General Naval News

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
then in a total of 40 days ( ?? ), they fit all the guns / missiles / weapons consoles / cabling & sensors ?
"Combat System", not "Armament". The armament is installed, the press release includes two images of the ship as "proof" of that. The main gun seems to have a blue-painted "trainer barrel" installed btw.

To me that sounds like the server racks possibly aren't filled yet. Either that, or they are filled but the software hasn't been installed as it's not needed at this stage.

After installation of the combat system they'll have another six-week phase for testing that. And after that phase the ship will be delivered. Which - stated in another part of the press release - occurs five months for now, thus leaving 3 months for the above installation.
 

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
"Combat System", not "Armament". The armament is installed, the press release includes two images of the ship as "proof" of that. The main gun seems to have a blue-painted "trainer barrel" installed btw.

To me that sounds like the server racks possibly aren't filled yet. Either that, or they are filled but the software hasn't been installed as it's not needed at this stage.

After installation of the combat system they'll have another six-week phase for testing that. And after that phase the ship will be delivered. Which - stated in another part of the press release - occurs five months for now, thus leaving 3 months for the above installation.

I simply find that 'strange', having worked on / with Naval vessels for the last 25 years. The Combat System is simply the processing end of a computer that often takes feeds of information from individual / stand-alone equipment's (Gyro compass /multiple radar feeds/ Electronic warfare / Electro-optical systems / sonar & Comms, to name the obvious ones) & then distributes & displays the data onto multiple computer display monitors, located on desks with controls & switches to operate / fire weapons, etc..

Knowing for instance the 76mm SR Gun has a fire control station & a couple of data processing racks, along with hydraulics & cooling, meaning that it has to be systematically installed as the ship is being built (usually as some of the racks can only be put in when the ship is still be welded together, as they are too big to be transported thru a completed hull / compartment door frames). Missile control & firing systems may well fill a compartment with 3 - 6, 6ft tall, 2 feet square "19-inch racks", but again, that's stand-alone, these systems need input data from the gyro's, from Radar's, etc & that means cabling that has to be installed as the ship is built.

I can see you point / comment about processing racks being populated with blade servers / individual component shelves, but normally the equipment is tested (as standalone system), then connected to the Combat system, to ensure that the individual system has been 'set-to-work' , to prove the quality of operation / outputs are present / that it does as it should & that there's no cross connections / interference from other systems / errors in cabling / wiring / liquid cooling services / electrical power, etc.

All of this takes time, even on OPV / corvette sized ships & 5 months for total installation & testing is a big ask / too short a time, IMHO.

SA
 

spoz

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
It certainly took considerably longer than that on the F100s. Possibly what they mean is combat system grooming? In a relatively simple ship you might be able to get that done in a couple of months.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
|"The dimensions of the MICA NG munition remain unchanged, allowing it to be integrated into existing VL MICA launchers. The existing missile data link mechanisms are compatible with the increased kinematic performance of the missiles, enabling current VL MICA systems to be upgraded to VL MICA NG standard by simple software updates."|

Together with the increased range of 40 km, these two points above will give the VL MICA NG a lot of export potential. The MICA NG missile will be available in series production from 2026, so the future customers have wait at least 5 years for it.

 

cdxbow

Well-Known Member
This article from last year from Wired looks at remote and autonomous surface vessel control The Robot Ships Are Coming ... Eventually | WIRED I am very concerned when the developer of the autonomous science vessel is encouraging emergent behavior in it's AI. Has he not heard of Skynet? One of the big providers is Sea Machines, which is discussed in the article as providing autonomous control to 50 ships. I think this is their SM400 product, with AI control and potentially full autonomy. The next step down in the range is the SM300 - SM300 - Sea Machines (sea-machines.com) which offers full remote or semi autonomous use. This costs less than <100,000 USD. A remote control, LOS only system is the SM200. I couldn't find the cost of SM200 or SM400. I would be interested to hear of the experiences if any posters have had direct experience with these systems.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
The UK's selling two retired RFAs to Egypt.
Britain sells naval vessels to Egypt

Interesting. It suggests that Egypt may be thinking of naval operations far from home. I'd not fancy buying 40 year old ships, but perhaps the maintenance cost may be bearable in a relatively low wage country.
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
It suggests that Egypt may be thinking of naval operations far from home.
Given that the two Fort Rosalies are dry stores only (no fuel supply) that's somewhat doubtable.

They're probably the nominal replacement for Shalatin and Halayib, two mid-size ex-German 1960s supply ships that the Egyptian Navy has now been operating for 20 years. Offhand i think they mostly use them to transport supplies for ships between bases (and for training purposes), not that much for actual RAS.

While Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin are nominally much larger they can only transport about twice as much tonnage in stores as those older ships, which should be an appropriate expansion of current procedures given they've more recently been buying larger combat ships. There's probably also some trade-off in capabilities to more modern requirements involved, i.e. losing the older ships' minelayer capacity and gaining considerable additional helo platforms.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
That makes sense. The Forts are probably cheap to buy because of their age, & local transport in the Red & Med shouldn't be too hard on old hulls. An affordable upgrade.
 

Big_Zucchini

Well-Known Member
Israeli Reshef class OPVs with some new details:
1. Will use Rafael's C-Dome IAMD, a navalized version of the Iron Dome.
2. Will complete design phase in 2 years.
3. Will have first unit built 2-4 years after that, for a total of 4-6 years from now til IOC.
4. Total of 8 ships are planned.


Should be mentioned the Sa'ar 6 ships carry 2 full launchers-worth of Iron Dome missiles (i.e 40), and the Reshef will likely carry half that amount.

They will replace the aging Sa'ar 4.5 class OPVs, and will be based on the Sa'ar 72 class, but will have a longer hull and wider hull, likely having more resemblance to the Themistocles class offered to Greece by Israeli Shipyards.
Themistocles displaces approximately 1,000 tons. Quite hefty for an OPV, but Israeli need for wide variety of payload and ability to conduct special operations, demand extra room, particularly as the Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria are very busy arenas.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
After receiving the P18 corvettes/OPVs in 2016 (export version of the Type 056), the Nigerian Navy has ordered two OPVs from Turkey.

The ships will be outfitted with indigenous sensors and systems, according to the agreement, details are not given, but the Dearsan OPV 76 design is equipped with the Oto Melara 76 mm gun.

The OPV 76 is actually not 76 meters long, but 78.6 meters long and 11 meters wide. The vessels are scheduled to be delivered to the Nigerian Navy within 37 months.

 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Bangladesh plans to order 5 naval ships from GB, but its totally unclear what kind of naval vessels.

In the past the Bangladesh Navy received some ex-RN vessels, like this one, the BNS Anus Handhan, ex-Royal Navy coastal survey vessel HMS Roebuck.


 

Attachments

Redlands18

Well-Known Member
Bangladesh plans to order 5 naval ships from GB, but its totally unclear what kind of naval vessels.

In the past the Bangladesh Navy received some ex-RN vessels, like this one, the BNS Anus Handhan, ex-Royal Navy coastal survey vessel HMS Roebuck.


Sounds like maybe some River Class OPVs, doubt Bangladesh would be able to afford 5 Type 31s.
 

At lakes

Well-Known Member
May I suggest it could be the five Sandown class vessels or some of the Hunt class of MCM vessels. I read somewhere they are getting rid of them may be a useful OPV for the BN
 

Redlands18

Well-Known Member
May I suggest it could be the five Sandown class vessels or some of the Hunt class of MCM vessels. I read somewhere they are getting rid of them may be a useful OPV for the BN
Does say 3 to be imported from the UK and 2 to be built in Bangladesh, so could be 3 Sandowns and 2 Patrol Vessels.
 

At lakes

Well-Known Member
Does say 3 to be imported from the UK and 2 to be built in Bangladesh, so could be 3 Sandowns and 2 Patrol Vessels.
Checked the local Bangladesh Navy News and the local papers and I get the impression that they will all be new built vessels.
 

Musashi_kenshin

Well-Known Member
Bangladesh plans to order 5 naval ships from GB, but its totally unclear what kind of naval vessels.
Very interesting, but I'm holding off on popping the champagne cork until it's formally announced and it's clear what the contract is for.

A couple of reburbished minehunters is a completely different kettle of fish than brand new ships. The former might not be terrible as the MoD would get something for them, but the latter would help UK shipbuilding by ensuring more work.
 
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At lakes

Well-Known Member
Bangladesh plans to order 5 naval ships from GB, but its totally unclear what kind of naval vessels.

In the past the Bangladesh Navy received some ex-RN vessels, like this one, the BNS Anus Handhan, ex-Royal Navy coastal survey vessel HMS Roebuck.


They are new build three in the uk and two to be built in Bangladesh
Smart looking vessel. If one read the twitter further on looks like the Turk's were disappointed that they never got the order

 

spoz

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Hm, if that's anything like a realistic impression of the design they have a very Appledore look about them. Is that yard still capable of building?
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The new stealthy 100-metre LST 100 for the Nigerian Navy has been launched at Albwardy Damen, Sharjah, UAE a few months ago.

Besides having the capacity to accommodate a crew of 32 and 250 Embarked Marine Forces personnel, the vessel also has deck space for vehicles, a helicopter / UAV deck and significant space for cargo, which can be loaded via both a stern and a bow ramp or using the 25-tonne main crane. The LST 100 roll-on-roll-off landing ship will be Nigeria's most advanced amphibious transport ship ever.

The Nigerian Navy’s LST 100 is scheduled for delivery in 2022.

 
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