainmast EO plus Artisan will supply target co-ords.

Phalanx is FTR?

Are you sure about the flight deck change? I doubt adding 1m is worthwhile.

MikeKiloPapa
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by MikeKiloPapa »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:
RichardIC wrote:Dunno, I'm not party to the negotiations. None of us on here are as far as I'm aware.
Agreed. I am just guessing. My first point is, Babcock is still not "within" the Team Denmark (looks like a fact).
No not as far as we know , but OMT is very much a part of Team 31...( and its VERY likely that Babcock will become an affiliated member of NTD.... like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.....but only if they win the T31 selection of course)
And if so, common sense says any sells activity under Team Denmark banner is independent of Babcock.

Common sense says that ANY "sells activity" wrt to the IH under NTDs banner is EXTREMELY unlikely.......OMTs best bet of getting anything out of the Huitfeldt IP , is handing it over or sharing it with Babcock. Also a rather obvious fact which i think everyone misses here is that Iver Huitfeldt does NOT = Arrowhead 140 .....and likewise IHs IP is not the same as A140s .
So, Iver Huitfeldts itself will be a rival for Arrowhead 140.
No it wont. That Team 31 is also showing the A140 (export) in a configuration mirroring the Huitfeldt's but under Babcocks banner is indicative of that.

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:
RichardIC wrote:
Great info.
- As Repulse-san says, 12 CAMM at bow, 12 CAMM amidship.
- A 57 mm gun at bow, and 2x 30 mm guns aside the hangar.
- no Phalanx CIWS
- 2 small radomes on the mizzen mast is the CAMM data links?
- ~1m extension astern on the flight deck.
- carrying 3 20ft ISO containers, and 2 RHIBs, and one 11m(?) alcove is empty.
- FCS for 57 mm gun is not shown. (why?)
- amid ship deck arrangement has been changed...
Ron5 wrote:No "dedicated" FCS. However, RN ships don't usually carry one. Mainmast EO plus Artisan will supply target co-ords.
Phalanx is FTR?
Are you sure about the flight deck change? I doubt adding 1m is worthwhile.
Repulse wrote:I saw that (~1m extension), seems strange as the flight deck already looked to be Merlin capable and it’s not meant to be there for carrying any weight - any ideas?
1: 57mm with full kit of 3P ammunition, primarily for AAW precision 240 rounds per minute fire, may need a dedicated FCS because of the refresh rate? (Gun for NGFS (and anti-ship) do not need it.). EO can do it, but only if not in fog.

2: My point is, location used for Phalanx in the original plan are now used for communication antennas. This is "OK" if Leander carries CAMM, I think.

3: Adding 1 m was also done in Al Khareef class, although the shape of the extension slightly differs. So, may be they just "copy-and-pasted" the stern design, while extension (for Merlin) is at near the hangar? Not sure.

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

MikeKiloPapa wrote:
So, Iver Huitfeldts itself will be a rival for Arrowhead 140.
No it wont. That Team 31 is also showing the A140 (export) in a configuration mirroring the Huitfeldt's but under Babcocks banner is indicative of that.
Hopefully. Anyway, my point is the license issue is one of the biggest concern to Arrowhead 140, as well as the MEKO A200 proposal. I hope clear announcement to be provided from the two teams.

P.S. Babcock has a license to sell Vard7 80 and 90 OPVs. But, RNZN Otago-class OPV = Vard7 85, virtually a sister of them, were not built in Babcock nor under the technical support of them. On the other hand, in Vard7 110 = USCG Heritage class cutter, Babcock won the detailed engineering support contract for its design. As Vard7 is a merchant ship hull (it is advocated to be so), licensing will be more easy. So, licensing agreement for Arrowhead 140 (and MEKO A200) is of great interest, one of the top concern, I think.

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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Caribbean »

Since "exportability" is the main focus of both the NSS AND the T31 RFI, I doubt Babcocks would have wasted more than a few minutes on the A140 if they hadn't got the IP issues nailed down from day 1.
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

Caribbean wrote:Since "exportability" is the main focus of both the NSS AND the T31 RFI, I doubt Babcocks would have wasted more than a few minutes on the A140 if they hadn't got the IP issues nailed down from day 1.
Sorry, you miss my point. I should have written it more directly.

Babcock DO HAVE an export license of Vard7 80, and they sold it to Irish Navy. With the experience, I guess they even designed Vard7 90 OPVs, also sold to Irish navy. Good. But, it did not stopped Tennix Australia (now BAE) to build two Vard7 85 OPV for RNZN which is another development of Vard-7 80 OPV. In this case,
- Babcock DO HAVE an export license
- but it was not exclusive license (not forced to include Babcock in all future program)
I think this is the common way. Similarly, if Atlas-UK win T31e, I do not expect them to have an exclusive license of MEKO A200. If it were exclusive license, then it is very special case, and I want to know if it is the case.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

MikeKiloPapa wrote: the Danish defence industry and its companies TERMA, OMT , NTD etc are simply too small to properly compete on the international market ....and further handicapped by the lack of our own shipbuilding yard(s).......Hence the tie-up with Babcock
Sensible as the other Nordic defence companies are pretty much consolidating in just two... long tradition for the Danes to look this way; across the sea
FCS for 57 mm gun is not shown. (why?)
First thought that this is the "e" as the RN is unlikely to intro a new calibre for a class of 5. Even the US (when you total USN+ USCG) have pretty much halved their initial 57 mm order... so why would we put a "coastal craft" / Coast Guard weapon onto a blue-water asset? And the likeliest answer is Ron's, below. Just like for the same gun on the Hamina FACs... just an integrated system, nothing extra.
Ron5 wrote:No "dedicated" FCS. However, RN ships don't usually carry one. Mainmast EO plus Artisan will supply target co-ords.
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
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RichardIC
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by RichardIC »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:Hopefully. Anyway, my point is the license issue is one of the biggest concern to Arrowhead 140, as well as the MEKO A200 proposal. I hope clear announcement to be provided from the two teams.

P.S. Babcock has a license to sell Vard7 80 and 90 OPVs. But, RNZN Otago-class OPV = Vard7 85, virtually a sister of them, were not built in Babcock nor under the technical support of them. On the other hand, in Vard7 110 = USCG Heritage class cutter, Babcock won the detailed engineering support contract for its design. As Vard7 is a merchant ship hull (it is advocated to be so), licensing will be more easy. So, licensing agreement for Arrowhead 140 (and MEKO A200) is of great interest, one of the top concern, I think.
Bottom line is that none of us know what terms of business have been agreed, or whether they are still negotiating, and we're speculating.

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SKB
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by SKB »

Some new T31e concepts from BAE: https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/bae-sy ... e-concept/

Btw. No anchor?

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Pseudo
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Pseudo »

SKB wrote:Some new T31e concepts from BAE: https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/bae-sy ... e-concept/

Btw. No anchor?
It uses a revolutionary braking mechanism based around a series of extending, tensile "air brakes" constructed of a durable, environmentally-friendly fabric material, which also doubles as an auxiliary propulsion system that harnesses the very latest in renewable energy technology. :)

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SKB
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by SKB »

Some BAE Leander T31e images:
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
(BAE Maritime)

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whitelancer
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by whitelancer »

Looks nice enough but not much in the way of offensive capability.

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Tempest414
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Tempest414 »

There is simply no money in the budget for offensive weapons and the only offensive punch comes from the Helicopter so instead of a GP frigate it should be looked at as global patrol frigate.

I think more can be done to Leander to make it a good local area defence escort like change the two 30mm for 40mm Mk-4s with 3P ammo plus add LMM. It now looks like Leander will now get 24 CAMM but if the RN wanted more swap out the two front tubs for two 3 cell EXLS giving the ship 36 CAMM.

This would mean the ship could engage air threats at 25+ km plus air & surface threats at 8.5km with a mix of CAMM , 57mm, 40mm , LMM , and small arms

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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Caribbean »

Hopefully there will be money in the guided weapons budget to allow for adding some deck-mounted launchers for an anti-ship missile (once the future strategy is decided).
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

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Tempest414
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Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Post by Tempest414 »

Looking at the images above is the hangar taller than before maybe Merlin capable ?

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