WORLD DEFENCE: Frigate

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Indian Lost Its Navy Frigate INS Vindhyagiri In Peacetime

In the worst ever peacetime loss for the Indian Navy, the heavily armed frigate INS Vindhyagiri went down in the Mumbai harbour after colliding with a merchant vessel. The 3,000 tonne warship, designed to take on enemy submarines and surface ships, sank Monday afternoon after catching fire after the collision with a Cyprus-flag container carrier, M V Nordlake 24 hours earlier.

The loss of the frigate — sources said a salvage would be difficult as the warship has touched bottom — sent shock waves through the naval community. Commentators said the incident was “ignominious” and had dented the Navy’s image.

The Leander class frigate, commissioned in 1981, hit the merchant vessel near the Sunkrock lighthouse within the pilotage area of the channel at 4.36 pm on Sunday, as it was entering the harbour after a ‘day at sea’ for families of sailors and officers. No one was hurt in the mishap.

The first Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) frigate set sail for Pakistan on Monday. The frigate was acquired by Pakistan Navy from the United States. The ship is formerly known as the USS McINERNEY (FFG-8) and was commissioned in the Pakistan Navy as the PNS ALAMGIR (FFG-260) on August, 31, 2010 during a huge ceremony at the Mayport, Naval Station. The ceremony was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani. After commissioning, the PNS ALAMGIR underwent modernization and refurbishment and the BAE System Shipyard in Jacksonville Florida. 18 officers and 218 CPO/ Sailors underwent a series of training sessions to be able to operate the ship.

The Ship Transfer and Assistance Team (STAT) contributed greatly in the training. The Pakistan Crew’s stay in the US, not only contributed to the better understanding on issues of mutual concern, but also strengthened the relations between the two nations. Captain Naveed Ashraf T.Bt TI(M) was announced as the first Commanding Officer of the PNS ALAMGIR.

The ship set sail for Pakistan on Monday, after the completion of the final trials and cre workup. The ship is scheduled to stop at Bermuda (UK), Azores (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Golcuk (Turkey), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Salalah (Oman) and would eventually reach Pakistan on 13 May 2011.

The PNS ALAMGIR will be a part of the 18th Frigate Squadron of the Pakistan Navy Fleet. Pakistan has become one of the important members of Global War on Terror (GWOT). Due to Pakistani government’s decision to fight terrorism, the Pakistan Navy joined the maritime coalition against terrorism which is led by the US. At the moment the Navy participates in the Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) which is one of the maritime components of the Global War on Terrorism. The CMCP encompasses operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The coalition forces work under the command of United States Naval Forces Central Command (US NAVCENT). The responsibility areas include the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.

Despite the strong resource constraints, the Pakistan Navy has always been a number one participant in the CMCP. The Pakistan Navy was the first regional navy to form a part of the CMCP and has greatly contributed its assents to ensuring stability and peace in the region. The Pakistan Navy has so far contributed one frigate to Task Force 150 (TF-150) and a Type-21 frigate to Task Force 151 (TF-151).

The Pakistan Navy has commanded TF-150 f our times and is currently in charge of the TF-151 off the coast of Somalia, where they are countering piracy. Pakistan is also the first non-NATO country to command a Task Force.

The Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates are being used by a lot of navies and their main strength is conducting Maritime Security Operations which have become the main concern of the nations. The PNS ALAMGIR is scheduled to augment Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Sea. Another of its goals is to support the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet.

The PNS ALAMGIR has been named after Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir who was the sixth Muslim Ruler of Great Mughal Empire and is known to be one of the most fierce and experienced warriors, who protected his territories and was the Empire’s leader for nearly 50 years. Thanks to him the influence of the Mughal Empire was spread to the entire Indian Sub-continent.

Taiwan plans to build a new ‘stealth’ warship armed with guided-missiles next year in response to China’s naval build-up, a top military officer and a lawmaker said Monday.

Construction of the prototype of the 500-ton corvette is due to start in 2012 for completion in 2014, deputy defense minister Lin Yu-pao said in answer to a question by Kuomintang party legislator Lin Yu-fang at parliament.

The warship, which the navy says is harder to detect on radar, is expected to emerge after China puts into service its first battle carrier group, the legislator said.

The twin-hulled boat will be armed with up to eight home-grown Hsiung-feng II ship-to-ship missiles and eight other more lethal Hsiung-feng III anti-ship supersonic missiles.

The remarks came as China has been restoring The Varyag, an old Soviet aircraft carrier bought in 1998.

The aircraft carrier will be used for training and as a model for a future indigenously-built ship, according to Andrei Chang, head of the Kanwa Information Centre, which monitors China’s military.

The ship, currently based in the northeast port of Dalian, could make its first sea trip “very soon,” he said.

Calls have been mounting on the island for the military to come up with counter-measures against the perceived threat.

Ties between Taiwan and China have eased markedly since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party came to power in 2008, ramping up trade and allowing in more Chinese tourists.

The Navy continues to hone its war-fighting capabilities despite being stretched in coastal security and anti-piracy operations. The force is now on course to soon induct two more deadly stealth frigates to bolster its growing "blue-water" warfare capabilities.

Sources say the 6,200-tonne indigenous stealth frigate INS Satpura is likely to be commissioned in June-July, while the Russian-built 4,900-tonne INS Teg should finally be ready for induction by September-October.

These long-awaited warships will come at a time when Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma has stressed that "maintenance of war-fighting abilities" remains the "top-most priority" for his force despite the "large number of peacetime commitments (anti-piracy, coastal security and the like) at hand".

"With the security situation being fluid, we need to maintain the organizational ability to deploy warships, submarines and aircraft at immediate notice," said Admiral Verma, at the naval commanders' conference here on Tuesday.

INS Satpura and INS Teg will certainly boost combat capabilities, packed as they are with sensors, weapons and missile systems, coupled with their stealthy nature due to "vastly-reduced" radar, infra-red, noise, frequency and magnetic "signatures" to beat enemy detection systems.

That's not all. INS Satpura, the second of three indigenous stealth frigates built under the Rs 8,101-crore Project-17 at Mazagon Docks, will be followed by INS Sahyadri after six months. The first, INS Shivalik, was commissioned in April last year.

Similarly, INS Teg is to be followed by its sister frigates, INS Tarkash and INS Trikhand, built under a Rs 5,514-crore project inked with Russia in July 2006, after gaps of six months each.

Both the Indian and Russian projects, of course, have been dogged by huge time and cost overruns. The three warships from Russia are actually "a follow-on order" to the first three frigates, INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar, inducted by India in 2003-2004 at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore.

Though their induction too was delayed, the Navy is quite happy with the power the Talwar-class frigates pack. The warships have "a very high weapon and sensor density", including eight vertical launch cells for the 'Klub-N' anti-ship and anti-submarine cruise missiles. In addition, the three new frigates will also be armed with the 290-km BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

The Shivalik-class frigates, in turn, can also deal with "multiple-threats" in all three dimensions -- air, surface and sub-surface. Apart from Russian Shtil surface-to-air missile systems and Klub anti-ship cruise missiles, they are also armed with the Israeli 'Barak-I' anti-missile defence systems to guard against Harpoon and Exocet missiles, launched from platforms like P-3C Orion aircraft and Agosta-90B submarines which Pakistan has acquired from US and France.

The defence ministry has also approved Project-17A to construct seven more frigates at Mazagon Docks and GRSE in Kolkata, with even more stealth features, for around Rs 45,000 crore. In all, the Navy has around 30 new warships and six submarines on order as of now to maintain its force-levels at about 140 combatants.

The Pakistan Navy launched fourth F22P Frigate.

According to a Pakistan Navy spokesman, the ship was built in Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works with the help of Chinese engineers.

Pakistan and China had signed a pact in 2005 whereas three ships had already been incorporated in the Pakistan Navy fleet.

The vessel is the fourth F22P Frigate built indigenously at the Karachi shipyard with the Chinese assistance.

In the past it Has been Reported that Pakistan is getting 039 class "Songs" or 041 class Yuan class From china But now reports emerge that it is the latest variant of 041 class named "QING" class submarines for which a deal was inked for 6.

The first Qing class built for Chinese Navy was launched last year and will be going through the sea trial this month 6/2011 which will include the firing of CJ-10K LACms with a range of 1,500 KM.

The deal was signed between Wuhan-based China State Shipbuilding Industrial Corp (CSIC) and Pakistani Government in April 2011 is for 6 Qing class submarine, These submarines will be double hulled with a submerged displacement of 3,600 tons. It will be equipped with the new Stirling-cycle AIP and will be able to carry upto 3 CJ-10K which could carry nuclear warheds, Other features include hull retractable foreplanes and hydrodynamically streamlined sail. The AIP and the propulsion systems will be all electric and not the diesal electric propulsion system making the submarines very quiet. This propulsion system has already been tested on a number of heavier Chinese submarines.

And In the other development is Pakistan has also signed a deal for a 10 year leaso of 2 Type 054A FFGs. The two ships that Pakistan will receive are serial number 525 and 526 inducted in PLAN in 2005.

Russia is not going to meet the deadlines in the implementation of a contract on the delivery of missile frigates to the Indian Navy, the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said.

Russia and India signed a $1.6 billion contract on construction of three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for India in 2006.

The first frigate was scheduled for delivery in April 2011.

"There is a delay, and it is hard to say now what the new deadline is going to be, although the first ship is undergoing dockside trials," said Oleg Azizov, head of Rosoboronexport's delegation at the IMDS naval show in St. Petersburg.

Russia's Yantar shipyard, which is building the ships, has asked Rosoboronexport for additional $100 million to finish the construction.

Azizov said an Indian Navy delegation will arrive in Russia next week to negotiate the new deadlines for construction.

This is the second time Russia has run into difficulties with Indian naval contracts. The price of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier has been raised almost twice, and its delivery date was put back from 2008 to late 2012.

Russia has previously built three Talwar-class frigates for India - INS Talwar (Sword), INS Trishul (Trident), and INS Tabar (Axe).

The new frigates each will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, jointly developed by Russia and India.

Two STUS And Guided Missile Frigate Join Pakistan Navy Fleet

Pakistan navy ships Madadgar and Rasadgar, the Small Tanker cum Utility Ships (STUS) have been commissioned and PNS Alamgir formally inducted in Pakistan Navy Fleet during an impressive ceremony held at Pakistan Navy Dockyard here on Tuesday.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir graced the occasion as chief guest while the ceremony was also attended by officials from Ministry of Defence (MoD), Flag Officers from Pakistan Navy, senior management of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW) and other distinguished guests.

PN Ships Rasadgar and Madadgar, the first ships of their class, have been indigenously constructed in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). Induction of STUS will increase logistic redundancy to Pakistan Navy fleet. These state of the art crafts are designed and equipped for multi-facet rolEs with robust and reliable modern machinery and equipment.

PNS Alamgir (Ex USS MCINERNEY) is an Oliver Hazard Perry Class guided-missile frigate. Ship was commissioned in Pakistan Navy on August 31th, 2010 after which she underwent major refurbishment and essential repairs in the U.S. The OHP Frigates are being used by a number of navies. PNS Alamgir will augment Maritime Security Operations capacity in the Arabic Sea in addition to supporting Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir while addressing the audience congratulated all those who were involved in the STUS Project and induction of Alamgir and also expressed satisfaction on the induction of these crafts in Pakistan Navy Fleet.

Read More AT
http://geo.tv/7-19-2011/83916.htm

10th Type054A FFG under construction (12th overall)

Spotted at GuangZhou's HuangPu shipyard.

The 10th hull is located behind the new MSA patrol boat and the tug on the right.

Hulls number 7th and 8th (FFG 548 and 571)

Photo taken in October before FFG548 revised its position with FFG 571

The rumored hull number 12th in Shanghai.

Meanwhile, Type 054A hull number 9 undergoes trials outside of Shanghai

Proposed Anzac class with CEA CEAFAR 3D E/F band, fixed active phased array radar for improved fire control against anti-ship missiles; and CEA CEAMOUNT active phased array radar system to provide mid-course guidance and terminal illumination for the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (image : CEA)

BAE Systems has begun modifying the first of the Royal Australian Navy’s ANZAC Class frigates to be upgraded under the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) Upgrade Project.

HMAS Perth entered the Henderson dockyard in Western Australia on 18 January on schedule.

The ASMD Upgrade project is being managed by the Defence Materiel Organisation supported by BAE Systems and Saab Systems under an alliance contracting arrangement.

The new layout for the ANZAC Class Operations Roombeing delivered under the ASMD Project (image : Australian DMO)

The upgrade will significantly improve the anti-ship self-defence capabilities of the ANZAC Class by integrating:
-The leading edge CEA Phased Array Radar (PAR)
-The Vampir NG Infrared Search & Track (IRST) system
-The Sharpeye Navigation Radar Systems (NRS), and
-An upgraded Combat Management System (CMS) including an improved Operations Room layout.

Jason Beer, BAE Systems Maritime Through-Life Support General Manager, said today that the platform integration of these systems required significant structural modifications.

Sagem's (Safran group) Vampir NG infrared search and track (IRST) system for detection and tracking of low-level aircraft and anti-ship missiles (image : Safran)

“This includes replacement of both the frigate’s forward and aft masts, which has required us to develop innovative design solutions to minimise the impact on the ship’s weight and stability,” he said.

Mr Beer said that BAE Systems work during the installation phase in HMAS Perth would create more than 150 highly skilled jobs at its Henderson base in WA.

SharpEye solid state pulse Doppler X-Band navigation radar and tactical surface surveillance radar (photo : Kelvin Hughes)

“The experience gained over the past five years of designing and developing this project has enabled BAE Systems Maritime Business Unit to enhance critical skills in complex maritime combat systems integration and platform systems integration.

“These skills are crucial to maintaining the capability that will be needed for next generation naval programs such as the Future Frigate and the Offshore Combatant Vessel projects,” Mr Beer said.

HMNZS Te Kaha (photo : NZ Navy)

Auckland - The 13-year-old navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha is back in action after a major refit which saw it get two new diesel engines.

The ship has been out of action since July last year as part of a planned maintenance and mid-life engine upgrade.

It was put back in commission earlier this month but would leave for its next deployment to South East Asia in April without its Phalanx weapons system -- a last line of defence against missiles.

The 20mm rapid-fire machine gun was sent to America for an upgrade which would give the ship protection against fast inshore attack boats and helicopters and was not due back in time to be fitted before Te Kaha left for South East Asia. The Phalanx upgrade for Te Kaha and its sister ship, HMNZS Te Mana was expected to cost up to $25 million.

Lieutenant Commander Chris Fleck, the officer in charge of the engine upgrade, said Te Kaha would be on a diplomatic and training mission in South East Asia and was not on operational duties.

Te Mana was due to begin its engine refit next month and would be out of action until October.

The new engines were part of a package which would cost about $57m for both ships. It also included internal enhancements so the ship could better cope with additional weight from new gear added over the years, an upgrade of the control and monitoring systems and an upgrade of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The control and monitoring systems upgrade, and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades were likely to start next year or the year after.

Lt Cdr Fleck said the new engines would be more economic but would not allow the ships to go faster than their top speed of 27 knots.

The old engines could push each ship to 18 knots before a gas turbine kicked in for high-speed running.

Lt Cdr Fleck said the new engines would go to 21.5 knots before gas turbines took over, making the ships more economic to operate.

The new engines were also "environmentally compliant", he said.

Te Kaha was expected to be in commission at least until 2025 and Te Mana would last until 2028.

Gepard class frigates (image : Hoangsa)

Shipbuilders in Russia's republic of Tatarstan floated out a second frigate for the Vietnamese Navy on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Zelenodolsk shipyard said.
Russia and Vietnam signed a contract on the construction of two Gepard 3.9 class frigates for the Vietnamese Navy in 2006. The first frigate was floated out in December 2009.

"A second Gepard 3.9 class frigate for the Vietnamese Navy was floated out on Tuesday. The first frigate will be delivered to Vietnam in October and the second by the end of this year," the spokesman said.

Both ships will undergo sea trials in the Baltic Sea.

Project 1166.1 Gepard 3.9 class frigate is designed to engage surface ships, submarines and air targets, both independently and as part of a task force, as well as to perform escort and patrol tasks.

The ship has a displacement of 2,000 tons, a length of 102 meters, a maximum speed of 23 knots, a crew of 103 personnel and a cruising range of 5,000 miles.

The frigate is armed with an Uran-E anti-ship missile system, a 76.2-mm gun mount AK-176M, a Palma air defense artillery system, two 30-mm gun mounts AK-630M and 533-mm torpedo tubes. It can carry a Ka-28 or a Ka-31 Helix naval helicopter.

Together with the country's recently ordered six Kilo class submarines and Su-30MK2 naval fighter-bombers, the Gepard deal is seen as part of Vietnam's current navy modernization drive.

Gepard 3.9 for the Vietnam Navy (photo : shipspotting)

MOSKVA – ITAR TASS. One of the two escort ships Project 11661 "Gepard-3.9", built by Zelenodolsk shipbuilders for the Vietnam Navy departed from Kronstadt in Baltic, which will be delivered to the customer. As reported in the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), on the eve of one of the patrol departed in Baltic, where over the next ten days will continue testing the ship, where he will be delivered to the customer.

"In the coming days to Baltic go and the second ship" - the source added.

Gepard-3.9 will be delivered from Baltic to Vietnam (photo : shipspotting)

Project 11661 comes into service and the Russian Navy. In particular, the ship "Tatarstan" not so long ago became part of the Caspian Flotilla. The construction of the patrol ship "Dagestan". It is planned that in November it will be launched.

RCS (for other classifications - Corvettes) project 11661 are intended for search, tracking and destruction of surface, underwater and air targets, either alone or in a group of ships. They can solve the escort and patrol tasks.

Gepard-3.9's miniature for Vietnam Navy (photo : ttvnol)

Armament - two or four anti-ship missile launchers "Uran-E, two anti-submarine rocket launchers, helicopter Ka-28 or Ka-31 76-mm artillery shells. Displacement - 2100 tons, speed - 28 knots (52 kph), Endurance - 20 days.

RSS Supreme firing an Aster 15 Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise RIMPAC 2010. (photo : Cyberpioneer)

The Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme, is participating in a multilateral naval exercise with maritime forces from 13 other countries. The exercise, codenamed Exercise RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), is hosted by the United States Navy (USN) and involves more than 30 ships, five submarines, 150 aircraft and 20,000 personnel.

This is the second time that the RSN is involved in the biennial exercise and this year's edition of Exercise RIMPAC, which will be conducted from 23 Jun to 1 Aug, comprises a shore planning phase as well as a 24-day sea phase conducted off the coast of Hawaii. In the exercise, RSS Supreme took part in maritime operations such as combined anti-submarine and air defence missions, and successfully carried out an Aster Surface-to-Air Missile live-firing on 14 Jul. Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Chew Men Leong was on board the RSS Supreme to observe the live-firing.

RSS Supreme -73 (photo : USNavy)

Commenting on the RSN's performance in the exercise, Commander US Third Fleet Vice Admiral (VADM) Richard W Hunt said, "The Singapore Navy has done a fabulous job thus far, just exactly as expected."

"I think we're giving the RSS Supreme, a good workout. We will continue to stress her as much as we can, make sure she is completely integrated and that's all going exactly as anticipated, so everything is on track right now and she is performing magnificently," he added.

VADM Hunt also commented on the interoperability of the RSN with other participating navies and said: "We (USN) work together and make sure that the interoperability works, that the tactics, techniques and procedures are all common and understood."

RSS Supreme's Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Tan Wei Min spoke about how the RSN's participation in the exercise helps build greater understanding and future cooperation with other navies.

"Exercise RIMPAC is a good opportunity for the RSN to train with other established navies. It enables us to strengthen our interoperability with the other participating navies through high intensity and complex maritime operations," he said.

Other countries taking part in the exercise include Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and the United States.

(Mindef)

WORLD DEFENCE

Indian Lost Its Navy Frigate INS Vindhyagiri In Peacetime

PNS ALAMGIR Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) Frigate After Modernization Set Sail For Pakistan

Taiwan To Build Stealth Warships

India to Boost Blue-Water Warfare Capability With Two New Stealth Frigates

Pakistan Navy Launched 4th F22P Frigate PNS Aslat

Pakistan Navy To Get 6 QING Class Submarines And 2 Typ 054A FFGs From China

Russia Behind Schedule On Indian Frigates Delivery

Two STUS And Guided Missile Frigate Join Pakistan Navy Fleet

Indian Navy Lost Its Frigate INS Vindhyagiri In Peacetime

Pakistan's Navy next Goal Type 054A Frigates from China

10th Type054A FFG under construction (12th overall)

Anti-Ship Missile Defense Upgrade On First ANZAC Frigate

New Zealand Navy Frigate Back In Action With Two New Engines

Russia Floats Out Second Gepard Class Frigate for Vietnam

Gepard frigate for VietNam, Departed from Kronstadt in Baltic for Testing and Delivery

Royal Singapore Nany Frigate Participates in Multilateral Exercise in Hawaii

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