I note a lot of the OPV designs have added features such as cargo and passenger provisions, which fit nicely into the SAR/Civil response areas.KH-12 said:
Use of Frigates for Interception/Fisheries patrols
- Thread starter Pusser01
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Stuart Mackey
New Member
I beleive that a requirement on the NZ OPV's was also to be a Special Forces platform. Presumably, as the patrol vessels will provide more of a presence in NZ waters than has been the case in the past, use in anti terrorist/hostage etc was intended, esp with the helicopter.Whiskyjack said:
I have noticed the Dutch have sold another two of their fairly new frigates to Belgium so that they can build several OPVs, thereby keeping their shipyards busy. The Dutch have been sending a frigate to patrol around their dependencies in the Caribbean, similar to the British. In the future the Dutch intend to send an OPV to the Caribbean, a frigate is a bit of overkill.
The British have built a slightly larger River class OPV, HMS Clyde, to patrol around the Falklands. While OPVs are not frigates, they are adequate for their intended missions, freeing up frigates for more military missions. Several OPVs can be built for the price of one frigate, and with smaller crews OPVs are cheaper to operate.
Whether having a dedicated Coast Guard is up to each nation. Some do and some don't. Usually nations that have a developed coast line do have a Coast Guard, but you'll notice that many nations that don't have a developed coast line don't. I wouldn't consider Australia's or New Zealand's coasts developed. In fact, the Australians have stationed most of their patrol boats on their most undeveloped coast, their northern coast.
The British have built a slightly larger River class OPV, HMS Clyde, to patrol around the Falklands. While OPVs are not frigates, they are adequate for their intended missions, freeing up frigates for more military missions. Several OPVs can be built for the price of one frigate, and with smaller crews OPVs are cheaper to operate.
Whether having a dedicated Coast Guard is up to each nation. Some do and some don't. Usually nations that have a developed coast line do have a Coast Guard, but you'll notice that many nations that don't have a developed coast line don't. I wouldn't consider Australia's or New Zealand's coasts developed. In fact, the Australians have stationed most of their patrol boats on their most undeveloped coast, their northern coast.
Is'nt having a Coast Guard as a separate entity a case of symantics anyway ?, unless you have economies of scale (as in the case of the US) is it not easier to have it as one of the functions of the Navy, after all you are protecting the nations borders, maybe not from armed attack but frequently from economic attack (illegal fishing / pirates / drug trafficers). Running a separate organisation for the purpose can only cost more particularly for a smaller nation.
Grand Danois
Entertainer
Why not use OPVs to protect whaling nations against militant activist like Sea Shepherd?
I remember the Faeroese Police trying to board one of their vessels once (it was filmed and shown on local TV). The police had to give up as they got bombarded with potatoes with razor blades stuck in them and they also they poured gasoline on the sea and tried to light it. The vessel was also fortified with barbed wire to prevent boardings.
The next time Shea Shepherd made an appearance, the Danish Gov't sent a Thetis class frigate with navy special forces embarked dedicated for monitoring the situation and intervene if the activist came to a brawl with the locals.
That never came to pass as the activists could not get the intelligence on where the pilot whales landed. The Faeroese are a very closeknit society.
The end of it was the the Brits on request of the Danes impounded the vessel when it returned to a Scottish port and it was eventually confiscated, so that was the end of it.
Sea Shepherd didn't show themselves again.
I remember the Faeroese Police trying to board one of their vessels once (it was filmed and shown on local TV). The police had to give up as they got bombarded with potatoes with razor blades stuck in them and they also they poured gasoline on the sea and tried to light it. The vessel was also fortified with barbed wire to prevent boardings.
The next time Shea Shepherd made an appearance, the Danish Gov't sent a Thetis class frigate with navy special forces embarked dedicated for monitoring the situation and intervene if the activist came to a brawl with the locals.
That never came to pass as the activists could not get the intelligence on where the pilot whales landed. The Faeroese are a very closeknit society.
The end of it was the the Brits on request of the Danes impounded the vessel when it returned to a Scottish port and it was eventually confiscated, so that was the end of it.
Sea Shepherd didn't show themselves again.
I don't condone whaling but think that some of the activities of individuals like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society cannot be condoned either. They are still about with a new vessel ahppilly ramming (side swiping) whaling vessels. See
http://www.seashepherd.org/whales/blog/whales_blog_001.html
They are very proud of their activities and brag to have sunk vessels. If this is the case they really are a dangerous bunch of lunitiics and need to be taken seriously but I think an OPV like the NZ vessel is sufficent for the task as opposed to a frigate.
About the only activity of Sea Shepherd I do agree wiht is the removal of poachers long lines. This is effective and does not put life at risk as has been done in the past by RAN patrol boats.
In so far as running around ramming vessel this is total irresponsible and the vessel are run in breach of a number of international conventions. The money donated would be better spent on targetting the consumer through PR campaigns noting the declining demand for the meat.
I would be interested in what excuse these lunitics would give if they opened fuel tanks during one of their side swipes?
http://www.seashepherd.org/whales/blog/whales_blog_001.html
They are very proud of their activities and brag to have sunk vessels. If this is the case they really are a dangerous bunch of lunitiics and need to be taken seriously but I think an OPV like the NZ vessel is sufficent for the task as opposed to a frigate.
About the only activity of Sea Shepherd I do agree wiht is the removal of poachers long lines. This is effective and does not put life at risk as has been done in the past by RAN patrol boats.
In so far as running around ramming vessel this is total irresponsible and the vessel are run in breach of a number of international conventions. The money donated would be better spent on targetting the consumer through PR campaigns noting the declining demand for the meat.
I would be interested in what excuse these lunitics would give if they opened fuel tanks during one of their side swipes?
Grand Danois
Entertainer
Well, I actually have no problem with the whaling done by the Faeroese or the Greenlanders (Inuit), as it is done in an entirely different context than commercial whaling from big vessels. But that is not really a topic for this board, I guess.
But I find it interesting that seriously militant activists (like Sea Shepherd) is part of the mission matrix for OPVs.
I wonder what you need, as in required, of an OPV to board a heavily fortified vessel in a police manner ie no lethal force. Helos and special forces ??
But I find it interesting that seriously militant activists (like Sea Shepherd) is part of the mission matrix for OPVs.
I wonder what you need, as in required, of an OPV to board a heavily fortified vessel in a police manner ie no lethal force. Helos and special forces ??
In my view an OPV should be tasked to ensure all national and international laws are enforced. This includes illegal fishing and lunitics running around acting in complete contravention with UNCLOS. It is akin to allowing individuals on land to damage property and put lives at risk becasue they don't agree with what they are doing, even where it is currently lawful. I am sure the police would decend like a tonne of bricks on such activity and it should be no different for these idiots.
I agree I have no problem with traditional whaling but killing whales that have to be turned into dog food because nobody wantrf the meat (as happened in Japan) is an unnecessary waste.
I agree I have no problem with traditional whaling but killing whales that have to be turned into dog food because nobody wantrf the meat (as happened in Japan) is an unnecessary waste.