Perspective frigate for the US Navy: the traditional appearance and advanced features
According to foreign media reports, the command of the naval forces of the United States of America began to consider the issue of returning to the construction and operation of frigate class ships. Currently, there are no such ships in the US Navy, but in the medium term it is planned to restore this part of the surface forces. According to recent reports, ongoing research is currently ongoing. fleet and the capabilities of industry, which should result in requirements for a promising ship.
Recall that the last at the moment American frigates were built by the project of Oliver Hazard Perry since the late seventies. By the early nineties, the Navy received more than fifty new ships, but it was soon decided to gradually withdraw them from the fleet. In 1996, the write-off of frigates began. No longer needed ships were sent for recycling, became floating targets, or transferred to third countries. The last ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry type was decommissioned in 2015. As a result, not a single frigate remained in service with the American fleet. Part of their tasks was transferred to the ships of the coastal zone Littoral Combat Ship.
USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7), 1979 Frigate
The US online publication Defense News 10 April published some news about the planned revival of the fleet of American frigates. According to the newspaper, the command of the naval forces is currently continuing to scrutinize the creation of new ships of this class, and is also considering ways to improve their technical and combat characteristics to the maximum possible values. Due to the use of promising technical means and armaments, it is expected to obtain new capabilities of one kind or another. In particular, the construction of promising frigates on the basis of existing ships of the LCS project is not excluded.
Earlier, a special RET group (Requirement Evaluation Team - “Team of Determining Requirements”) was formed to carry out the initial work and to form a technical task for the project. The organization includes representatives of several directorates and commands of the naval forces. In addition, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Department for the Evaluation of the Programs of the Ministry of Defense participate in it. The research team was collected quite a long time ago, and some of its goals and results of current activities became known. As follows from the published information, one of the main tasks of RET is to expand the range of tasks to be solved, primarily through the use of new weapons.
One of the main tasks of a promising frigate should be the implementation of the air defense of the ship group. Exploring this issue is one of the main tasks of the RET team. It is assumed that such opportunities will be used to cover the ships Combat Logistics Force, responsible for the delivery of fuel, ammunition, food, etc. on warships serving in remote areas. Such a method of using new ships should lead to noticeable differences from the frigates of the previous types. Previously, American frigates carried air defense weapons only for self-defense and were not intended to cover entire warrants.
At the moment, further development of the ship’s weapons complex is planned, allowing it to gain certain advantages over the previous types of equipment. Thus, the Oliver Hazard Perry frigates carried Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as missile and torpedo anti-submarine missiles. weapon. Artillery and missile anti-aircraft systems allowed ships to attack targets only in the near zone, performing self-defense. Now it is proposed to increase the anti-aircraft potential while maintaining other combat capabilities.
Updated requirements for the weapons complex were formed based on the analysis of the current situation and the forecast of its development prospects. aviation offensive weapons and anti-ship weapons used by ships and submarines are an increasing danger to ship groups. As a result, they need a developed air defense system. The anti-ship and anti-submarine potential of the frigate should also be increased, but anti-aircraft weapons in the current situation are of particular importance.
Some details of the requirements for future American frigates have already become known. All the most interesting innovations in this area relate to enhancing anti-aircraft weapons by increasing their quantity and quality. Thus, the medium-range guided missile RIM-162 ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) modified by Block 2 should be the main means of protecting yourself and other ships. The ammunition of this complex should be doubled in comparison with the ships of previous models. A prospective frigate should carry 16 missiles of this type.
One of the main means of defense against air attack in the US Navy is currently the SM-2 guided missile. Such weapons are equipped with all existing large surface ships. It is proposed to provide for the use of such missiles in promising frigates. For their transportation and launch, ships can get the Mark 41 universal vertical launcher with at least eight cells for SM-2 missiles. Using an anti-aircraft missile system with SM-2 missiles will significantly increase the combat potential of the ship, but it will require the use of more sophisticated and sophisticated on-board equipment necessary to control the weapon.
The long range of SM-2 rockets imposes the corresponding requirements for shipborne surveillance and detection tools. In order to improve these characteristics of a promising frigate, the possibility of using the latest Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar radar, developed by Raytheon for installation on aircraft carriers such as Gerald R. Ford and other ships of new projects, is currently being considered. In addition, the frigate should receive the most modern means of communication and control, with which it can enter into the general information structure of the naval forces. This will give certain advantages in the detection of potentially dangerous objects and the subsequent protection of the accompanied order.
There are some details of the requirements for the general parameters of survivability. In this regard, the prospective frigate should be no worse than ships of the class Oliver Hazard Perry. Thus, in the field of survivability to the new ships no special requirements. Characteristics are allowed at the level of the equipment developed a few decades ago and has already completed its service.
At the same time, in the new project some original ideas aimed at increasing survivability can be used. The possibility of equipping ships with additional reservations, designed to protect important sites from various threats, is being considered. In addition, it is possible to place vital components and assemblies in different compartments, including those separated by some space, freed from any equipment, or having a different content. This method of increasing survivability can dramatically reduce the likelihood of simultaneous damage to several compartments, but it negatively affects the size and, as a result, the cost of the ship.
In early April, the head of the US Naval Ministry, Sean Stackley, commented on the development of a promising frigate with improved air defense capabilities. According to the high-ranking official, the United States has every opportunity to increase the anti-aircraft potential of new ships. A significant increase in "mortality" can be obtained without excessive spending and economic problems.
Sh. Stackley noted that the fleet and shipbuilding industry have a good and solid scientific and technical base for creating promising ships with the required characteristics. The main objective of the program is to increase the potential of anti-aircraft systems, but it should not be forgotten about other aspects. Developing a new project, one should remember about the vitality in a combat situation and other important characteristics. The Minister recalled the need to develop new technology with a balance of technical risks and the cost of the finished ships. In view of the high complexity of such works, the question of the future creation of a project on a competitive basis is being considered.
To date, American shipbuilding has already managed to develop preliminary projects of a promising frigate. Two such developments were created by specialists from Lockheed Martin and Austal USA - the main participants in the Littoral Combat Ship program. As part of the development of existing ships of the LCS type, special modifications were created to meet the hypothetical requirements for the new frigate. Now the development companies are waiting for the Navy to officially publish a request to create a new project. This event, according to current plans, should take place next fall.
It should be noted that the base ships of the LCS type are not distinguished by a developed rocket armament complex and, as a consequence, have very limited capabilities in air defense. Changing the project in order to obtain the required characteristics and combat capabilities will be quite a difficult task. In addition, the development of a new frigate, even at the level of creating a preliminary project, will take some time. Sh. Stackley noted that his department does not want to be attached to a specific date - first, it is planned to complete the work on the technical task in a calm atmosphere. At the same time, the naval ministry wants to complete this phase of the project by the end of the current fiscal year - by early October.
The development of a promising frigate based on existing LCS ships looks very likely. At the same time, some experts, congressmen and military experts suggest using a different way to create a new ship. In order to obtain significant savings, it is proposed to build a promising frigate based on the older Oliver Hazard Perry project. The use of the finished hull, filled with modern systems, will give a tangible benefit both during the creation of the project, and in the construction of serial ships.
Certain problems that the Requirement Evaluation Team had to face have already led to a slight delay in the implementation of the initial stages of the current program. Previously it was assumed that the requirements for the frigate will be formed as soon as possible, after which the project will appear in the shortest possible time, and the lead ship of the series will be ordered in 2019 year. Now the date of signing the contract for the first frigate is transferred to the 2020. Such schedule changes are associated with the desire of the military department to get the most elaborate projects, evaluate them and select the most successful one.
At the moment, it is planned to complete all the preliminary work and determine the winner of the current competition by the end of the 2020 financial year. The developers of the new project are invited to create their own versions of the projects independently, as well as using one or another development of previous ships, including the Littoral Combat Ship family. In connection with the postponement of the signing of the contract for the year, an additional decision was made to purchase other ships. So, in 2019, it is planned to purchase two additional LCS.
It is noteworthy that recently American shipbuilding has become more interested in developing a promising frigate. Apparently, the reason for this was the firm intentions of the naval command. Previously, the Pentagon studied the themes of the new frigates only to determine their prospects and without building real plans. Now the situation has seriously changed: a special group is studying the real possibilities and is engaged in the formation of requirements for ships. As a result, the industry, seeing the real interest of the military, also decided to join the active work.
Coastal Ship USS Freedom (LCS-1)
One of the reasons for the return to the idea of building frigates with a full-fledged complex of guided missile weapons capable of solving various tasks was the failure of previous projects. The curious and ambitious project Littoral Combat Ship, designed to replace outdated frigates, was not too successful. At high cost, LCS ships of two types are distinguished by very limited combat capabilities and operational characteristics. Because of this, the planned number of "ships of the coastal zone" is constantly reduced. At the moment, it is supposed to get by with the construction of the entire 40 LCS - one and a half times less than originally intended.
Initially it was assumed that LCS ships would be built on a modular basis and receive a variety of targeted equipment or weapons. In theory, this made it possible to build anti-submarine defense ships, ships with air defense weapons, etc. However, such a task did not receive a full-fledged solution, which accordingly hit the combat potential of the ships. It is to solve such problems that work is currently underway to create a promising frigate, initially carrying a variety of artillery and rocket weapons.
The main task of the new frigate will be combat work in the coastal and near sea zone. There, he will protect the sea communications, ports and other objects that are potential targets for striking the enemy. Taking into account the observed progress in the field of ship and aircraft weapons, the air defense systems were considered the most important means of protecting transport ships and coastal facilities. In addition, a certain anti-submarine potential will be maintained. Exact information about the anti-ship armament required by the customer has not yet appeared.
According to the latest data, the frigates of the new project will begin to be built no earlier than the next decade. The signing of the contract for the construction of the lead ship was postponed to 2020 year, which allows us to determine the approximate dates for the appearance of serial frigates. Thus, a group of promising ships that can have a minimally noticeable effect on the situation on the seas will appear no earlier than the end of the twenties.
In the recent past, the project of promising combat "ships of the coastal zone" was of great interest and almost became a revolution in modern shipbuilding. Nevertheless, the tasks assigned to the developers of two such ships turned out to be too complicated, which is why far from all the desired results were obtained. As a result, the US Navy, in the framework of the further development of the surface fleet, decided to return to less courageous, but already explored and tested ideas in practice. In the distant future, coastal protection will be entrusted to frigates that have a traditional look, but differ in the use of modern systems and weapons.
On the materials of the sites:
http://defensenews.com/
https://news.usni.org/
http://newsweek.com/
http://navyrecognition.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
Recall that the last at the moment American frigates were built by the project of Oliver Hazard Perry since the late seventies. By the early nineties, the Navy received more than fifty new ships, but it was soon decided to gradually withdraw them from the fleet. In 1996, the write-off of frigates began. No longer needed ships were sent for recycling, became floating targets, or transferred to third countries. The last ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry type was decommissioned in 2015. As a result, not a single frigate remained in service with the American fleet. Part of their tasks was transferred to the ships of the coastal zone Littoral Combat Ship.
USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7), 1979 Frigate
The US online publication Defense News 10 April published some news about the planned revival of the fleet of American frigates. According to the newspaper, the command of the naval forces is currently continuing to scrutinize the creation of new ships of this class, and is also considering ways to improve their technical and combat characteristics to the maximum possible values. Due to the use of promising technical means and armaments, it is expected to obtain new capabilities of one kind or another. In particular, the construction of promising frigates on the basis of existing ships of the LCS project is not excluded.
Earlier, a special RET group (Requirement Evaluation Team - “Team of Determining Requirements”) was formed to carry out the initial work and to form a technical task for the project. The organization includes representatives of several directorates and commands of the naval forces. In addition, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Department for the Evaluation of the Programs of the Ministry of Defense participate in it. The research team was collected quite a long time ago, and some of its goals and results of current activities became known. As follows from the published information, one of the main tasks of RET is to expand the range of tasks to be solved, primarily through the use of new weapons.
One of the main tasks of a promising frigate should be the implementation of the air defense of the ship group. Exploring this issue is one of the main tasks of the RET team. It is assumed that such opportunities will be used to cover the ships Combat Logistics Force, responsible for the delivery of fuel, ammunition, food, etc. on warships serving in remote areas. Such a method of using new ships should lead to noticeable differences from the frigates of the previous types. Previously, American frigates carried air defense weapons only for self-defense and were not intended to cover entire warrants.
At the moment, further development of the ship’s weapons complex is planned, allowing it to gain certain advantages over the previous types of equipment. Thus, the Oliver Hazard Perry frigates carried Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as missile and torpedo anti-submarine missiles. weapon. Artillery and missile anti-aircraft systems allowed ships to attack targets only in the near zone, performing self-defense. Now it is proposed to increase the anti-aircraft potential while maintaining other combat capabilities.
Updated requirements for the weapons complex were formed based on the analysis of the current situation and the forecast of its development prospects. aviation offensive weapons and anti-ship weapons used by ships and submarines are an increasing danger to ship groups. As a result, they need a developed air defense system. The anti-ship and anti-submarine potential of the frigate should also be increased, but anti-aircraft weapons in the current situation are of particular importance.
Some details of the requirements for future American frigates have already become known. All the most interesting innovations in this area relate to enhancing anti-aircraft weapons by increasing their quantity and quality. Thus, the medium-range guided missile RIM-162 ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) modified by Block 2 should be the main means of protecting yourself and other ships. The ammunition of this complex should be doubled in comparison with the ships of previous models. A prospective frigate should carry 16 missiles of this type.
One of the main means of defense against air attack in the US Navy is currently the SM-2 guided missile. Such weapons are equipped with all existing large surface ships. It is proposed to provide for the use of such missiles in promising frigates. For their transportation and launch, ships can get the Mark 41 universal vertical launcher with at least eight cells for SM-2 missiles. Using an anti-aircraft missile system with SM-2 missiles will significantly increase the combat potential of the ship, but it will require the use of more sophisticated and sophisticated on-board equipment necessary to control the weapon.
The long range of SM-2 rockets imposes the corresponding requirements for shipborne surveillance and detection tools. In order to improve these characteristics of a promising frigate, the possibility of using the latest Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar radar, developed by Raytheon for installation on aircraft carriers such as Gerald R. Ford and other ships of new projects, is currently being considered. In addition, the frigate should receive the most modern means of communication and control, with which it can enter into the general information structure of the naval forces. This will give certain advantages in the detection of potentially dangerous objects and the subsequent protection of the accompanied order.
There are some details of the requirements for the general parameters of survivability. In this regard, the prospective frigate should be no worse than ships of the class Oliver Hazard Perry. Thus, in the field of survivability to the new ships no special requirements. Characteristics are allowed at the level of the equipment developed a few decades ago and has already completed its service.
At the same time, in the new project some original ideas aimed at increasing survivability can be used. The possibility of equipping ships with additional reservations, designed to protect important sites from various threats, is being considered. In addition, it is possible to place vital components and assemblies in different compartments, including those separated by some space, freed from any equipment, or having a different content. This method of increasing survivability can dramatically reduce the likelihood of simultaneous damage to several compartments, but it negatively affects the size and, as a result, the cost of the ship.
In early April, the head of the US Naval Ministry, Sean Stackley, commented on the development of a promising frigate with improved air defense capabilities. According to the high-ranking official, the United States has every opportunity to increase the anti-aircraft potential of new ships. A significant increase in "mortality" can be obtained without excessive spending and economic problems.
Sh. Stackley noted that the fleet and shipbuilding industry have a good and solid scientific and technical base for creating promising ships with the required characteristics. The main objective of the program is to increase the potential of anti-aircraft systems, but it should not be forgotten about other aspects. Developing a new project, one should remember about the vitality in a combat situation and other important characteristics. The Minister recalled the need to develop new technology with a balance of technical risks and the cost of the finished ships. In view of the high complexity of such works, the question of the future creation of a project on a competitive basis is being considered.
To date, American shipbuilding has already managed to develop preliminary projects of a promising frigate. Two such developments were created by specialists from Lockheed Martin and Austal USA - the main participants in the Littoral Combat Ship program. As part of the development of existing ships of the LCS type, special modifications were created to meet the hypothetical requirements for the new frigate. Now the development companies are waiting for the Navy to officially publish a request to create a new project. This event, according to current plans, should take place next fall.
It should be noted that the base ships of the LCS type are not distinguished by a developed rocket armament complex and, as a consequence, have very limited capabilities in air defense. Changing the project in order to obtain the required characteristics and combat capabilities will be quite a difficult task. In addition, the development of a new frigate, even at the level of creating a preliminary project, will take some time. Sh. Stackley noted that his department does not want to be attached to a specific date - first, it is planned to complete the work on the technical task in a calm atmosphere. At the same time, the naval ministry wants to complete this phase of the project by the end of the current fiscal year - by early October.
The development of a promising frigate based on existing LCS ships looks very likely. At the same time, some experts, congressmen and military experts suggest using a different way to create a new ship. In order to obtain significant savings, it is proposed to build a promising frigate based on the older Oliver Hazard Perry project. The use of the finished hull, filled with modern systems, will give a tangible benefit both during the creation of the project, and in the construction of serial ships.
Certain problems that the Requirement Evaluation Team had to face have already led to a slight delay in the implementation of the initial stages of the current program. Previously it was assumed that the requirements for the frigate will be formed as soon as possible, after which the project will appear in the shortest possible time, and the lead ship of the series will be ordered in 2019 year. Now the date of signing the contract for the first frigate is transferred to the 2020. Such schedule changes are associated with the desire of the military department to get the most elaborate projects, evaluate them and select the most successful one.
At the moment, it is planned to complete all the preliminary work and determine the winner of the current competition by the end of the 2020 financial year. The developers of the new project are invited to create their own versions of the projects independently, as well as using one or another development of previous ships, including the Littoral Combat Ship family. In connection with the postponement of the signing of the contract for the year, an additional decision was made to purchase other ships. So, in 2019, it is planned to purchase two additional LCS.
It is noteworthy that recently American shipbuilding has become more interested in developing a promising frigate. Apparently, the reason for this was the firm intentions of the naval command. Previously, the Pentagon studied the themes of the new frigates only to determine their prospects and without building real plans. Now the situation has seriously changed: a special group is studying the real possibilities and is engaged in the formation of requirements for ships. As a result, the industry, seeing the real interest of the military, also decided to join the active work.
Coastal Ship USS Freedom (LCS-1)
One of the reasons for the return to the idea of building frigates with a full-fledged complex of guided missile weapons capable of solving various tasks was the failure of previous projects. The curious and ambitious project Littoral Combat Ship, designed to replace outdated frigates, was not too successful. At high cost, LCS ships of two types are distinguished by very limited combat capabilities and operational characteristics. Because of this, the planned number of "ships of the coastal zone" is constantly reduced. At the moment, it is supposed to get by with the construction of the entire 40 LCS - one and a half times less than originally intended.
Initially it was assumed that LCS ships would be built on a modular basis and receive a variety of targeted equipment or weapons. In theory, this made it possible to build anti-submarine defense ships, ships with air defense weapons, etc. However, such a task did not receive a full-fledged solution, which accordingly hit the combat potential of the ships. It is to solve such problems that work is currently underway to create a promising frigate, initially carrying a variety of artillery and rocket weapons.
The main task of the new frigate will be combat work in the coastal and near sea zone. There, he will protect the sea communications, ports and other objects that are potential targets for striking the enemy. Taking into account the observed progress in the field of ship and aircraft weapons, the air defense systems were considered the most important means of protecting transport ships and coastal facilities. In addition, a certain anti-submarine potential will be maintained. Exact information about the anti-ship armament required by the customer has not yet appeared.
According to the latest data, the frigates of the new project will begin to be built no earlier than the next decade. The signing of the contract for the construction of the lead ship was postponed to 2020 year, which allows us to determine the approximate dates for the appearance of serial frigates. Thus, a group of promising ships that can have a minimally noticeable effect on the situation on the seas will appear no earlier than the end of the twenties.
In the recent past, the project of promising combat "ships of the coastal zone" was of great interest and almost became a revolution in modern shipbuilding. Nevertheless, the tasks assigned to the developers of two such ships turned out to be too complicated, which is why far from all the desired results were obtained. As a result, the US Navy, in the framework of the further development of the surface fleet, decided to return to less courageous, but already explored and tested ideas in practice. In the distant future, coastal protection will be entrusted to frigates that have a traditional look, but differ in the use of modern systems and weapons.
On the materials of the sites:
http://defensenews.com/
https://news.usni.org/
http://newsweek.com/
http://navyrecognition.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
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