Showing posts with label Littoral Combat Ship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Littoral Combat Ship. Show all posts

Friday 22 April 2016

Go Win Something, Anything : Malaysia's Second Generation Patrol Vessels


Second Time Lucky?



In the 1990s, Malaysia perceived the need to replace its ageing Vosper 103ft Type patrol crafts ( PC ), tiny boats with a length of 31m displacing just 96 tons that had been in service since the 1960s. Known as the New Generation Patrol Vessel ( NGPV ) Project, the initial specifications called for a Offshore Patrol Vessel ( OPV ) design which displaced 1300 tons with a length of 80m. However, the winning bid, based on the Blohm + Voss MEKO 100 design, ended up displacing 1850 tons with a length of 91m, a size resembling a corvette rather than an OPV. The NGPV project was plagued by delays caused by quality control issues and cost overruns, and when it was finally concluded in 2010, yielded only six ships of the guns only KD Kedah-class out of the originally intended twenty seven. Given that situation, one may logically presume that the Royal Malaysian Navy ( RMN ) would be fairly desperate in need for new surface combatants to boost the strength of its Fleet.

Indeed in early 2011, Malaysia initiated the Second Generation Patrol Vessel ( SGPV ) Project which aims to provide the RMN with six stealth frigates by the end of the decade, a timely procurement, since by then, not counting the NGPVs, even the newest Lekiu-class frigate would have been in service for more than twenty years. Further more, with the increasingly belligerent stance of China in the South China Sea, many of the surrounding littoral states are locked in an urgent arms race to boost their naval capabilities. Malaysia cannot really afford another fiasco like the NGPV project, or can they?


The SGPV is based on the Gowind 2500 stealth ship. Image : DCNS




CGI : Gowind 2500 with hangar and helicopter in view. Image : DCNS




Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship



Malaysia's next generation frigate programme is known as the Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship ( SGPV-LCS ) Project. The name is somewhat misleading as the ships involved are essentially multi-mission frigates, major ocean-going surface combatants, rather than patrol vessels which generally implies a much smaller and lightly armed warship for close shore duties. The inclusion of the words Littoral Combat Ship may also cause unnecessary confusion with the US Navy's pre-existing Freedom-class and Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships.

The project was announced in early 2011 and originally involved six frigate type warships with stealth features displacing about 2700 tons. The budget for this project was MYR6billion, then worth about US$1.9billion. There were several contenders, including Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine System with their subsidiary Blohm+Voss' MEKO 200 design, Dutch Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding with its Sigma-class 10514 and the French DCNS with the Gowind-class. TKMS being the parent company of Blohm+Voss was of course no stranger to Malaysia as it was closely involved with the NGPV project and was also the supplier of the older Kasturi-class light frigates while Damen had recently been successful in selling Indonesia its scalable Sigma 9113 corvettes and Sigma 10514 frigates. DCNS on the other hand supplied Singapore with its La Fayette-class derived Formidable-class stealth frigates and sold Malaysia their Scorpenes and Agosta-B submarines.

By end 2011, it emerged that the French Gowind based design had been chosen and a contract worth MYR9billion ( then USD2.8billion ) had been awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd which will team up with DCNS to build the vessels locally at their Lumut yard. Boustead Naval Shipyard is one of many companies under the umbrella of Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad which is itself part of a bigger, publicly listed, government linked industrial conglomerate known as Boustead Holdings Berhad. So just what is a Gowind-class vessel?


DCNS's Gowind Family



The Gowind is DCNS's solution to littoral warfare. It is not a single vessel but a collection of warships types that spans several classes from entry level OPV types to higher end corvettes and light frigates. Just like the MEKOs and Sigmas, the Gowind's modular design makes it highly scalable. The vessels are all shaped to have a reduced radar cross-section signature and have additional stealth features as an integral part of their design, such as a single integrated mast where all the sensors are mounted. That replaced several sensor masts in older designs which tends to contribute to unnecessary clutter and increased reflection of radar waves. The main guns can be encased in stealth cupolas. The propulsion system is that of combined diesel and diesel ( CODAD ) configuration with no funnel stack to emit infra-red radiation. Instead the engine exhaust is dissipated as waterjets which also served to enhance the maneuverability of the ships especially in shallow waters.



Smoke and fumes from a VL Mica launch obscures the 16 cell vertical launch system
 behind the main gun while chaff has been dispensed aft of the Gowind 2500.
Image : DCNS 



The Gowind 1000 launches an anti-ship missile.
Note the array of 8 vertical launch cells on a raised portion behind the main gun.
Image : DCNS



The Gowind OPV now known as the OPV90 by Kership
serving in the French Navy as the L'Adroit. Image : Kership


The FS L'Adroit of the Marine Nationale at the Singapore Navy Open House in 2013.
Photo via Wikicommons.


Although DCNS's website list only two Gowind variants, the Gowind 1000, a 1500 ton lightly armed version for less demanding missions and the much bigger Gowind 2500, a 2500 ton multi-mission corvette type with significant anti-submarine capabilities, there are more variants including an OPV type now renamed the OPV90 that had been reassigned to Kership, a DCNS subsidiary. In fact DCNS even built one, the OPV L'Adroit, and loaned it to the French Navy for evaluations for a period of three years, seemingly free of charge. You can watch DCNS' video on the L'Adroit here.

All Gowind variants come complete with a helideck for helicopter and UAV operations while the larger vessels also feature a helicopter hangar. In DCNS's original configuration, the Gowind corvettes are armed with a 76mm main gun, two 20mm cannons, vertical launched MICA surface to air missiles and MM-40 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missiles. In addition, the Gowind 2500 has two triple torpedo launchers as part of its ASW arsenal, though they are listed as only an option in the Gowind 1000.

The Gowind vessels are capable of operating unmanned systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAV ), unmanned underwater vehicles ( UUV ) and unmanned surface vehicles ( USV ).



Gowind 2500 Specifications and Characteristics. Source : DCNS


As of today, DCNS had already secured orders for 10 Gowind ships. Malaysia's 6 vessel contract was the first commercial success ( paid order ) for the type while the Egyptian Navy became the second customer with 4 vessels on order. All were presumably variants based on the design of the larger and more capable Gowind 2500 ( Malaysia ) or the Gowind 2500 base model itself ( Egypt ).





Malaysia's Gowind SGPV-LCS



Malaysia's finalized SGPV design is a frigate sized derivative of the Gowind 2500 corvette displacing 3100 tons, an increase from the initial proposed displacement of 2700 tons. With that there has also been a 50% increase in the acquisition cost from MYR6billion to MYR9billion. The price includes intellectual property rights and technology transfer, which could mean Malaysia owns the rights to the modified Gowind design and might be able to export it to interested third parties in the future. That is of course provided Boustead Naval Shipyard is able to build them according to specifications in the first place.



Malaysia's Gowind-class Second Generation Patrol Vessel- Littoral Combat Ship. Source : Boustead Naval Shipyard



These are some of the known specifications including sensors and armaments for the Gowind SGPV :

Length                     : 111 meters

Breath                      : 16 meters

Draught                   : 3.85 meters

Displacement          : 3100 tons

Propulsion               : Combined Diesel and Diesel ( CODAD )

Engine                     : 4 x MTU Diesel

Maximum Speed     : 28 knots

Range                      : 5000 nautical miles at 15 knots

Endurance               : 21 days

Complement           :  Up to 138

Combat System      : DCNS SETIS

Search Radar          : Thales Nederland SMART-S Mk 2 3D Multi-beam Radar

Fire Control Radar : Rheinmetall TMX/EO Mk II Fire Control Radar
                                 Rheinmetall TMEO Mk II Electro-Optical Tracking System

ESM                       : Thales VIGILE 100 Electronic Support Measures System
                                
Sonar                      : Thales CAPTAS-2 Variable Depth Sonar
                                  Hull Mounted Sonar ? Thales Bluewatcher

Communications    : Thales TUUM-6 underwater communications equipment
                                  Thales TSB 3520 ATC / IFF Combined Interrogator Transponder

Decoy                     : Wallop/Esterline Super Barricade Decoy System

Main Gun               : 1 x BAE Systems 57mm Mk3 Naval Gun in Stealth Cupola

Cannons                 : 2 x MSI Seahawk 30mm cannons

SAM                      : MBDA VL Mica in 16 Sylver ?A35 launchers

SSM                       : 2 x 4 Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile

Torpedo                 : 2 x J+S ( Now SEA ) 324mm Triple Torpedo Launcher

Helicopter              : EC725 Caracal / AugustaWestland Super Lynx 300 / Eurocopter AS350 Fennac

 

Constructing the SGPV



Unlike Egypt's 4 corvette deal with DCNS where the first-in-class would be constructed in France and the remaining three in Alexandria, Egypt, the Malaysians elected to have the entire batch of six frigates constructed locally at their Boustead Naval Shipbuilding ( BNS ) shipyard at Lumut, Perak. This was a bold decision, given that at that point of time the Lumut facilities were not quite built for the task of constructing the stealth frigates. A major upgrade had to be carried out with the help of DCNS before construction of the vessels could begin.

It was subsequently revealed that although the USD2.8billion contract was awarded to BNS / DCNS in 2011, it only went into effect on 14th July 2014, after the completion of  a massive infrastructure upgrade at the Lumut shipyard - ship lifts, block assembly halls, panel assembly halls and keel laying lines. The Malaysians even planned to have three ships in parallel construction at the yard. The Gowind contracts with Malaysia and Egypt was only confirmed by DCNS later that year.

Aerial view of the Boustead Naval Shipbuilding Lumut Shipyard at the mouth of
Sungai Manjung. Source : Boustead

BNS Lumut yard now seems to have upgraded shiplifts. Source : Boustead Naval Shipbuilding


Another view of BNS Lumut. Source : Boustead Naval Shipbuilding


Not only will the ships be constructed in Malaysia, even the combat system will be assembled and tested at the not too distant Cyberjaya town, part of the ex-ex-Prime Minister Mahathir's grandiose Multimedia Corridor and Malaysia's Silicon Valley wannabe. Potential systems suppliers and integrators are in a way forced to perform as much work on the ships as possible locally in Malaysia. In fact any foreign company who wish to participant in the SGPV project will probably have to agree to set up some joint venture with well connected locals or local companies, a regional headquarters here, a training facility there, some maintenance and servicing company to cater for subsequent repairs and upgrades, and so on and so forth. You get the idea.

To cite specific examples, J+S Ltd, a British company selected to supply the torpedo launch system for the SGPV, had opened an office in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to serve the ASEAN region. They also announced that they would be sourcing some products and services locally. Thales, the supplier of the Smart-Ass Mk2 naval surveillance radars will be building the first two systems in the Netherlands but the remaining four would be assembled and tested in Malaysia by a local company Contraves Advanced Devices Sdn Bhd which itself is jointly owned by who else but Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation and Rheinmetall Defence.

All these came as no surprise since Malaysia is a nation obsessed with offsets, technology transfers and industrial joint ventures, even to the extend of dabbling with bartering every once in a blue moon. For example, the €1.035billion scorpene submarine deal with DCN in 2002 obligated France to in return buy €230million worth of Malaysian palm oil, €92million of other commodities and invest  €138million for training and technology transfers to local Malaysian firms. There was allegedly also a spin off deal to increase the landing rights for Malaysia Airlines at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Then there was the Sukhoi Su-30MKM deal that came with the condition that Russia help train and send a Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station, which they eventually did as promised, and that happened in 2007. Even earlier, Yeltsin was partially paid in Malaysian palm oil for the MiG-29 deal ....

Construction of the yet to be named lead vessel started in Jun 2015 and would be completed in early 2019. The subsequent five ships would be completed at ten months interval thereafter, which means the last ship would be completed sometime in 2023. The image from Boustead Naval Yard seem to suggest the lead ship will be having the pennant number F177, continuing serially after the six Kedah-class NGPV which have pennant numbers from F171 to F176.


Keel laying signals the official start of the ship construction.
This is probably hull number 2. Image via RMN Tweet.


Strengths and Weaknesses



Malaysia's Gowind-class frigates are great warships with many advanced features and capabilities. Being brand new they also include the latest design trends and incorporate the latest technology in maritime security and naval warfare. At 3100 tons fully loaded, these are fairly large in size and that translates to better sea keeping, higher endurance and a higher level of comfort for the serving ship crew. As a class they should be able to execute their mission of protecting Malaysia's vast maritime interests well and form a credible deterrence against any potential aggression by regional countries. Unfortunately there are certain omissions that could have an adverse impact on the ship's combat capabilities. 

A main gun with a bigger caliber, like the 76mm ( 3 inch ) Oto Melara Super Rapid would be a better choice. Bigger guns have longer reach and make for better shore bombardment should that requirement ever arise, like when some rag tag militia force from some self proclaimed Philippine sultanate come occupying your outlaying islands. Even RMN's newest Kedah-class corvettes are armed with 76mm main guns. Stealth cupola or not 57mm just seem too small for a full fledged frigate. They are more suited for smaller surface combatants like corvettes and FAC.


The BAE Systems / Bofors 57mm Mk3 in stealth cupola on the Swedish Visby-class corvette. Photo : Wikipaedia



A pair of MSI Defence Systems Seahawk remotely controlled 30mm cannons on a gyro-stabilized, electrically operated mount with an electro-optical director is great for force protection against asymmetric threats like hordes of fast boats but it cannot double as a close-in weapon system ( CIWS ) for last line of defence against sea skimming anti-ship missiles and precision guided munitions ( PGM ). Without a dedicated gun-based CIWS, the SGPV in effect relies on the VL-MICA as a missile-based CIWS. No doubt the VL MICA does have anti-missile capabilities, but would you put all your eggs in one basket?


The choice of short ranged VL Mica for the frigates' air defence is also not ideal. Although the VL Mica is an extremely capable and proven design which combines compactness and light weight with a short reaction time, high rate of fire and multi-target capabilities ( including missiles and PGM ), its Achilles Heel is really its relatively short range of up to 20km. Its maneuverability rapidly falls from 50G at 7km to 30G at 12km as kinetic energy is bled off with increasing distance from the point of launch. It is good for point defence but would not be so suitable for area defence. So the VL Mica might be perfect for a smaller vessel like the NGPV but I would expect a frigate to be able to provide task force-wide area defence. Assuming that the Gowind frigate has the shortest Sylver A35 chosen, having a longer vertical launch system ( VLS ) like the A43 or A50 which can accommodate longer ranged surface-to-air missiles like the MBDA Aster 15 or Aster 30 respectively would have been a better choice.


Ditching the MM40 Block III Exocet in favour of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile ( NSM ) could prove to be a good move. Both have anti-ship, littoral and coastal attack capabilities, both have effective range in excess of 100 nautical miles but the NSM is a much more contemporary design whereas the Exocet could trace its lineage to the 1970s. It is true that compared to even the MM40 Block II, the Block III is like a radically new missile, but the RMN already has in its service the SM39 and the MM40 Block II. So it might not be a bad idea to diversify the SSM inventory with the NSM so as not to be to overly reliant on one supplier. The NSM would give the RMN's surface fleet enhanced land attack capabilities in addition to its anti-ship role.


A model of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile on display. Photo : Wikipaedia


The Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile successfully being test fired on the
USN Littoral Combat Ship LCS4 USS Coronado in July 2014. Photo : USN 



The selected surveillance radar, the Thales SMART-S Mk2, is a capable radar system that has already been installed on corvettes and frigates of many navies, including Germany's Brandenburg-class frigates and as a future upgrade for New Zealand's ANZAC-class frigate. The acronym stands for Signaal Multibeam Acquisition Radar for Tracking, S-Band. It is a medium to long range air and surface multibeam passive electronically scanned array ( PESA ) 3D radar designed by Thales Nederland ( formally Thomson-CSF Signaal ) and as the name implies, operates in the S-Band ( with frequencies between 2 - 4 GHz, also known as E/F-Band in NATO nomenclature ). Its maximum instrumented range is 250km against air targets and 80km against surface targets. It can automatically detect and track up to a total of 750 air and surface targets simultaneously. Easy to use with only two operational mode and minimal operation system settings, the SMART-S Mk2 also features high operational availability through the use of solid state technology and ease of maintenance with line-replaceable-units that are easy to exchange when defective.


The Thales CAPTAS-2 / UMS 4229 long range low frequency active and passive variable depth sonar ( VDS ) is a compact and versatile detection system for medium ASW platforms 1500 tons and above. CAPTAS is the acronym for Combined Active and Passive Towed Array Sonar and it comes in three versions for vessels of different sizes, CAPTAS-1, -2 and -4. A VDS essentially enables the ASW unit to transmit and receive at the right depth to maximise the detection of very quiet modern diesel-electric submarines such as the Russian Kilo-class or Chinese Type 39A Yuen-class SSK. The CAPTAS-2 is rugged, operational up to sea state 6, and has a maximum operational depth of 250m. The detection performance is listed by Thales as beyond the first oceanic convergence zone which means in excess of 20 to 30 nautical miles. It has embedded torpedo defence capability and multi-platform operation capability with two frigates in the same area. In times of emergency, such as torpedo avoidance, the towed array can withstand towing at 30 knots. Deployment and retrieving of the towed array can be completed in 20 minutes. The CAPTAS family of VDS has already ben installed or selected for more than 40 ships including the FREMM frigates of the French, Italian and Moroccan Navies. You can watch a video of the smaller CAPTAS-1 and BlueWatcher hull-mounted sonar in action here.




Hull-mounted sonar fails to detect enemy submarine hiding beneath
thermal layer but the variable depth sonar's dual-towed
receiver array and transmitting body are deployed at the optimal depth.
Source : Advanced Acoustic Concepts / DRS Thales




The Thales CAPTAS-2 towed body. Image : Thales



The CAPTAS-1 with its winch can be installed in a containerized system
below the helideck. Image : Thales


The transmitting Towed Body attached to the winch cable. Image : Thales

CAPTAS-1 VDS Single Tow : The Body ( seen transmitting ) tows the Receive Array. Image : Thales 

The electronic support measures ( ESM ) suite chosen was the Thales Vigile 100 system. The vigile family is Thales' 4th generation ESM system tailored for naval applications for both surface and sub-surface units. According to the manufacturer, it provides wide band ( C to J Bands ), high sensitivity receptions and pulse analysis with the ability to detect low probability of intercept (LPI) or invisible hostile radars using ultra sensitive search mode. It also supports electronic intelligence (ELINT), precise de-interleaving, and specific emitter identification/platform identification using ESM tasked mode measuring signals frequency, phase and amplitude.

Although the Gowind-class incorporates the latest technology and is purpose-designed to be able to operate unmanned systems, Malaysia seem to have decided not to equip its new frigates with any unmanned aerial vehicles as originally planned, like the VTOL Airbus Tanan. This is puzzling as UAVs can be valuable assets to augment existing capabilities and are a force multiplier for any platform, big or small. Then again, nothing that Malaysia does make much sense to us most of the time. This omission may cost the RMN in the future.

.
The Airbus Tanan VTOL UAS with Gowind 2500. Image : Thales


Airbus Tanan UAS and frigate with variable depth sonar. Image : Airbus


Trail Blazing with the Gowind Stealth Frigate



Malaysia's decision to go with the wind and select the Gowind 2500-class as a basis for its SGPV-LCS future frigate programme could be viewed as a bold trail blazing move. This is because they are the type's first real, paying customer, internationally or otherwise. Even the French Navy does not own any. The OPV FS L'Adroit is not counted as it is on loan to the navy for evaluation and perhaps publicity, and it was for free. So actually till today nobody has built a frigate sized Gowind before. New platforms usually have their fair share of teething problems and the SGPV will no doubt face similar issues. More so if it were to be constructed outside France. The decision to construct everything in Malaysia could represent a good opportunity for local companies to benefit from technology transfers and generate much needed jobs for Malaysian workers. If not implemented properly, it might just lead to the same delays and cost overruns that plague the previous NGPV project. However, with an experienced stealth ship builder like DCNS providing technical expertise and support, such problems might hopefully be minimized.

Questions remain as to why the cost of the six ships was allowed to balloon from the initial budgeted  MYR6billion to MYR9billion. It is puzzling especially considering that the ships' combat systems, though capable, are not all entirely top of the line and many of the systems initially desired by the RMN were eventually scaled down or opted out, like the UAV. Also, why has the tonnage to increase from the originally planned 2700 tons to the finalized 3100 tons? Either RMN doesn't know what it needs or its decision is too easily swayed by the vendor's marketing antics, or both. Could the mere increase in tonnage account for such a vast price rise or is Malaysia also paying so much more because it wanted to retain the intellectual property rights to the frigate's designs? If so is it a wise decision given the current poor economical and political situation in Malaysia? The final bill for the six ships will likely be much higher than MYR9billion due to currency exchange fluctuations in favour of the Euro / US Dollar as the Ringgit had weaken considerably in the past five years since the project had began and it is unlikely to strengthen in the near future. In this scandal prone country, could it be another bribery scam in the making, perhaps even with another murder or two thrown in as well?

Looking at the dilapidated state of the RMN today, with only six semi-equipped OPVs, two barely there post-SLEP corvettes and two ageing frigates forming the core of the surface combatants, the induction of these Gowind frigates into the Fleet will undoubtedly be keenly anticipated by the Malaysians. When that day arrives, the Malaysian Navy can at least claim parity with regional navies like the Indonesian Navy and the Singapore Navy and declare that they also own and operate stealth vessels, in the process Winning back some lost prestige.

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Bigger, Meaner And Leaner : Singapore's Independence-Class Littoral Mission Vessel





RSS Independence in 2016. Photo : MINDEF




Smarter, Faster And Sharper?


The official MINDEF news release announcing the launch of the Republic of Singapore Navy's ( RSN ) first of eight littoral mission vessels ( LMV ) on the 3rd of July 2015 screamed : Smarter, Faster And Sharper : Singapore Navy Launches First Littoral Mission Vessel. Personally, I think Bigger, Meaner And Leaner might describe these new ships better. Read on to find out.




The Littoral Mission Vessel at a glance. Source : MINDEF





Littoral Mission Vessel



What's a littoral mission vessel? A littoral mission vessel or LMV is simply a large offshore patrol vessel ( OPV ) if you are more familiar with that term. As the name implies, they are supposed to operate in littoral environments, that is, shallow coastal waters not too far from the shore. They are also designed to be modular and configurable for different missions. The 8 LMVs planned are to replace 11 of the RSN's existing Fearless-class Patrol Vessels ( PV ) which have been in service since 1997.

Their primary mission is to ensure the maritime security of the Port of Singapore and the surrounding territorial waters, ultimately contributing towards the seaward defense of Singapore. They are the work horses of the Navy.




The RSN's early generation Patrol Craft was replaced by the
Patrol Vessels in 1997. The PV will in turn be replaced
by the LMV. Source : Republic of Singapore Navy


After holding a name-the-vessel contest earlier in the year, the RSN selected eight names that reflected the theme of Singapore's nationhood. These are also ideals that Singapore's pioneers and the founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, fought for, as well as the attributes that they exemplified. They will be named RSS Independence, RSS Sovereignty, RSS Unity, RSS Justice, RSS Indomitable, RSS Fortitude, RSS Dauntless, and RSS Fearless. Collectively, they are the Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessels.

The LMV is jointly designed by local ship builder Singapore Technologies Marine ( ST Marine ) and SAAB Kockums AB of Sweden, working closely with the Defense Science and Technology Agency ( DSTA ), taking into account the unique requirements of the RSN. Apart from submarines, Kockums is also famous for building Sweden's iconic Visby-class stealth corvettes and would no doubt have brought to the table their wealth of experience in the designing and building of low observability vessels.

The contract to build the LMVs was awarded to ST Marine in 2013. The ships are being constructed at ST Marine's Benoi Shipyard at the Jurong Industrial Area. According to MINDEF, the first LMV is scheduled to be delivered in 1Q2016 and all are expected to be fully operational by the year 2020, by which time the existing PV fleet would have reached the end of their operational life after being in service for more than 20 years.




Launch of the RSS Independence at ST Marine's Benoi shipyard
on 3rd July 2015. Source : RSN



RSS Independence was launched by Dr Ivy Lim, wife of the
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. Source : RSN


One look at the LMV's exterior, especially of the rounded composite mast, and you would have realised that stealth is an inherent part of the ship's design. There are also no funnels to discharge engine exhaust and emit infra-red signature. Stealth technology has found its way to almost every class of modern warships nowadays and the Navy would be foolish not to embrace it.

Not so immediately obvious is the fact that the LMV is also purpose designed around the theme of minimizing manpower requirements. In fact I could argue that the LMV owed its existence mainly to the lack of manpower within the RSN. Anything that can be automated would have been automated. The ship's sensor, weapons and systems are constructed to allow for easy accessibility and simple maintenance. The LMV's layout is also such that all the major command and control centres of the ship are integrated together at the same location at the bridge. This co-location of the Bridge ( command and navigation ), Combat Information Centre or CIC ( sensors and weapons ), the Machinery Control Room or MCR ( engineering ), is known as the Integrated Command Centre and it integrates and synergises the management of navigation, engineering and combat functions.

On the other hand, it could also mean that a hit at the bridge could wipe out the entire command of the ship. To realise how radical this integrated concept is, just take a look at RSN's Victory-class missile corvettes ( MCV ) which are a generation older. The CIC is actually located two decks below the bridge and the two centres are physically linked by a steep flight of spiral stairs. When the ship closes up for Action Station, the commanding officer is at the bridge while his deputy, the executive officer, is in the CIC. That way a single hit cannot take out all the senior command.




LMV sailing across a console displaying a digital map of Singapore :
a networked, everything integrated ship. Source : RSN





The LMV is marginally faster than the PV which has a
maximum speed of 22 knots. It has a helideck that can
accommodate a medium-lift helicopter including the S-70B
shown above. It can also deploy up to two RHIBs.





Superior suite of sensors : LMV superimposed on digital map of
Australia / Indo-Pacific. Could an up scaled version
be the Armidale-class replacement that the RAN is looking for?  Source : RSN


LMV Characteristics


Length             : 80m
Beam               : 12m
Draught           :  3m
Displacement  : 1250 tonnes
Speed              : In excess of 27 knots
Endurance       : 3500 nautical miles ( 14 days )
Complement   : 23 ( including 5 Officers )
Engines           : 4 x MTU 20V 4000 M93L diesel engines.
Configuration  : Combined Diesel and Diesel ( CODAD )

Sensors           :  Thales NS100 3D surveillance radar
                          Kelvin Hughes SharpEye Navigation Radar
                          Stelop Compass D Electro-Optic Director
                          Stelop 360 All-Round Surveillance System

Weapons        :  OTO Melara 76.2mm Super Rapide Main Gun
                         Rafael 25mm Tyhoon Remote Weapon Station
                         2 x OTO Melara 12.7mm Hitrole RWS
                         12 x MDBA VL-Mica
                         2 x LRAD Long Range Acoustic Device
                         2 x Water Cannon System

Others             : Helicopter Deck for one Medium Lift Helicopter
                         Launch and Recovery System for 2 x RHIBs
                         or Protector USV











MTU 20V 4000 M93L Diesel Engines



MTU has been providing diesel engines to power RSN ships for many years. The MCVs, PVs, FFGs are all powered by MTU diesels. RSN has now selected MTU's 20V 4000 M93L diesel engine for the LMVs.  This compact engine has 20 cylinders in V configuration. The cylinders have a bore of 170mm and a stroke of 190mm so each will have a displacement of 4.313 litres. Multiply that by 20 and you get the total displacement of 86.26 litres for each engine. Fuel consumption is said to be 1135.7 litres per hour and each engine weighs 15587 kg. The LMV will be equipped with four of these engines, known for their low consumption and long service life, with each unit producing 4300kW (5766bhp) at 2100 rpm. From the product data sheet " MTU Series 4000 diesel engines offer unrivalled power density in terms of volume-to power ratio and power-to-weight ratio. ". A good choice for a small vessel.




The MTU Series 4000 V20 Diesel displacing 86260 cc.
Four will power each LMV. Source : MTU



Thales NS100 3D Naval Air And Surface Surveillance Radar



The NS100 is Thales' new generation of 3D air and surface surveillance naval radar which combines state of the art S Band Active Electronically Scanned Array ( AESA ) antenna technology and dual axis multi-beam processing. This new concept enables simultaneous detection of a large variety of targets from fast jets to hovering helicopters to sea skimming missiles to high diving munitions to small UAVs, all in one single mode.

The NS100 can be integrated with other sensors like the Scout Mk3 FMCW Radar for LPI ( Low Probability of Intercept ) and dual band surface surveillance, IR camera for nearby situational awareness, AIS ( Automatic Identification System for ships ), ADS-B ( Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast for air traffic management ), and IFF ( Identification Friend or Foe ) interrogator and transponder. This creates a multi-sensor integrated solution saving space and also optimizes overall field of view when all sensors are positioned together topside.

The NS100 has an instrumented range of 200km. It is capable of 3D air surveillance and weapon support for active missiles, 2D surface surveillance, surface gun fire support, jammer surveillance and IFF interrogation support. It has a physical dimension of 3m by 3m. Its MTBCF ( mean time before critical failure ) is 3000 hours. A mean radar for a small ship.

 


The Thales NS100 3D radar. Source : Thales


 Kelvin Hughes SharpEye Navigation Radar



The SharpEye solid state radar system is a digital radar technology that is available in X and S Band frequencies. It is an affordable navigation and surface search pulse Doppler radar sensor offering high reliability ( solid state, no moving parts, no magnetron, low maintenance ), low cost of ownership, and improved detection ranges especially of small targets in clutter ( think inclement weather, high sea states ).


The Kelvin Hughes Sharpeye Navigation Radar's upmast transceiver. Source : Kelvin Hughes



Traditional radar in heavy rain : details lost in heavy clutter



SharpEye in heavy rain : minimal clutter


STELOP 360 All-Round Surveillance System and Compass D Electro-Optic Director



There is not much publicly available information regarding these STELOP products but I guess the 360 could be a all-weather day and night high resolution camera system. The Compass D could be an imagery system for target identification. STELOP is a subsidiary company of ST Engineering, a sister company of ST Marine.


 OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid Gun Mount 



The Italian made OTO Melara 76.2mm Super Rapid naval gun can be found on almost every major RSN surface combatant starting from the Victory-class missile corvettes in the eighties, with the trend continuing in the Fearless-class patrol vessels, the Endurance-class landing platform dock, the Formidable-class stealth frigates and now the LMVs. This light weight and space saving 62 calibre gun can be mounted on relatively small ships and has a maximum rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute. It can be used against surface as well as air threats, including missiles, up to a maximum range of 16km. The barrel can be elevated from -15° to +85°. Automatic loading is provided through a below deck revolving magazine which holds 80 rounds and rapid reloading is easily undertaken even during firing action by two ammunition handlers.




The OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapide Gun Mount on the missile corvette RSS Valour circa 1999. Source Wikipedia


Rafael 25mm Typhoon RWS



The Rafael Typhoon is a light weight, stabilized, remotely controlled weapons station that can be mounted with various small and medium calibre guns, as well as missiles, grenade launchers and even decoys. In this case it is mated with a M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun. The on-mount electro-optical director has colour CCD for day operations, FLIR for night operations, and an eye-safe laser range finder. It has its own ballistic computer for calculating firing solutions and an automatic tracker. The entire mount weighs less than 1000kg and does not require deck penetration making it ideal for small vessels. One stern facing Typhoon RWS will be installed on the LMV. They will be used for force protection especially against asymmetrical threats like a swarm of fast boats. They are also found on the RSN's Endurance-class LPD and Formidable-class FFGs with two mounted on each ship.



The 25mm Typhoon RWS is also known in the USN as the
Mk38 Mod2 seen here on DDG-103 circa 2013.
Note the on-mount EO director. Source : US Navy.

OTO Melara 12.7mm Hitrole RWS



The OTO Melara 12.7mm Hitrole remotely controlled naval turret is rather similar to the Typhoon RWS except it has a smaller calibre. Hitrole is the acronym for Highly Integrated Turret, Remote, Overhead, Light, Electrical. It is gyro-stabilized. Two of these would be installed at the bridge-wing area, port and starboard. They would replace the traditional 4 x Chartered Industries of Singapore CIS 0.5in Heavy Machine Guns mounted all around the bridge-wing on the older RSN vessels.



The OTO Melara 12.7mm Hitrole Remote Controlled Naval Turret.
Source : OTO Melara

MBDA Missile Systems VL-MICA


The MBDA VL-Mica is a short range vertical launch surface to air missile for point and close-area defense. It offers all weather capability against a wide range of aerial threats including aircrafts, helicopters, missiles, precision guided munitions and smart bombs in a modular and compact setup. It also features autonomous guidance and extremely short reaction time and has multiple target capability for defense against saturation anti-ship attacks. The MICA missile is available with two different seekers - Infrared (IR) and Radio Frequency (RF), both highly resistant to countermeasures and decoys, ensuring a high hit probability. The VL-MICA will be deployed in a 12 cell vertical launch system ( VLS ) in the forward section of the LMV just aft of the OTO Melara main gun. They have never been previously deployed in the RSN and are far more capable than the Mistral missile found on the PVs and perhaps the Barak missile on the MCVs as well.




The MBDA VL-MICA at launch. Source : MBDA



The VL-MICA vertical launch system seen here in a 12 cell configuration.
Source : MBDA


VL-MICA missiles with heat seeking IR seeker ( top ) and
 radar guided RF seeker ( bottom ). MBDA


VL-MICA with IR seeker inside VLS. Source : MBDA


The LRAD 1000RX



LRAD Corporation has many different products for its clients from the ultra portable to the heavy weight for vessels and land installations. I must admit I am not certain if it is this particular model that the RSN has chosen for the LMV but the 1000RX resembles the shape of the LRAD seen in RSN's full scale bridge mockup.

The LRAD 1000RX is a long range acoustic hailing device. It projects sound in a focused and directional manner to standoff distances said to be up to 3000m. It broadcasts clear, authoritative voice commands and a whole range of eardrum busting warning tones to modify the behavior of potential threats and thus provide additional time to escalate the use of force if necessary.

It is rugged, simple to operate, has low power requirements and has an all-weather capability. It can be remotely controlled over an IP network and can be integrated with cameras and high intensity xenon lights. From the product brochures " As part of a layered communication and EOF ( escalation of force ) strategy, LRAD systems provide military personnel additional time and distance to distinguish between security threats and innocent civilians before employing lethal force ".

Two would be installed at the bridge wing.



The LRAD 1000RX mounted on a warship. Source : LRAD


Front view of the LRAD 1000RX with camera and xenon light. Source : LRAD


Rear view of the LRAD 1000RX with camera and xenon light. Source : LRAD



Water Cannons


The LMVs are also equipped with water cannons as part of their non-lethal arsenal. Two would be installed at the bridge wing next to the LRAD.


Lack Of Anti-Submarine Capability


A quick look at the sensors and weapon systems and you would have noticed that the LMV does not have a sonar system for submarine detection. Neither does it have any torpedo tubes, anti-submarine rockets or depth charges, the staple for any self-respecting anti-submarine platform. Of course this omission is intentional. The LMVs are not supposed to be ASW assets just as their predecessors, the Fearless-class PVs are currently solely used for coastal defense and maritime security operations only.

Of the original twelve PVs commissioned by the RSN, six are of the ASW variant with bow mounted sonar and torpedo launchers. They are known as the Anti-submarine Patrol Vessels or APVs. One of the APV, RSS Courageous, was badly damaged in a collision with a container ship in 2003 and was stricken from the navy list.

The remaining five APVs subsequently had their ASW equipment removed and for the past few years had been performing normal patrol duties with the other six non-ASW sister ships. This could be due to the fact that since 2005 the RSN had acquired a better ASW platform in the form of the Formidable-class frigates, and together with the Victory-class corvettes which are also capable ASW ships ( variable depth sonars ), they made the APVs redundant.  ( Note : the Victory-class seems to have also lost their ASW capabilities, after the Scan Eagle UAV upgrade )

At the same time, the threat of terrorism post 9/11 and the surge in piracy activities around the Straits of Melaka and surrounding Indonesian waters meant that there was and still is an increased need to step up maritime security operations in and around Singapore. That burden fell on the shoulders of the eleven APVs and PVs and the men and women of the 182 SQN and 189 SQN. These brave warriors reportedly spend up to a third of their time on sea duties away from the comforts of their home and loved ones. With the arrival of the new LMVs which are bigger and more sea worthy, at least the sailors can have more room and more comfort while on their routines.



Keeping Singapore Safe. The iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel
and Casino stand in the back ground. Source : Republic of Singapore Navy.
    
      

Missions and Modules



The LMVs are well equipped for routine territorial waters patrol duties but their size and endurance and the helicopter landing deck means that they can also be adapted to take on more demanding missions further afield with the appropriate mission module. For example, adding a containerized medical module for Humanitarian and Disaster Relief ( HADR ) missions is a no brainer. Other mission modules may include mine countermeasures module ( MCM ), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance module ( ISR ), oceanography and undersea surveillance module, and perhaps a special operations module. Needless to say, LMVs can also be called upon to perform the usual escort duties and provide naval gunfire support.


Littoral Mission Vessel vs Littoral Combat Ship



Though build along similar concepts of multi-mission adaptability for coastal operations, they are not to be confused with the US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship ( LCS ) which comes in two distinctive versions, the monohull Freedom-class ( LCS-1 ) and the trimaran Independence-class ( LCS-2 ). It is with LCS-2 that the most confusion may arise for the uninitiated as they are both known as " Independence-class " littoral something.




USS Freedom ( LCS-1 ) Littoral Combat Ship in transit off
Southern California in a USN Photo taken on 28th Apr 2015.



Potential name confusion : The Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship
USS Independence ( LCS-2 ) at RIMPAC 2014. USN Photo.


Bigger, Meaner and Leaner



Now you have a better idea of what the LMV is and what it is capable of :

Bigger : At 1250 tonnes and 80m, the LMV is a lot bigger than the PV which is only 55m in length and about 500 tonnes. Bigger means better sea keeping, better endurance, space for more weapon systems, space for bigger and more capable systems, more space for working and living, space for future upgrades ... and also more areas to clean before First Lieutenant rounds.

Meaner : The LMV has the same 76mm main gun as the PV, but everything else is superior. VL MICA instead of Mistral for air and missile defense, additional 25mm chain gun, remotely controlled instead of manually manned 12.7mm HMG, options for non-lethal response, better radar, better electro-optics sensors, capability to carry a medium-lift helicopter, UAV, USV and UUV, infusion of stealth technology ... the list goes on.

Leaner : The entire ship manned by just 23 men. The smaller PV needed 30 and a typical sea patrol involves 30 to 35 personnel. And under the multi-crew concept each PV has 2 sets of deployable crew. A WWII era destroyer escort of a similar tonnage would have required something like 15 officers and 200 enlisted men to operate. Until DSTA, DARPA or somebody finds a way to build a 1250 tonne USV or a squad of robotic sailors, 23 men is about as few as you get away with. Don't anyone forget the domestic before the First Lieutenant rounds. Some things just cannot be automated!


Food For Thought


The RSN's Patrol Vessels are currently less than 20 years old and could have been upgraded to extend their service life for another 10 years or more. The Singapore Armed Forces is known for its frugality and would not have replaced an old equipment until it has exhausted all upgrade options or when it has become economically unviable to continue using or maintaining that weapon system. The fact that these PVs are being replaced a little earlier than usual means there has to be other reasons behind that decision. Most probably it reflects the dire manpower situation within the Navy.

Declining birth rates have reduced the annual intake of conscripted personnel. At the same time career naval personnel are leaving the Navy for the private sector. Even for those who remain with the service, how many would voluntarily want to be in the PV squadron with their punishing patrolling routines? I would rather be with the frigates if I had the choice. There are simply too many PVs that require too many men ( and women ) to staff.

So RSN's solution is to use technology to overcome this shortage in manpower. Get rid of the PVs, replace them with fewer but bigger ships that each require less manpower resources to operate. Make the ships more appealing to work in and more comfortable to live in and hopefully that will make staff retention easier.

Fortunately, with regards to the shortage in manpower, new technology is not the only trick up the RSN's sleeves. After 48 years of existence, the Republic of Singapore Navy has a vast pool of reserve personnel to depend upon in times of crisis. They maintain their proficiency through annual recalls ( known as in-camp training ) that frequently involves a period of sea deployment on their respective vessels. Already the RSN has staffed an entire ship with reserve personnel. The missile corvette RSS Vigilance is a such an example.

This article is a tribute to the men and women of the Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Republic of Singapore Navy. They are the unsung heroes that have kept the waters of Singapore safe all these years.