Jack-Of-All-Trades : Japan's Mogami-Class Multi-Mission Frigate

JS Kumano ( FFM-2 ) launched 19th Nov 2020.
 Photo : JMSDF

The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ( JMSDF ) had launched a new class of warship known as the Multi-Mission Frigate ( FFM ) on 19th Nov 2020. Due to some technical mishap during the construction of the lead ship, it was the second-in-class JS Kumano ( くまの ) that was launched first. After a three month delay, the lead ship had finally been launched on 3rd Mar 2021 and was named the JS Mogami ( もがみ ).

These frigates are meant to be compact, stealthy, highly automated to reduce crew requirements and are meant to be scalable for the possibility of export. Their design is a departure from the large destroyers that the JMSDF used to favour and reflects the changing regional security threats and demographic challenges that Japan is facing. A total of 22 frigates have been planned. 

Destroyer Exclusivity No More

The Japanese archipelago is made up of 6852 islands and stretches for more than 3000km from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Philippine Sea. It has a coastline that is 29751km long and an exclusive economic zone of 4470000km2. Due to the vastness of the maritime territory it has to cover, the JMSDF has always required ships with very long range and high endurance. Destroyers have therefore formed the backbone of the JMSDF surface fleet for many decades. Its major combatants are always classified as a destroyer of sorts, helicopter-carrying destroyer ( DDH ), guided missile destroyer ( DDG ), general purpose destroyer ( DD ) and destroyer escort ( DE ). In fact, the JMSDF never had a frigate in its fleet apart from the 18 Kusu-class patrol frigates ( ex-US WWII Tacoma-class ) which it briefly commissioned between 1953 and 1972.

So it might seem like a surprise when after a lapse of almost five decades the JMSDF announced that its next generation warship would be a frigate. However, given the current maritime security situation with the militarization of the South China Sea, a nuclear-armed North Korea and multiple territorial disputes with neighbours including China, Taiwan, South Korea and Russia, it is clear that the JMSDF needs to build up its fleet to meet these challenges, and to do so rapidly and in an affordable manner. By virtue of its smaller size and less sophisticated weapon and sensor systems, a frigate is a lot cheaper to procure and maintain than a destroyer. Frigates also have a smaller complement, an important factor to consider given Japan's declining population and a younger generation unwilling to join the ranks of the JMSDF. 

30FFM

The concept of a high speed multi-mission frigate that is capable of anti-submarine and mine warfare for the JMSDF was first raised in 2005 when the Maritime Staff Office engaged the Japan Association of Defense Industry on a feasibility study based on a vessel similar to the Littoral Combat Ship ( LCS ) of the US Navy. Then the emphasis was on speed and cost. However, the Japanese would soon discover that the cost of building such a ship was prohibitive, even when the specifications were brought down, and the idea was shelved.

It wasn't until late 2013 that saw the frigate being mentioned again, this time in the Defense Guidelines and the H26 Mid Term Defence Plans where the Ministry of Defense wanted to increase the number of escort ships from 47 to 54. The following year, the Japanese government under then Prime minister Abe Shinzo would also end the total ban on arms export and the frigate seemed viable again, perhaps with the help from a potential export market and lowered costs due to maturing technologies. By 2015, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ( MHI ) had unveiled its proposal, the 30FF, which it had developed using its own funds.

MHI's 30FFM Conceptual Image, annotated

The frigate was originally referred to as the 30FFM as it was promulgated in the defense budget of 2018, the 30th year of the Heisei era. FF is the hull classification for frigate and the M indicates its multi-mission capability but could also refer to the mine laying and mine hunting capabilities of this unique warship. Mine warfare is a highly specialised part of naval warfare and it is usually undertaken by specialised vessels like mine layers, mine sweepers and mine hunters. The conventional duty of a general purpose frigate is to escort other high value vessels like fleet replenishment ships and amphibious landing platforms and to conduct anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare but rarely ever to mine hunt or lay mines. In the FFM the JMSDF intends to create a work horse that is capable of a little of everything, including dealing with mines.

The 30FFM frigates are also frequently referred to as the 3900ton-class escort vessel ( 3900トン型護衛艦 ) as the design called for a ship with a standard displacement of 3900 tons. They are meant to expand the fleet and at the same time replace some of the older destroyers of the Asagiri-class ( 8 in active service ) and the Abukuma-class destroyer escort ( 6 in active service ). 

Each of these frigates will cost 50 billion yen or about US$460 million.

FFM-2 JS Kumano being fitted out at Mitsui's
Tamano yard 9th mar 2021. Photo : @DE224_cookie

30FFM Specifications

Standard Displacement : 3900 tons

Full Load Displacement : 5500 tons

Length : 133m

Beam : 16.3m

Propulsion : CODAG

1 x Rolls Royce MT-30 Gas Turbine

2 x MAN 12V28/33D STC Diesel Engine

2 x variable-pitch propellers

Maximum Speed : Over 30 knots

Power : 70000hp

Complement : 90

Armament :

1 x BAE Systems 62 calibre 5 inch ( 127mm ) Mk 45 Mod 4 gun system

2 x Japan Steel Works RWS with 12.7mm machine gun

1 x Raytheon SeaRAM ship defense system

2 x quadruple canisters for a total of 8 MHI Type 17 anti-ship missiles ( SSM-2 )

2 x HOS-303 triple launchers for 324mm torpedoes

1 x MHI 16-cell Mk 41 VLS ( fitted for but not with )

Mine Warfare :

Simplified Mine Laying Equipment

1 x Unmanned Surface Vehicle ( USV ) with Expendable Mine Disposal System ( EMD )

1 x Unmanned Underwater Vehicle ( UUV ) MHI OZZ-5

C4I : OYQ-1 Combat Management System ( Link 22 compatible )

Sensors : Mitsubishi Electric OPY-2 X-Band multi-function AESA radar

               Mitsubishi Electric OAX-3 Electro-optical / Infra-red sensor system 

               NEC OQQ-25 ship mounted sonar system comprising VDS + TASS

               Hitachi OQQ-11 mine-detecting sonar 

Electronic Warfare : NOLQ-3E electronic warfare system

                                 4 x Mk 137 Decoy launchers

Hangar for 1 x SH-60K Helicopter 

Updated : FFM-1 and FFM-2 ship crests here. Launch of FFM-3 here

JS Mogami being launched on 3rd Mar 2021

The official JMSDF video above on the launching and naming ceremony of the JS Mogami at MHI's Nagasaki yard on 3rd March 2021. 0:22 Kimigayo national anthem 0:48 Naming 0:55 Silver ship launching axe 1:06 cord cutting 1:07 Warship March 1:15 blessing horn

Sporting clean lines and flush surfaces.
The stealthy JS Kumano shortly after launch.
Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons.

Profile view of the sleek and long JS Kumano
shortly after being launched on 19th Nov 2020.
Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons

JS Kumano mid-ship starboard view with
hatches possibly for torpedo launcher.
Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons

JS Kumano superstructure.
Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons

JS Kumano stern and hangar.
Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons

Unique Features

The Mogami-class frigate is radically different from what we would normally expect of a typical JMSDF surface combatant, big powerful ships with towering superstructures and masts full of radar and electronic warfare antenna, with an equally huge complement. 

It is instead relatively smaller, stealthier, highly automated, not as well armed but still very capable, has an advanced combat management system and sensor suite and is intended to be multi-mission capable, including mine warfare.

The flat panels of the OPY-2 AESA multi-function radar
on the tetrahedral mast proper of JS Kumano shortly after
being launched. Photo : Hunini via Wikicommons

Its design has incorporated the latest in stealth technology to drastically reduce the radar cross-section ( RCS ) of the ship. The sides of the frigate are smooth and flush and ship structures are angled to deflect radar waves. The most prominent feature is the single integrated mast combining the ship's radar with its electronic warfare system. The four flat panels of the multi-function OPY-2 radar are mounted on the sides of tetrahedral mast proper, with a tube-like NORA-50 composite communications antennae atop, completely clutter-free. MHI had also indicated that it applied some of the stealth technology from its X-2 experimental fighter on the frigates, presumably radar-absorbent coatings or paint. Simply put, the Mogami-class frigate is probably the stealthiest ship in the JMSDF inventory to date.

FFM-2 JS Kumano's integrated mast being fitted at Mitsui's
Tamano yard 16th Feb 2021. Photo : mineo@youmaydream5

JS Kumano at Mitsui E&S Tamano yard 16th Feb 2021.
Photo : mineo@youmaydream5

A high degree of automation allows the Mogami-class frigate to be operated by a crew of just 90 personnel, a drastic reduction from its predecessor the Asagiri-class destroyer which has a complement of 220. This is an extremely important adaptation as the JSDF as a whole had repeated failed to achieve its recruitment targets since 2014, with the JMSDF fairing the worse among the three services. Declining birth rates and a new generation of youths who cannot live without their always connected smart phones would pose insurmountable challenges. Possibly to reduce the impact of ship deployments on the personal lives of the crew, JMSDF plans to rotate four teams of crew for every three frigates.    

The frigate also has an advanced integrated combat information centre ( CIC ) with a unique circular arrangement and open-bridge concept. It features 18 multi-function displays and 2 tactical tables and overhead screens that can project 360 degree augmented reality views of the ship with the assistance of sensor fusion technology. This will help to increase the situation awareness level of the CIC team.

Although well equipped for anti-surface warfare ( ASuW ) with the new Type-17 AShM and for anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) with its combination of variable depth sonar, towed array sonar, torpedoes and ASW helicopter, the most unique capability of this frigate is its ability to conduct mine warfare. 

The frigate has the ability to lay sea mines. It can also deploy and retrieve sonar equipped unmanned surface and underwater drones such as the OZZ-5 UUV to hunt and neutralise sea mines from a docking station at its stern. Its USV can also launch the expendable mine disposal system ( EMD ) which are controlled via optical fiber cable for mine hunting and destruction. This video shows how the EMD works. You can also watch it below.

Trainer EMD with dummy warhead in classic
golden-yellow ( 山吹色 yamabuki-iro ) colour
displayed onboard MSO-304 JS Awaji.
Live ordnance would be painted black. 
Image : Wikipedia

          

This mine warfare capability is mostly unheard of in frigates of any navy but it comes at a crucial time when the JMSDF is scaling down its mine countermeasures fleet. So the frigates can pick up the slack left by a dwindling MCM fleet to ensure that the waterways are mine free especially during amphibious operations in the defense of Japan's outer island chains.

Stern of JS Mogami seen just before launch.
The larger opening leads to the USV / UUV docking station.
The smaller opening is for VDS / TASS deployment.
Photo @T_AH19 via twitter

Currently, the frigate's weakness is in its air defense capabilities has it can only rely on the extremely short range SeaRAM close-in weapon system for self-protection against aerial threats. This may change once the 16-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system ( VLS ) is installed. The versatile VLS can pack the longer range RIM-162 ESSM four to a cell or it could accommodate the navalised version of the Type 3 medium-range surface-to-air missile. This will enable it to provide area air defense in an escort mission.

In addition, the Type 7 vertical launch anti-submarine rocket can also be launched from the VLS, boosting the frigate's kill capabilities against submarines. The VL ASROC is basically torpedo with a rocket delivery system that has a reach of 30km.

Celebrating the launch of FFM-2
Image : @gintokii via twitter

Work Horse

With such a multitude of capabilities, the Mogami-class frigates are expected to be involved in the defense of Japan's home waters against surface and underwater threats. They augment the mine laying and mine hunting capabilities of JMSDF's organic mine-countermeasures fleet. They will also be deployed in anti-piracy operations overseas so that larger vessels like destroyers can be left to deal with bigger threats nearer to home, such as the Chinese, Russian and North Korean navies.

They mirror similar developments in other navies worldwide to have multi-mission capabilities built into a single hull and are frequently compared with the Littoral Combat Ship of the USN. The Republic of Singapore Navy's yet to be revealed Multi-Role Combat Vessel will probably share many similarities with the Mogami-class frigate, especially in mine warfare capabilities and emphasis on utilising remotely controlled vehicles.

There are also plans to export these vessels to lower the overall procurement costs. Indonesia is said to be interested in buying up to 8 frigates, with the first four being built in Japan and the remainder constructed in Indonesia. If this comes to fruition it will be Japan's first major arms export since WWII.

 

JS Mogami just after launch.
Photo : JMSDF

JS Mogami at MHI Nagasaki yard 4th Mar 2021.
Photo : @xkVjYrGfhYAOspG via twitter

JS Mogami at MHI Nagasaki yard 4th Mar 2021.
Photo : @xkVjYrGfhYAOspG via twitter

                           

The first-in-class FFM-1 JS Mogami is named after the Mogami River* ( 最上川 ) in Yamagata Prefecture. It is the third vessel to bear that name, the first being the Imperial Japanese Navy's heavy cruiser IJN Mogami and the second was the destroyer escort JDS Mogami ( DE-212 ) of the JMSDF. 

A mishap during the installation of the Rolls Royce MT-30 gas turbine delayed the launch of the lead ship, resulting in the second ship of the series, FFM-2 JS Kumano, being launched first. JS Kumano is named after the Kumano River ( 熊野川 ) in the mountainous Kii Peninsula of Kansai. Both are expected to be commissioned in March 2022.

The naming of the first two ships based on major Japanese rivers suggests that the other twenty might likely have river-based names such as Natori ( 名取 ), Tenryu ( 天竜 ), Kinu ( 鬼怒 ), Mikuma ( 三隈 ), Kiso ( 木曽 ), Tone ( 利根 ), Ishikari ( 石狩 ) and the likes. It follows the JMSDF tradition of naming its destroyers and major surface combatants after natural phenomena, meteorological phenomena, mountains, rivers and landmarks. 

 

View of Mount Gassan from Mogami River.
Ukiyo-e by Utagawa Hiroshige. Wikipedia

* With a total length of 229km the scenic Mogami River is one of the longest and fastest flowing rivers in Japan. It was historically important as a conduit to transport goods from the inland areas of Dewanokuni (出羽国), modern day Yamagata and Akita, to the coastal areas for export. 

The Mogami River was also featured in the hugely successful 1983 NHK serial television drama Oshin ( おしん ), in a snowy winter scene where the protagonist, a 7 year old girl from a poor peasant family, was tearfully separated from her parents and sent by raft down river to Sakata City to work as a babysitter for a timber merchant's family. Mogami River 0:14 - 0:20 in trailer for the 2012 movie adaptation.

    

Gimme STOVL : Singapore Decides On The F-35B



F-35B of the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501
Photo : Lockheed Martin

On 9th Jan 2020, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency ( DSCA ) announced that the US Department of State had just approved a potential Foreign Military Sale ( FMS ) to Singapore of up to 12 F-35B Short Take-Off And Vertical Landing ( STOVL ) aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 2.75 billion.

Singapore's interest in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter ( JSF ) program had began in Mar 2004 when it became a security cooperative participant. For a very long time the Singapore government seemed contented to just monitor the progress of the JSF program as it matured. There were numerous instances when defense analysts and news agencies had indicated that Singapore might be ready to acquire the F-35 but the JSF deal had remained elusive. It even failed to materialize during Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's visit to the White House in 2016, at the invitation of President Obama.

All that changed in Jan 2019 when Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen announced that Singapore had identified the F-35 as a suitable candidate to replace its ageing F-16 fighters and would be acquiring a small number of the stealthy 5th generation fighter for a full evaluation of its capabilities and suitability before deciding on a full fleet.

By Mar 2019 it was revealed that Singapore would be requesting for an initial four F-35 JSF with an option for eight more, variant unspecified. Months of media speculation followed, but we now know that Singapore has selected the F-35B, the STOVL version which is the most expensive among the three F-35 variants.

The F-35 In A Nutshell

At a cost of more than USD 400 billion, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is the most expensive weapons program the world has seen. Its aim is to produce an affordable fifth generation multi-role stealth fighter to replace various legacy fighters of the US and its closest allies. The F-35 comes in three variants, all having similar performance characteristics and share commonality in parts and processes in order to capitalize on the economies of scale to reduce procurement and sustainment costs. The variants cater to the differing service-specific requirements by the Air Force, Navy and Marines. To put it simply, the F-35A is the conventional take-off and landing ( CTOL ) version for the Air Force, the F-35B is the STOVL version for the Marines while the F-35C is the carrier variant ( CV ) for the Navy.

The JSF program is plagued with multiple issues from technical deficiencies, delays to cost overruns and the root of its many problems can be traced to its developmental concept of " concurrency ". The idea that in an era where new technology is emerging at an unprecedented rate, an aircraft design will be obsolete the moment its development has concluded. In order to field aircrafts with the latest technologies earlier, they will be produced before tests and trials are completed and eventually upgraded along the way to the latest standards.

Despite its troubled past, the JSF program has matured over the years and has seemed to turn around to deliver what was originally promised - affordable stealth. Unit prices have continuously fallen in the past several years due in part to an increase in production efficiency and to the economy of scale from an increase in aircraft orders.

New Capabilities for the RSAF

Acquiring the F-35B will bring two completely new capabilities to the Republic of Singapore Air Force ( RSAF ) - STOVL and Stealth. Between the two, I would believe STOVL is the most unique since there is not another country in the Asia Pacific region save Japan that has confirmed plans for such a capability.

Stealth technology can become an increasing crucial capability to have as Singapore's regional near-peer rivals begin to acquire sophisticated aircrafts like the Su-30 and Su-35 which can out-class even the RSAF's most advance fighter like the F-15SG. It can ensure higher survivability of the aircraft and pilot in an extremely hostile threat environment.

STOVL is equally important to ensure sustained generation of air operations in the event of disruptive attacks to Singapore's airbases. Aircrafts with short field capabilities can be dispersed and hidden more effectively on the ground and can have alternative means of take-off and landing even when the conventional runway is made unavailable by a pre-emptive strike.

In addition, having STOVL capable jets means that should the Singapore Navy decide to replace its Endurance-class landing ship tank with something bigger like the Endurance-160 Joint Multi-Mission Ship, these helicopter assault ships can be potentially modified for F-35B operations as well, converting them into light aircraft carriers. The JMMS then becomes mobile airfields at sea, projecting airpower and will be an added insurance against complete annihilation through a coordinated attack on Singapore's land based runway infrastructure.





F-35B of the Patuxent River Integrated Test Force
attempts vertical landing on the Queen Elizabeth II
3rd Nov 2018. Photo : USN 

STOVL : Unique Capability At A Price

The F-35B is not just the only modern STOVL jet fighter that is currently in production, it is also capable of supersonic flight. Its predecessor the AV-8B Harrier II which is also STOVL capable is at best only sub-sonic. This short field and austere field capability is the unique selling point of the F-35B but it comes at a price.

The requirement for STOVL capability in the F-35B meant that its design is the most complex among the three F-35 variants. It needed a proprietary shaft driven LiftFan propulsion system and an engine nozzle that can swivel 90 degrees when in STOVL mode. This in turns imposes limits on the size of the internal weapon bay and the internal fuel capacity which translates to a reduction in the weapons payload and combat radius. It even imposes structural limits and the F-35B has the lowest maximum g-rating among all the variants. Understandably the unit cost of the F-35B is also consistently the highest compared to the other variants.

So in view of the various technical setbacks peculiar to the F-35B, is the STOVL a capability worth having? The answer has to be an absolute yes if you intend to have fixed-wing flight operations on non-catapult equipped aircraft carriers like the navies of the United kingdom, Italy and Japan. It will also be a resounding yes for a small nation like Singapore which lacks strategic depth and has air bases that can be vulnerable to a determined attack by rocket, artillery and mortar fire from across its boarders.

Looking at the broader picture, the non-STOVL variants, the F-35A and the F-35C, also suffered similar functional and structural setbacks albeit to a lesser degree simply because of the requirement that all three variants had to have shared design and components with various degrees of commonality. In other words, the Marine Corps' insistent that STOVL capability must be included in their variant essentially resulted in the Air Force and the Navy having to accept compromises on their variants too. Compared with its 4th generation peers that it is meant to replace, the F-35 is frequently found to be a little lacking in maximum speed, agility, range and payload. The saving grace is that the F-35 more than makes up for all these shortfalls through its superior suite of sensors, avionics, sensor fusion and low observable technology, all of which shall be briefly reviewed below.

F-35 specifications. Source : LMC

Very Low Observable

The F-35 is a fifth generation fighter which, according to its main contractor Lockheed Martin, is defined by the combination of Very Low Observable ( VLO ) stealth, advanced sensors, information fusion and network connectivity within a supersonic, long range and highly maneuverable aircraft.

VLO stealth technology is an integral part of the F-35's design. The clever use of shapes to deflect radar waves, the careful selection of materials that can dissipate radar energy and the internal carriage of weapons, fuel and embedded sensors means that it is much harder for the enemy to detect the F-35. The radar cross section ( RCS ) of the F-35 is the smallest when it is viewed head-on but less so when viewed from the side and even worse when viewed from the rear so it is hardly all-aspect stealth. It is also mainly stealthy in the X-Band, the most common frequency used by fire control radars and less so in other lower frequencies.

As much as it is hyped, stealth is not equivalent to invisibility to radar but rather a significant reduction in the detectability. Any advantage a stealth aircraft has can be undermined by several means including the use of infra-red search and tract technology to detect the heat signature of a stealthy aircraft and through the use of radar operating in frequencies other than the X Band, like L-Band or VHF.

While the level of stealth afforded by the F-35 is not at the same level as that of the F-22 Raptor, it is less costly to maintain as there is less dependency on expensive radar absorbing coating and that is definitely a good thing.

Distributed Aperture System

The electro-optical Distributed Aperture System ( DAS ) is a new generation of sensor system currently only found on the F-35 consisting of six identical high resolution mid-wave infrared ( MWIR ) sensors mounted all around the airframe in such a way as to provide an unobstructed 360 degree coverage for enhanced situational awareness. The DAS sends high resolution augmented reality imagery in real time to the pilot's helmet mounted display allowing them to see their surrounding environment with clarity day or night. It can provide functions including missile detection and tracking, launch point detection and countermeasures cueing, aircraft detection and tracking ( situation awareness IRST and air-to-air weapons cueing ), day and night navigation, and precision tracking of friendly aircraft for tactical maneuvering. Designated the AN/AAQ-37, the DAS is developed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems and has its fair share of teething problems though they have largely been resolved by now. More than a thousand DAS units have been delivered by Northrop Grumman so far, for installation on aircrafts up to and including LRIP Lot 14.

In 2018, Lockheed Martin announced that Raytheon has been selected to develop the next generation DAS which will be expected to have better performance, higher reliability and lower sustainment costs. They will be installed on all Low Rate Initial Production ( LRIP ) Lot 15 aircrafts for delivery in 2023.

Raytheon's next generation DAS. Source : LMC

 

 

Electro-Optical Targeting System

 

 

The AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System ( EOTS ) is an internally mounted advance MWIR targeting sensor developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Sensors. The EOTS integrates targeting forward looking infrared ( TFLIR ), infrared search and track ( IRST ), laser range finder / designator and laser spot tracker functionalities to provide the F-35 with precision air-to-air and air-to ground targeting capability. The low drag, stealthy EOTS is integrated into the F-35's fuselage ventrally just behind the nose cone with a faceted sapphire window and is linked to the aircraft's central processor by a high-speed fiber-optic interface. Utilizing the mid-wave portion of the IR spectrum provides a sharper image and is less susceptible to target obstruction by smoke or haze.

 

Lockheed Martin has already developed the next generation Advanced EOTS which will provide a range of multi-spectral sensing options including high-resolution mid-wave infrared, short-wave infrared and near infrared. It will have enhanced image detector resolution, high-definition TV and IR marker. The advanced EOTS will  be available for integration on the F-35's Block 4 development and will sharpen the F-35's close air support capabilities.

 

 

 

Source ; F-35 Joint Program Office

The EOTS on a F-35A. Source : LMC

 

EOTS functionalities. Source  LMC

Multi-Mission Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar

The AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array ( AESA ) radar installed on the F-35 is developed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. It is the next generation version of the AN/APG-77 AESA radar that was first fielded on the F-22A Raptor. It allows the F-35 to engage air and ground targets at long range and also has significant electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions. Its solid state technology and elimination of moving parts ensure better reliability compared with mechanically scanned antenna radars. The AN/APG-81 also has inherent low probability of intercept ( LPI ) features to minimize the likelihood of its emissions being usefully detected by enemy airborne or ground based receivers.

The AN/APG-81 is designed to operate as a radar, an electronic support measures ( ESM ) receiver, and a jammer. It has passive and active air-to-air and air-to-surface target detection, track and identification capabilities. It also enables synthetic aperture radar mapping, ground and sea moving target detection and track and air-to-surface ranging. As good as it is, the AN/APG-81 is still lacking a wide field capability in its sea search mode, being able only to seek out a narrow zone in front of it. This deficiency will be rectified in the F-35 Block 4 upgrade being carried out from 2019 to 2024. Together with the integration of partner nation ordnance like Norway's Joint Strike Missile which will also happen during Block 4 upgrades, the maritime strike capabilities of the F-35 will be greatly enhanced.



AN/APG-81 AESA radar. Source : Northrop Grumman

Integrated Communications, Navigation and Identification Avionics

The AN/ASQ-242 integrated communications, navigation and identification ( CNI ) avionics suite developed by Northrop Grumman is designed to provide the F-35 with secure, electronic countermeasures resistant voice and data communications; precise radio-navigation and landing capabilities; self-identification and BVR target identification; and network connectivity with off-board sources of information. All these at a reduction in size, weight and power requirements compared with legacy systems.

The CNI sub-systems includes the Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), Link 16 data link, single-channel ground and airborne radio system (SINCGARS), IFF interrogator and transponder, HAVE QUICK radio, AM, VHF, UHF AM, and UHF FM radio systems, GUARD survival radio, radar altimeter; tactical air navigation (TACAN), inertial navigation system ( INS ), anti-jam GPS, instrument landing system ( ILS ) for conventional runways and aircraft carriers, the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS), and the TADIL-J tactical digital information link with Joint-Variable-Message-Format (JVMF) communications.

The CNI system provides inter-operability with existing legacy military and civilian communications, radio-frequency navigation, and identify friend or foe ( IFF ) / surveillance systems. It is also interoperable with the appropriate civilian systems for US and European airspace operations.

Electronic Warfare / Countermeasures System

The AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare / countermeasures ( EW/CM ) system developed by BAE is designed to provide the F-35 with a high degree of air-to-air and surface-to-air threat detection and self protection. It can search, detect, identify, locate and counter radio-frequency and infrared threats.

Its advance avionics and sensors enables real time, all aspect, broad-band coverage of the battlefield, maximizing detection ranges and giving the F-35 pilots evasion, engagement, countermeasure or jamming options. In other words it allows the F-35 to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum.

The EW subsystem serves as a signals collector which provides radar warning, identifies the geolocation of electronic emitters, tracks multiple aircrafts simultaneously, provides high gain electronic support measures ( ESM ), high gain electronic countermeasures ( ECM ) and high gain electronic attack via the AN/APG-81 radar's multifunction array.

The countermeasures subsystem provides multiple self-defense responses, including pre-emptive and reactive techniques, based on available expendable payload ( MJU-61/64/68/69 IRCM flares and ALE-70 RFCM fiber-optic towed decoys ) and threat-specific self-protection plans.

Lockheed Martin claims that due to the inherent, built-in electronic warfare capabilities the F-35 does not require a dedicated electronic attack aircraft to support it. That could potentially free up other aircraft to perform electronic attack missions to protect less stealthy aircraft. This organic jamming capability of the F-35 through its AESA radar, teamed with advanced jamming algorithm packages, can potentially provide 10 times the jamming power of legacy aircraft.

Various elements of the AN/ASQ-239
Source : LMC





The F-35's T-1687/ALE-70(V) fiber-optic towed decoy
works similarly to the F/A-18's AN/ALE-55 shown above.
Source : BAE Systems

Sensor Fusion

The F-35's advanced sensor fusion allow pilots to harness information received from all their onboard sensors to create a single integrated picture of the battlefield. Such information is then automatically shared with other pilots and command and control operating centers on their network via a secure datalink such as the Multifunction Advanced Data Link ( MADL ).

Helmet Mounted Display System

The F-35's Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System ( HMDS ) is an interface that provides pilots with intuitive access to vast quantities of flight, tactical and sensor information for advanced situational awareness, safety and precision. All the information that the pilots need to complete their mission is projected onto the helmet visor rather than on a traditional Heads-up Display. It reduces the pilot's workload and increases responsiveness. In addition, real-time imagery from the DAS's six IR cameras streamed to the helmet allows the pilot to virtually look through the airframe providing the equivalent of x-ray vision. The HMDS enables pilots to target weapons by looking at and designating targets. It does so by tracking the position of the helmet to determine the gaze of the pilot and supplies information such as target identity and distance. This off-boresight targeting capability is especially useful when used in combination with modern all-aspect air-to-air missiles like the AIM-9X. The helmet also offers visor-projected night vision and eliminates the separate use of night vision goggles.

All these functionality comes at a price though. The F-35's super helmet costs a whopping $400000 and has to be custom made for each aviator to ensure a precise fit for the tracking system to work accurately. Rockwell Collins, the maker of the helmet, estimated that every F-35 on order will need 2.5 to 3 helmets over their service life due to wear and tear, damage and pilot attrition and replacement.

F-35 Helmet. Source : USAF

Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System

Work done on the F-16's auto ground collision avoidance system ( AGCAS ) has enabled fielding of this revolutionary flight safety system on the F-35 seven years earlier than originally scheduled. The AGCAS integration could have began as early as 2019 and has been estimated to prevent more than 26 ground collisions over the service life of the F-35.

Autonomic Logistic Information System

The Autonomic Logistic Information System ( ALIS ) of the F-35's fleet managing system is the web enabled IT infrastructure that was meant to support cost effective sustainment throughout the life time of the aircraft. It however did not live up to expectations and has been blamed for, among other things, the F-35's poor mission capability rates in the past. It will be replaced by a new system known as Operational Data Integrated Network ( ODIN ) starting from late 2020 which it is hoped will be more user-friendly, secure and less prone to error. Full implementation will be expected by 2022.

 

Core Missions

Armed with such a dazzling array of advanced sensors and capabilities, the multi-role F-35 can be tasked to perform the following missions :

Air superiority - offensive and defensive counterair
Strategic attack / Air Interdiction against high value strategic and mobile targets
Close air support
Suppression / destruction of enemy air defense
Electronic Warfare
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
Extended surface warfare - maritime strike  ( with future F-35 Block 4 upgrades )

 

 

F-35 releasing JSM from its internal weapon bay
during maritime interdiction. Illustration : Kongsberg

Singapore's Cautious Buy

The F-35 has come a long way since the commencement of the JSF program in 2001. All three variants have achieved initial operational capability ( IOC ), with the F-35B of the Marine Corps first to do so in 2015 with Block 2B software which allows for initial warfighting capability. It was followed by the USAF's declaration of IOC for the F-35A in 2016 with the Block 3i software and lastly the USN for the F-35C with the Block 3F full warfighting capability software by Feb 2019. The long drawn system development and demonstration ( SDD ) phase has concluded in April 2018 and a new phase known as Initial Operational Test And Evaluation ( IOT&E ) has began. The successful conclusion of the IOT&E, initially due in Jul 2019 but currently delayed by problems relating to the Joint Simulation Environment facility, will pave the way for the commencement of full rate production ( FRP ).

Production numbers are peaking with a record number of 134 F-35s delivered in 2019 and that figure is expected to be surpassed in 2020. The combined all variants production numbers have reach 491 aircrafts by December 2019. The unit cost of all variants have continued to fall for the past few years and the latest LRIP Lot 14 F-35B for delivery in 2022 has a unit cost of S101.3 million, significantly lower than the LRIP Lot 11's $115.5 million or the LRIP Lot 10's $122.4 million. With the latest LRIP Lot 12 to Lot 14 F-35A CTOL variant Lockheed Martin even managed to lower the unit cost to their promised less than $80 million target, a year ahead of schedule.

Yet the F-35 has still not ironed out all its teething problems, though it probably will in time to come. Also, although unit prices have steadily fallen, operating costs have not. At between $34000 to $36000 per hour, the F-35 cost significantly more to operate compared with the legacy aircrafts it was meant to replace, like the F-16 ( $24000 per hour ) or F/A-18 ( $24400 per hour ). The fatal crash of a F-35A of the Japan Air Self Defense Force in April 2019 would have added uncertainties to its air worthiness and safety record but it was eventually attributed to spatial disorientation of the pilot. The event nonetheless delayed Singapore's decision making process to buy the F-35. It is therefore not surprising that the Singapore government only committed itself to an initial four aircraft purchase, with an option for eight more. It is not even enough to form half a squadron, and as declared the initial four aircrafts will be used for tests and evaluation. It will be crucial to find out, among other things, if the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine can actually produce enough vertical thrust in the typically hot and humid environment of Singapore to allow for hovering and vertical landing of a laden F-35B.

 

STOVL Above Stealth

Singapore's selection of the F-35B demonstrates that above all, it values the STOVL capability and the basing flexibility and operational flexibility it brings. If stealth and sensor fusion were its main focus, it would have chosen the F-35A CTOL variant like most other non-US operators of the F-35. It is even willing to trade physical attributes like range, payload and agility for the inclusion of STOVL, which in retrospect makes a lot of sense. The greatest strength of the F-35 is not about its absolute speed, rate of climb, range on internal fuel, sustained turn rate, maximum payload or maximum g-rating. Many legacy 4th generation fighters do better on those parameters. The real value of the F-35 is its survivability in an access denied high threat environment and its superior networking capability thanks to its VLO technology, all-encompassing sensors, organic self-protection mechanisms and connectivity. The planned closure of the Paya Lebar Air Base after 2030 will have the Republic of Singapore Air Force operating out of its three other remaining air bases, Sembawang, Tengah and Changi. That makes the adoption of STOVL capabilities very sensible as it can mitigate some of the risks of air operations disruption from airfield denial attacks.

In the United States, the F-35B has not only changed the way which the Marine Corps' Amphibious Ready Groups conduct their missions, it has given them new blue-water capabilities in the absence of a carrier nearby. The LHAs and LHDs have suddenly turned into mini-carriers in their own right and find themselves taking on missions normally assigned to carrier strike groups. These are mind boggling stuff that was just impossible a few years ago.





Mini carrier : USS America ( LHA-6 ) staged with 13 F-35B
of the VMFA-122 in the eastern Pacific 8th Oct 2019.
Photo : USN



What Happens Next

The Department of State has in principle given the green light for Singapore to acquire up to 12 F-35B fighters but Congress must still approve the deal. Congress was formally notified of the proposed sale on 9th Jan 2020 and has 30 days to review it before it is approved. Given the good bilateral relations between Singapore and the US and the fact that Singapore is a strategic friend and a major security cooperation partner of the US in the Asia Pacific region, the Congressional Note, a necessary FMS formality, will likely be approved without issues. With Congressional approval, final terms will be negotiated for the Letter of Offer and Acceptance.

Singapore may have deliberately timed its F-35 purchase to coincide with the end of LRIP and the beginning of full-rate production. Since current LRIP Lot 12 to Lot 14 for delivery between 2020 and 2022 are likely to have been fully allocated, the assembly of Singapore's initial four F-35B could be assigned to later production lots like LRIP Lot 15 / FRP. Whichever production lot they come from, Singapore is likely to receive the F-35B Block 4 with the latest software upgrades and enhanced warfighting capaibities.

All four initial F-35B are likely to end up at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina where all international F-35B pilots and maintainers are trained. They will form a training detachment where the first batches of RSAF pilots and ground personnel will undergo training with their USMC counterparts from the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 ( VMFAT-501 )  and other foreign entities from the UK, Italy and Japan.

Only when sufficient numbers of F-35Bs have been procured, such as when the addition option of eight F-35B have been exercised and sufficient pilots and maintainers trained will some of these new generation fighters be brought back to Singapore for integration with the rest of the Air Force. What follows will be the achievement of IOC and FOC.

The RSAF already has some of the assets and capabilities that will be essential for supporting 5th generation fighter operations, such as the Leonardo M-346 lead-in fighter trainer for pilot training prior to F-35 operational conversion and the Airbus A-330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport ( MRTT ) for aerial refueling during deployments. It is worthwhile to note that the F-35B ultilises the probe-and-drogue method for aerial refueling similar to all other USN and USMC fixed wing aircrafts, instead of the flying boom method common to USAF tactical fighters, including the F-35A. So apart from the MRTT, perhaps the refueling capabilities of the RSAF's ageing KC-130B and KC-130H might again be put to good use, provided they are still in service in the 2030s!





F-35B of VMFA-121 refuels from a KC-130J
over the East China Sea Oct 2018. Photo : USN

 

 

F-35B refueling from KC-130J near MCAS Beaufort
18th Mar 2015. Photo LMC

Sending A Message To China?

Hardly. The news media had it all wrong. While nobody apart from totalitarian and despotic regimes loves China, it does not mean that Singapore's F-35 buy is directed at China, or any other country for that matter, as the Ministry of Defence has claimed. This is especially true as Singapore does not have any territorial disputes with China and China is also one of Singapore's largest trading partners. But it does have a vested interest in ensuring its sea lines of communication remains secure and open so that trade flows are not disrupted.

The notion that Singapore can work together with the other F-35 operating countries in the Asia Pacific, namely Australia, Japan and South Korea, to contain China is also without merit. Why would Singapore want to get involved with the squabbles between China and each of these countries? Has it not had enough of its own problems?

Therefore this F-35 acquisition is just another routine force renewal exercise aimed at replacing the ageing F-16 fighters which have been in service with the RSAF since 1998. Nobody should really read too much into it or worry about it .... at least until the Joint Multi-Mission Ship is constructed.

F-35B performs ramp-assisted take-off onboard
HMS QEII in Nov 2018. Photo : USN

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.