Comandanti class and Sirio class offshore patrol vessels of the Italian Navy

Written by D-Mitch

Comandanti class patrol vessel.
Photo: Marina Militare Italiana

Sirio class patrol vessel.
Photo: Marina Militare Italiana

The most modern offshore patrol vessels in service with Italian Navy (Marina Militare) are the ships of the Comandanti and Sirio classes, two classes of the same design that share some common equipment.  The four patrol vessels of the Comandanti class were built by Fincantieri and they were delivered to the Italian Navy the period 2002-2004. The program is also known as Nuove Unità Minori Combattenti (NUMC). The last vessel, the Foscari, was built with composite superstructure made off glass reinforced plastic instead of steel having in that way less mass and therefore resulting in reduced fuel consumption and improved life cycle of the ship. The two vessels of the Sirio class, also known as Nuove Unità di Pattugliamento d'Altura (NUPA), were commissioned in 2005. The NUPA program gives less emphasis on stealth characteristics, performance and equipment for operations in low intensity conflict environment such as NUMC program as the main mission of the Sirio class patrol vessels is to safeguard national interests in the fields of anti-pollution and rescue services. Therefore, among others, Sirio boats lack the main naval gun and the fire control system, they have less powerful engines and they have no hangar but only a flight deck. However the ships have all the provisions to be equipped as their older sisters. Both classes can various missions such as patrolling and surveillance at sea, control of maritime traffic and inspections, humanitarian relief operations, search and rescue operations, control of the maritime borders, protection of merchant shipping and fisheries, support operations and many more. 

Holland class offshore patrol vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy

Written by D-Mitch

HNLMS Friesland. Photo: Neil Watkin

The Holland class is a class of four (4) offshore patrol vessels built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding for the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) and they were commissioned in the period 2012-2013. The ships are designed to reduced radar cross section (RDS) and they are painted are painted a new light blue-gray color to improve the camouflage effect. To optimize the seakeeping behavior of the vessels the hull has been stretched, and the bridge and superstructure are located relatively aftwards. Moreover, they are outfitted with ballistic features, blast resistant constructions, redundant and decentralized systems, a gas citadel, extensive fire fighting systems and additional measures to reduce the effects of flooding. Automation level for this vessel is high, and includes a shore support system, a shore management system, a calamity system, a warning system, an overview system and extensive subsystem automation. These patrol vessels are the first vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy equipped with the Thales Integrated Sensor and Communication Systems (ISCS), an integrated mast module which integrates practically all radio frequency systems, radars as well as communication and optical sensors on board of the ship in one housing. These vessels are without question some of the most modern and well equipped class of offshore patrol vessels worldwide.

INFOGRAPHICS #8: Ohio class nuclear powered ballistic missile and guided missiles submarines of US Navy

Ohio class ballistic missile submarine

The Ohio class is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) produced by United States (General Dynamics, Electric Boat) and operated by the United States Navy. These submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the Navy and they carry more missiles than any other ballistic submarine in the world (watch the following nice video). This force of ballistic missile submarines carry approximately about the half of the total inventory of the total US active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. From the 18 submarines in the class, the first four (4) of them have been converted to guided (cruise) missile submarines (SSGN). Each ballistic missile submarine is armed with 24 Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) with a range of about 11,300km (!) carrying up to 12 MIRVed W76 or W88 (300–475 kt TNT) nuclear warheads each . Each cruise missile submarine carry seven (7) cruise missiles in each cell of total 22 therefore a single submarine can carry maximum 154 (!) Tomahawk cruise missiles with either conventional or nuclear warheads, a complement of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to be fired through their torpedo tubes plus they are able to sustain more than 66 Special Operations Forces personnel. All the submarines are armed with four (4) 21in torpedo tubes for Mk48 heavyweight submarine-launched torpedoes designed to sink deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines and high-performance surface ships.

Karel Doorman (M) class frigates of the Portuguese Navy, Chilean Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgian Navy

Written by D-Mitch

Modernized frigate Van Spejik
Photo: Willem Harlaar

Frigate Bartolomeu_Dias
Photo: Jimmy C. Pan, US Navy

The Karel Doorman class is a class of eight (8) frigates built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, the former Royal Schelde Dockyard, for the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) and they were commissioned in the period 1991-1995.  International interest in the M-frigates as well as changes in the Royal Netherlands Navy prompted the sale of two frigates each to Chile, Belgium and Portugal. Therefore, in 2004, Tjerk Hiddes and Abraham van der Hulst were sold to Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) and renamed Almirante Riveros and Blanco Encalada respectively. In 2005, Karel Doorman and Willem van der Zaan were sold to Belgian Navy - Belgian Naval Component (Dutch: Marinecomponent, French: Composante marine, German: Marinekomponente) and renamed Leopold I and Louise-Marie respectively. The next year, Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa) purchased two vessels of the class, Van Nes and Van Galen which renamed Bartolomeu Dias and Francisco de Almeida respectively. The Dutch together with the Belgians decided to upgrade their frigates by rebuilding both hangar and helicopter deck to accommodate the NH-90 helicopter as well as to replace the forward mast for fitting a new phased array surface search radar and an electro-optical surveillance system. The Dutch and Belgian frigates followed also an extensive overhaul and Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) to their equipment. These will be referred as the Karel Doorman Mod. (modernized) frigates to be distinguished from the non-modernized ones.

INFOGRAPHICS #7: Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarines of US Navy

USS Key West, Flight II Los Angeles class submarine of US Navy

Los Angeles-class (SSN688) submarines form the backbone of the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet; it is the class that has more operating nuclear submarines than any other in the world. Their primary missions are to hunt enemy submarines and surface ships, launch cruise-missile strikes on land-based targets and gather intelligence. The boats were designed by General Dynamics Electric Boat and they are divided in three flights (Flight I, II and III) based on improvements in their design and equipment such as electronics, armament and characteristics. The Flight I consists of 31 submarines (only 11 are active, in commission), the Flight II have a 12 Vertical Launch Tubes (VLS) for Tomahawk missiles and it consists of 8 submarines (all in active service) and the final Flight III consists of 23 submarines of which only one has been retired. The final 23 submarines of the 62-ship class are known also as improved 688s (688i). These are quieter and they are equipped with more advanced electronics and sensors as well as retractable bow planes (and not on their sails like the other Flights) and hardened sails to break through ice during Arctic operations.

PHOTO GALLERY #2: Pontos, submarine of the Hellenic Navy

S-119 Pontos, a Poseidon class submarine 

On October 24, I had the opportunity to visit the fast attack craft Daniolos P-68 (see previous post, Photo Gallery #1) of the Roussen class, the most modern class of surface combatants in service with Hellenic Navy, and the submarine Pontos S-119, the last of the Poseidon class (Type 209/1200). The boats were opened to the public at Piraeus harbor due to the forthcoming celebration of Ohi Day (anniversary of the "No") to commemorate the rejection by Greek Prime Minister Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28, 1940 during WWII. As I mentioned in my other post about Daniolos due to the bad weather there was almost no visitors, so the visit was like a "private tour" and I had a plenty of time to discuss with the crews and to take nice photos without people standing in front of the boats, sensors and weapon systems. Again, I would like to thank a lot the officers and the non-commissioned officers, they are real professionals, friendly, ready to explain everything in detail and with patience, they are men who love their boats and their work, they were simply GREAT! Enjoy the photos!

PHOTO GALLERY #1: Daniolos, fast attack craft of the Hellenic Navy

Rainy day during my visit to Daniolos

Yesterday, Friday, October 24, I had the opportunity to visit the fast attack craft Daniolos P-68 of the Roussen class, the most modern surface combatants in service with Hellenic Navy, and the submarine Pontos S-119 of the Poseidon class (Type 209/1200). Because of the very bad weather the visit was like.. a private tour! The boats were opened to the public at Piraeus harbor due to the forthcoming celebration of Ohi Day (anniversary of the "No") to commemorate the rejection by Greek Prime Minister Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28, 1940 during WWII. To learn more about the equipment, the armament and the capabilities of Roussen class click here. I would like to thank a lot the officers and the non-commissioned officers who are real professionals, friendly, ready to explain everything in detail and with patience, they are men who love their boats and their work, they were GREAT! Enjoy the photos!

FLEETS #6 and HISTORY #1: Soviet Navy after WWII - A very unusual fleet!

Written by D-Mitch

Kuybyshev of Chapayev class cruisers at Sevastopol on Navy Day,
25 July 1954. On the background you can see Novorossiysk,
the former Italian battleship Giulio Cesare

The following image depicts the major surface combatants of Soviet Union some years after the end of World War II. Of the warships that are illustrated we can assume that the image presents the Soviet Union fleet in the beginning of the '50s, possibly 1950-2. Why "An unusual fleet"? Because this fleet, with the exception of some Soviet-built classes, it consists of Italian, German, Japanese and Finnish warships that were transferred to Soviet Union as war reparations! In order to describe better the situation of Soviet Navy after WWII towards the establishment of a naval superpower based on indigenous projects, I did not just upload the fleet-image as I did in the previous "Fleets" but I aimed to provide some details about the classes and the vessels of that time and especially their fate during their service under the Soviets. Thus, I have copied information related to the classes from wikipedia and I have slightly modified the text as my purpose in this article was not to make an analysis of a class or a vessel based on bibliography as I do in other naval analyses but to provide simple information about the Soviet naval vessels of the 1950s. I would like to mention also that most of the photos were obtained from the excellent forum.worldofwarships.com.

INFOGRAPHICS #6: American Civil War ironclads - Major combatants, cutaways and photos

USS Monitor

The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 between the United States of America, consisting of the Northern States and California (known as the North or Union), under President Abraham Lincoln and the Confederate States of America, consisting of the Southern States and Texas (known as the South or Confederacy), under President Jefferson Davis. Some of the vessels that are depicted on the images are either unique vessels such as USS Monitor or lead-ships of a class such as USS Passaic while there are different kinds of ironclads such as monitors, gunboats, riverboats, floating batteries screw steamers and others. The Battle of Hampton Roads (March 8–9, 1862) was the first battle between ironclad warships, i.e. the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. This naval battle was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies. Another first during this war, was the loss of the USS Cairo, an ironclad gunboat that sunk by a naval mine, on 12 December 1862 in the Yazoo River. Some very good and rare photos from this war can be seen here, a large collection of photos collected by the Trans-Mississippi Theater Photo Archive.