Corvette and frigate market.

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Navies around Asia, Europe and North America are enhancing their frigate and corvette fleets. As the twenty-first century unfolds, these surface combatants have shown themselves to be versatile platforms capable of supporting naval operations, peacekeeping missions and humanitarian deployments. This is due to the fact that frigates and corvettes are ostensibly designed as ships that can operate either independently or as part of a task force.

New-build vessels are entering service in Europe and Asia, but upgrades are also continuing on vessels belonging to European, Asian, Australian and North American navies as a cost-effective means of keeping the capabilities of these important vessels sharp and versatile.

In Europe several navies are making significant investments into their frigate and corvette fleets, pensioning-off older vessels and inducting new ships. The naval component of the Belgian armed forces decommissioned its final Wielingen class frigate in October 2007. The retirement of the ship, which was the last in a class of four vessels, will leave Belgium's two Karel Doorman class ships as the only frigates operated by the service. These vessels are expected to receive new Eurocopter NH90 Nato Frigate Helicopters from 2010, replacing the Westland Sea King Mk 48s that they currently operate.

France's shipyards are enjoying good business both at home and abroad. The Algerian National Navy has followed Morocco as an export customer for the Fremm (Fregate multi-mission, or multipurpose frigate) class vessels built by DCNS (see title illustration). The Algerian vessels will be constructed locally at the Mers El Kebir port in northwest Algeria. In 2008 Morocco signed a deal for Fremm ships and Rabat is expected to receive its first vessel in 2012.

The al-Bahriyya al-Malakiyah (Royal Moroccan Navy) is also receiving three Sigma (Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approach) frigates from the Netherlands' Royal Schelde shipbuilders. In April 2008 Thales Nederland announced that it had received a contract from Morocco to outfit these vessels with a comprehensive combat suite that would include the company's Tacticos combat management system along with a Kingklip medium-frequency hull-mounted sonar. The radar provided for the vessel will include a Thales Nederland Lirod Mk 2 and the Smart-S Mk 2 surveillance and long-range system. All three of the Sigma ships are expected to be delivered by 2012.

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France

French shipbuilders may also soon receive orders for new vessels from Libya. Since the election of President Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007, Tripoli's relations with Paris have improved dramatically since the years of isolation during which Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime was accused of fermenting internal strife in Chad. The Libyan Navy is said to be interested in the acquisition of a pair of Gowind class corvettes from DCNS. However, there is no word yet on whether any specific deals have been signed or when the vessels would be delivered.

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French shipbuilder Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN) is working closely with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) on the United Arab Emirates new Baynunah class corvettes. The first vessel in the class will be constructed at CMN's Cherbourg facilities; the rest of the vessels will then be built at the ADSB yard at the Emirian Musafah Industrial Area. The ships have already experienced one major design change in 2008 with a Rheinmetall MLG-27 27-mm gun replacing the OtoMelara Marlin WS 30 mm. The OtoMelara guns are expected to be retrofitted onto other Emirian vessels instead. The plan to change the armament follows the decision to integrate Raytheon's Mk 31 Rolling Airframe Missile onto the corvettes as part of their combat system. Launch of the first Baynunah class ship is expected by the end of 2009.

The publication of France's White Book on defence in June 2008 has outlined some important changes for the Marine Nationale. Among these are plans to eventually have a fleet of 18 frigates--a reduction of 15 ships from the current fleet size. Procurement plans had called for the Navy to receive 17 Fremm vessels, although the size of this order is now expected to be reduced to twelve. However, it will not be until the Ministry of Defence publishes its spending plans in late-summer 2008 that the full extent of the Fremm order change is known.

Some design changes to the existing Fremm purchase are expected. At least one of the vessels could be outfitted with the appropriate weaponry and sensors to give the ship a dedicated anti-aircraft role. The reasoning behind this is that the existing Horizon class of two ships was originally expected to include four vessels. The Horizon ships are dedicated air-defence vessels; however, the loss of two of the expected ships will leave the Navy missing additional air-defence frigates. One of the Fremm ships will therefore be earmarked for this role. The French navy is currently performing a feasibility study to this end and the vessel could be equipped with MBDA Aster-30 and Aster-15 anti-aircraft missiles.

So far, of the eight Fremm vessels that are to be delivered by 2016, two will be earmarked for land-attack and six for anti-submarine warfare. Negotiations for an additional batch of four Fremms between the French government and DCNS were expected to begin in 2011. Given that the navy now seems likely to have a force of twelve Fremm vessels, the last four combatants could be the final tranche of ships in the class.

Germany

Rheinmetall has been contracted to provide the Mass (Multi-Ammunition Soft-kill System) self-defence apparatus for the F-123 Brandenburg class of frigates, with installation expected to be completed on all four vessels by 2009. Meanwhile, in January 2008 ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems handed over the first K-130 Braunschweig class corvette to the German government. A total of five vessels, the Braunschweig, the Magdeburg, the Erfurt, the Oldenburg and the Ludwigshafen, will be acquired by the Deutsche Marine (German Navy), with all of the ships expected to be operational by 2009. Future corvette orders have not been ruled out, and the German Navy is said to have an interest in acquiring around six 'K-131' class corvettes, of an as-yet unspecified design, to supplement the Braunschweig vessels.

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The FGS Braunschwig was accepted into German naval service in January 2008. This vessel is the first of five in the class that the German shipbuilder will construct for the country's navy. The company is also involved in the Arge consortium, which also includes Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, to build the German Navy's F125 frigates. The first vessels in the class are to be delivered from 2014 and will displace almost 7000 tonnes. Four ships will be delivered and are to be specifically designed to assist in peacekeeping and disaster response missions.

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The Netherlands

The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy) currently operates six De Zeven Provincien class and Karel Doorman class frigates, and these vessels are expected to receive enhancements to their capabilities. The Dutch Navy has expressed a desire to purchase BGM-109 Tlam (Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles) to support Netherlands Marine Corps operations on land. The planned cruise missile acquisition has proven controversial with some Dutch parliamentarians who perceive the weapons as a Cold War relic, despite their non-nuclear warheads.

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The De Zeven Provincien ships could also receive a ballistic missile defence capability. The ships are equipped with the Mk 41 Guided Missile Launch System, which can accommodate the Raytheon Rim-66 Standard-MR anti-aircraft missile. The ships also have a Thales Nederland Smart-L air search radar with a detection range of up to 600 km (372 nm). The radar and missile could enable these vessels to cope with ballistic missile threats. Both the Netherlands and Germany are involved in an initiative to share the cost of developing a future naval ballistic missile defence capability.

The Royal Norwegian Navy is just over halfway through its acquisition of Fridjof Namsen class frigates, with the third vessel in the class having been delivered from Spain's Navantia shipbuilders in May 2008. The vessels are based on the Spanish Alvaro de Bazan class frigate design and in the future will be equipped with Tomahawks. The Norwegian ships have been outfitted with the Lockheed Martin Aegis combat management system plus the Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace Naval Strike Missile.

Spain--Portugal

The Armada Espanola (Spanish Navy) is currently investigating a life extension for its Santa-Maria class frigate with two vessels in the class--SPS Santa Maria and Reina Sofia--set to benefit from an upgrade that will see the installation of a new sonar system. Structural improvements will also be performed on the ship's hull to enhance the vessels life along with improvements to its crew accommodations. It is hoped that the upgrade programme will extend the ships' lives to around 2030.

Spain's neighbour Portugal decommissioned its final Joao Belo class frigates in 2007. Two of the four vessels in the class have been purchased by the Uruguay in 2006 for around $ 37.9 million each. The Uruguayan Navy is expected to perform an upgrade of the vessels once they enter service installing the MM38 Exocet Anti-Shipping Missile launchers fitted to the navy's Commandant Riviere class ships. Two of the former vessels are expected to be decommissioned once the first two Joao Belo class frigates enter service.

Britain

The Royal Navy is in the midst of a programme to retrofit the Thales Underwater Systems Type-2087 sonar to eight of its Type-23 Duke class frigates. Four vessels already have the system installed and another four ships are being outfitted with the Type-2087. The new sonar system was declared to have an initial operating capability in November 2007 and is seen as a significant enhancement to the service's anti-submarine warfare capabilities--a role which was a key part of the Senior Service doctrine during the Cold War. The Type-23 ships are also experiencing an enhancement of their BAE Systems Sea Wolf anti-aircraft missiles, which will significantly improve the vessel's self defences, particularly the ships' abilities to protect themselves against cruise missiles.

The improvements will enhance the Sea Wolf's management systems, along with the missiles' tracking and guidance capabilities. In total, seventeen ships will receive improvements to their missile system, which will include four Type-22 Batch 3 Broadsword class and 13 Type-23 frigates. Trials of the upgraded Sea Wolf system are expected to begin in late 2008 with the final upgrade being concluded in 2017.

China

The People's Liberation Army Navy is expected to fulfil a requirement for a new fast missile craft. In the past China had used Type-021 Huangfeng and Type-024 Hegu class missile boats, although only around 14 of the former vessels are thought to remain in service from an original fleet of around 120 vessels, while all of the Hegus are reported to have been decommissioned. The service is expected to require a new fast missile craft and may decide to look at a catamaran design to fulfil this need.

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China already operates around 20 Type-022 Houbei class missile catamarans equipped with eight C-801 (Nato reporting name CSS-N-8 'Saccade') anti-ship missiles. It is strongly suspected that these vessels are intended to provide fast support to amphibious units in the event of a forced landing on the island of Taiwan. These vessels are thought to have been purchased in part as a replacement for the Huangfeng and Hegu craft, and additional catamarans could be purchased to plug the gap left by the eventual decommissioning of the Huangfengs.

Taiwan

In February 2008 the Zhonghua Minguo Haijun (Taiwanese Navy) revealed that it has outfitted its Cheng Kung class frigates with the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology's Hsiung Feng-3 anti-ship missiles. The official explanation from the Taiwanese navy is that the lead vessel in the class, the ROCS Cheng Kung, has had the missile installed as part of a year-long trial. This missile is capable of speeds up to Mach two, has a range up to 180 km (97 nm) and is capable of anti-radar attack, ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore attack. The navy is expected to roll these missiles out across the class, which contains eight ships, with the installation being concluded in late 2008. It is strongly suspected that the navy may also chose to outfit the missile onto its Ching Chiang class patrol craft. The HF-3 installation is intended to counter the 3M-80E Moskit (Nato reporting name SS-N-22 'Sunburn') anti-ship missiles that China has acquired.

Pakistan

Pakistan obtained the first of its Sword frigates from China in April 2008. The ships will be known as the Sword class frigates in Pakistan naval service. The class includes four vessels, all of which are to be delivered by 2013. The first three ships will be constructed in China, with the last vessel being built at Pakistan's Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. The frigate's design is closely based on the Type 053H3/Jiangwei II class vessels, ten of which are in service in China.

The acquisition of the first Sword class vessel is part of a wholesale renewal of the country's frigate fleet. The navy operates six Type-21 Amazon class frigates which were acquired from the Royal Navy and is in the market for an additional eight ships to be purchased on the second-hand market to augment and replace these legacy vessels. Islamabad has not had much luck in acquiring any used ships. Efforts to procure secondhand frigates from Greece, Belgium and Britain have all been unsuccessful. The search will no doubt continue.

India

The Indian Navy is experiencing problems acquiring their new Project 1135.6 Talwar class guided missile frigates from Russia. Work on the first of the three ships in the class has begun at the Yantar shipyard, Kaliningrad. The cost for the Talwar contract was originally placed at around $1.41 billion, however the declining value of the dollar prompted the shipyard to propose a price raise for the vessels of around $100 million. India has already introduced three Talwar vessels into service which were commissioned between 2003 and 2004, although this was two years later than the original planned date due to delays in the ships' construction.

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The Indian Navy is not the only force experiencing problems with frigate programmes. The Royal Australian Navy has told Thales Australia that is has four months to solve technical issues related to the C-Pearl electronic support measures system which is being retrofitted onto the force's Adelaide class frigates. The C-Pearl installation is part of Project Sea 1390 which is designed to ensure that the Adelaide ships stay capable and effective as guided missile frigates until their planned retirement around 2020. The project has encountered delays, with the first vessel not expected to re-enter service until around June 2009, which is almost tive years later than originally planned. Two ships in the class, HMAS Sydney and Melbourne, have been returned to the navy and are involved in trials before being declared operational. Meanwhile, HMAS Darwin is also undergoing trials while HMAS Newcastle will be the final vessel to be upgraded and is expected to rejoin the fleet in 2009.

Russia

The Russian Navy is set to benefit from a rearmament plan worth around $ 60 billion designed to make the Voyenno-Morskoy Flot Rossii (Russian Navy) the world's second largest maritime force over the next two decades with, among other vessels, the launch of twelve new frigates. Meanwhile, towards the end of 2007 the Navy commissioned the Steregushchiy; the first Project 20380 corvette. Another four vessels will follow, all of which are to be commissioned by 2011. The force is already reflecting a more outward-looking posture and despatched an Udaloy class frigate towards the Svalbard Islands off the Norwegian coast in the midst of an ongoing territorial dispute with Oslo.

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The Zelenodolsk Design Bureau is building on the earlier development of the Neustrashimy frigate, which was delivered to the Russian Navy in 1993. The Neustrashimy was the lead ship in the same-named class which was originally planned to consist of 27 similar ships, although production stalled due to Russian naval budgetary pressures after the first vessel was delivered. The Zelenodolsk Design Bureau has now announced that a second vessel, the Yaroslav Mudry, is under construction. The design bureau is also offering the vessel as a multi-role platform for export as a frigate to counter surface, underwater and air threats, as well as for undertaking convoy protection and routine patrol duties.

The ships' weaponry includes the Tor (Nato reporting name SA-N-9 Gauntlet) surface-to-air missile system along with a twelve-tube RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher. In addition to this, the aircraft carries 2 Kashtan 100-mm close-in weapons systems and six 533-mm torpedo tubes which can fire either RPK-2 Viyuga (Nato reporting name SS-N-15 Starfish) Anti-Submarine Warfare missiles or Type-53 torpedoes. The ship can also operate a Kamov Ka-27ASW helicopter (Nato name Helix).

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Turning to Russian naval weapons, the Novator Club series of anti-ship/land-attack missiles has acquired a certain level of fame. What is not always well perceived is that since 2004 the overall management of those programmes has fallen under the banner of Morinformsystem-Agat, including radars, computers, launchers, power supplies, weapon management systems and fire control systems. The Morinforystem-Agat 3P-14UKCK-X ship general-purpose firing system, for example, is a real-time automatic system that handles all aspects of missile operations on ships, including four- and eight-missile launcher modules, stores and maintenance management. The system can also be installed as an upgrade package to handle the 3M-54TE, 3M-14TE and 91PTE2 series of Club-N cruise missiles as well as the 300-km range Indo-Russian Brahmos cruise missile.

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New Zealand 

The Royal New Zealand Navy is looking at enhancing the capabilities of their Anzac frigates with improvements to their self-defence systems and powerplants. The Anzac class consists of two vessels in New Zealand service (along with eight in Australian service). The upgrade is intended to extend the vessel's life span and will see the installation of new MTU diesel engines. The ships will also receive an unspecified upgrade to improve the vessel's self-defence systems, along with the installation of the Raytheon Rim-66 Evolved Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile, a Saab Sea Giraffe three-dimensional air search radar and an accompanying upgrade of the ship's Saab 9LV Mk 453 combat management system.

Canada

As of June 2008, bidders to upgrade the Canadian Forces Maritime Command's Halifax class frigates have been reduced to a single potential supplier (Lockheed Martin Canada) following General Dynamics Canada's decision to withdraw from the Halifax Class Modernisation Combat Systems Integration initiative. General Dynamics did not publicly reveal their reasons for withdrawing from the competition, although dissatisfaction with the contract's terms and conditions was cited as one possible reason. The project is worth around $ 3.05 billion and will outfit all twelve vessels in the class with new command, control, weapons and sensor systems, with contract award expected by the end of 2008 and the programme due to conclude by 2017.