Future Surface Combatant
Encyclopedia
The Global Combat Ship (GCS) is a ship design and construction programme currently underway by the United Kingdom
's Ministry of Defence
to replace the Royal Navy
's 13 Type 23
frigate
s. The programme has been in development since 1998, initially under the designation "Future Surface Combatant (FSC)". The FSC concept was brought forward in the 2008 budget, at the expense of two Type 45 destroyer
s being cancelled (ships 7 and 8).
The Global Combat Ship, known by the British Government as the Type 26 frigate, was confirmed in the October 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
. The Global Combat Ship is being designed by BAE Systems Surface Ships as part of a four year programme to develop the UK Type 26 variant of the Global Combat Ship.
the Royal Navy was principally an anti-submarine force designed to keep the North Atlantic clear of Soviet
submarines. The first of the Type 23 frigates came into service in November 1987; these were advanced anti-submarine warfare
(ASW) designs but were less suitable as general purpose escorts, having limited anti-surface capabilities and short-range anti-air missiles. Since they were intended to spend their working lives towing sonar array
s through the North Atlantic, it was expected that their service lives would be just 18 years and a replacement would be needed by around 2005. However it became apparent that the Type 23s were having a much easier life than originally planned, and would last well into the 2020s and early 2030s given appropriate mid-life upgrades. For instance, in August 2008 it was announced that they were to receive the new Insyte Artisan 3D search radar. However the four remaining Type 22s would still need replacing between 2015 and 2020. So work on replacements continued, but at a low intensity. In March 2005, the plan was still for a two-class solution, a cheaper "Medium Sized Vessel Derivative" entering service in 2016-9 and a more capable "Versatile Surface Combatant" entering service around 2023.
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Planning for a replacement escort vessel started in 1998 with the ordering of a research vessel, the RV Triton
, to study whether a trimaran
design was practical for such a large and complex vessel. In early 2006 the MoD started a Sustained Surface Combatant Capability (S2C2) programme which explored synergies between the FSC and other needs, for minesweepers, patrol ships and survey ships. By early 2007 this had crystallised into the three requirements - C1, C2 and C3 and this is the form that the FSC programme was expected to take with the green light given by Planning Round 2008 (PR08).
The C3 found its roots in an attempt to save the original FSC programme, the MoD issued a Request for Information (RFI) in early 2004 for a smaller class of ship known as the Global Corvette. Low running costs and the ability to operate forward in shallow, coastal areas where larger ships cannot, were both important. BAE Systems
, VT Group
, Thales
and Rolls-Royce
responded in Autumn 2004 with concepts ranging from a well equipped Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of 1,500 tonnes to an advanced and very capable "corvette" of 3,000 tonnes, along the lines of the USN's Littoral Combat Ship
programme (LCS). However in early 2010 the C3 variant was dropped for the Mine Countermeasures, Hydrographic and Patrol Capability programme (MHPC).
In 2009 BAE Systems received a contract to design the C1 and C2 frigates with a planned 25 year life. A total of 18 vessels (10 of the C1 variety and 8 of the C2 variety) were planned to enter service from 2020, at a pace of roughly one per year.
On 24 February 2010, First Sea Lord
Sir Mark Stanhope
referred to the Future Surface Combatant as the Type 26 frigate during a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
(IISS). This designation was repeated during a House of Commons debate on defence on 15 March 2010. On 25 March 2010, BAE Systems were given a four-year, £127 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD)
, to fully design the C1 variant of the FSC, which then began to be known as the Type 26 variant of the Global Combat Ship. It was confirmed that the first of the Type 26 frigates is planned to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2020.
In October 2010, the Strategic Defence and Security Review
(SDSR) saw the announcement that the remaining Type 22 frigates would be decommissioned without replacement within 6 months of the review. It stated that "As soon as possible after 2020 the Type 23 will be replaced by Type 26 frigates, designed to be easily adapted to change roles and capabilities depending on the strategic circumstances".
s original working baseline for the Type 26 design was a vessel of 141 metres long with a displacement of 6,850 tonnes. With an "in service date" of 2021 for the first Type 26, with the plan to have one Type 26 vessel coming into Royal Navy service per year from 2021. On 30 November 2010 it was reported that the specifications had been pared to reduce the cost from £500m to £250-350m per ship.
By May 2011 new specification details began to emerge of a smaller 5,500 tonne ship emphasising flexibility and modularity like the German MEKO
designs. The new design had a length of 145m, beam of 19m, top speed of at least 26 knots (51 km/h), and a crew of 130 with room for 36 embarked troops. It would have 60 days endurance and have a range of 7000 miles (11,265.4 km) at 15 knots (29.4 km/h). Like the Franco-Italian family of FREMM/FREDA frigates
, three versions are proposed; A design optimised for anti-submarine warfare (ASW); An anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) variant and a general purpose (GP) variant.
BAE have suggested that some customers will install gas turbine engines and others will prefer to sacrifice 2-3 knots of speed by choosing cheaper diesel engines.
(RN) plan to buy 8 ASW and 5 GP ships to replace the 13 Type 23's one-for-one from 2021. The RN ships will use the Artisan radar, Common Anti-Air Modular Missile
and probably the 4.5" gun, currently installed/planned on the Type 23. Other navies could choose systems and equipment that meet their individual requirements, such as the Thales SMART-S radar found on Denmark's Absalon class, the Mk 45 or Otobreda 127/64
guns, or RIM-66 Standard
missiles. In the stern is a mission bay with a ramp allowing the deployment of boats and unmanned vehicles, or the deployment of a towed array sonar. Chinooks can be flown off the large flight deck, and the hangar can accommodate Wildcats
and Merlin.
ruled out involvement with the British programme.
Australia
In January 2010, Jane's Defence Weekly announced that the UK government and the government of Australia
were exploring the potential for cooperation on the C1 and C3 designs, which correspond closely to the Royal Australian Navy
's requirements in replacing its with a new frigate, and four minor war vessel classes with a single class of offshore combatants.
Brazil
The British and Brazil
ian governments agreed on a defence partnership that may lead to the sale of five or six Type 26 frigates to the Brazilian Navy
. In October 2010, BAE made a detailed proposal to the Brazilian navy, for a package including Type 26 frigates as well as variants of the and .
Turkey
The United Kingdom is currently in the process of negotiating a military partnership with the Republic of Turkey. Under the partnership, Turkey could assist the United Kingdom with the development of the Type 26 Frigate. It is said that Turkey has gained significant experience in the design and development of modern stealth naval platforms. Turkey had recently developed the Milgem class corvette/frigate and is also currently developing the TF-2000 class frigate
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
to replace the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's 13 Type 23
Type 23 frigate
The Type 23 frigate is a class of frigate built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. All the ships were first named after British Dukes, thus the class is also known as the Duke class. The first Type 23 was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, was launched in May 2000 and commissioned in...
frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. The programme has been in development since 1998, initially under the designation "Future Surface Combatant (FSC)". The FSC concept was brought forward in the 2008 budget, at the expense of two Type 45 destroyer
Type 45 destroyer
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
s being cancelled (ships 7 and 8).
The Global Combat Ship, known by the British Government as the Type 26 frigate, was confirmed in the October 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
. The Global Combat Ship is being designed by BAE Systems Surface Ships as part of a four year programme to develop the UK Type 26 variant of the Global Combat Ship.
History
At the end of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
the Royal Navy was principally an anti-submarine force designed to keep the North Atlantic clear of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
submarines. The first of the Type 23 frigates came into service in November 1987; these were advanced anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) designs but were less suitable as general purpose escorts, having limited anti-surface capabilities and short-range anti-air missiles. Since they were intended to spend their working lives towing sonar array
Towed array sonar
A towed array sonar is a sonar array that is towed behind a submarine or surface ship. It is basically a long cable, up to 5 km, with hydrophones that is trailed behind the ship when deployed. The hydrophones are placed at specific distances along the cable...
s through the North Atlantic, it was expected that their service lives would be just 18 years and a replacement would be needed by around 2005. However it became apparent that the Type 23s were having a much easier life than originally planned, and would last well into the 2020s and early 2030s given appropriate mid-life upgrades. For instance, in August 2008 it was announced that they were to receive the new Insyte Artisan 3D search radar. However the four remaining Type 22s would still need replacing between 2015 and 2020. So work on replacements continued, but at a low intensity. In March 2005, the plan was still for a two-class solution, a cheaper "Medium Sized Vessel Derivative" entering service in 2016-9 and a more capable "Versatile Surface Combatant" entering service around 2023.
RV Triton
The Research Vessel Triton is a trimaran vessel owned by Gardline Marine Sciences Limited and a former prototype British warship demonstrator for the UK's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency...
, to study whether a trimaran
Trimaran
A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls , attached to the main hull with lateral struts...
design was practical for such a large and complex vessel. In early 2006 the MoD started a Sustained Surface Combatant Capability (S2C2) programme which explored synergies between the FSC and other needs, for minesweepers, patrol ships and survey ships. By early 2007 this had crystallised into the three requirements - C1, C2 and C3 and this is the form that the FSC programme was expected to take with the green light given by Planning Round 2008 (PR08).
- C1 (Type xx) - an Anti Submarine Warfare task group enabled platform
- C2 (Type xx) - a more general purpose platform
- C3 (Global Corvette) to replace a larger number of smaller vessel classes, such as minesweepers, patrol and survey ships.
The C3 found its roots in an attempt to save the original FSC programme, the MoD issued a Request for Information (RFI) in early 2004 for a smaller class of ship known as the Global Corvette. Low running costs and the ability to operate forward in shallow, coastal areas where larger ships cannot, were both important. BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
, VT Group
VT Group
VT Group plc was a British defence and services company, formerly known as Vosper Thornycroft. The Company had diversified from shipbuilding into various engineering and support services, becoming involved in many areas of provision through five main operating groups: VT Communications, VT...
, Thales
Thales Group
The Thales Group is a French electronics company delivering information systems and services for the aerospace, defense, transportation and security markets...
and Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
responded in Autumn 2004 with concepts ranging from a well equipped Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of 1,500 tonnes to an advanced and very capable "corvette" of 3,000 tonnes, along the lines of the USN's Littoral Combat Ship
Littoral combat ship
A Littoral Combat Ship is a type of relatively small surface vessel intended for operations in the littoral zone . It is "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals." Two ship classes are the first...
programme (LCS). However in early 2010 the C3 variant was dropped for the Mine Countermeasures, Hydrographic and Patrol Capability programme (MHPC).
In 2009 BAE Systems received a contract to design the C1 and C2 frigates with a planned 25 year life. A total of 18 vessels (10 of the C1 variety and 8 of the C2 variety) were planned to enter service from 2020, at a pace of roughly one per year.
On 24 February 2010, First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
Sir Mark Stanhope
Mark Stanhope
Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, GCB, OBE is the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the United Kingdom, thus the professional head of the Royal Navy.-Early life:...
referred to the Future Surface Combatant as the Type 26 frigate during a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
(IISS). This designation was repeated during a House of Commons debate on defence on 15 March 2010. On 25 March 2010, BAE Systems were given a four-year, £127 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD)
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, to fully design the C1 variant of the FSC, which then began to be known as the Type 26 variant of the Global Combat Ship. It was confirmed that the first of the Type 26 frigates is planned to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2020.
In October 2010, the Strategic Defence and Security Review
Strategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
(SDSR) saw the announcement that the remaining Type 22 frigates would be decommissioned without replacement within 6 months of the review. It stated that "As soon as possible after 2020 the Type 23 will be replaced by Type 26 frigates, designed to be easily adapted to change roles and capabilities depending on the strategic circumstances".
Type 26 Specifications
BAEBAE
BAE Systems, a British defence, security and aerospace companyBAE may also refer to:*British Aerospace , a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer...
s original working baseline for the Type 26 design was a vessel of 141 metres long with a displacement of 6,850 tonnes. With an "in service date" of 2021 for the first Type 26, with the plan to have one Type 26 vessel coming into Royal Navy service per year from 2021. On 30 November 2010 it was reported that the specifications had been pared to reduce the cost from £500m to £250-350m per ship.
By May 2011 new specification details began to emerge of a smaller 5,500 tonne ship emphasising flexibility and modularity like the German MEKO
MEKO
The MEKO family of warships was developed by the German company Blohm + Voss.MEKO is a registered trademark. The portmanteau stands for "Mehrzweck-Kombination" . It is a concept in modern naval shipbuilding based on modularity of armament, electronics and other equipment, aiming at ease of...
designs. The new design had a length of 145m, beam of 19m, top speed of at least 26 knots (51 km/h), and a crew of 130 with room for 36 embarked troops. It would have 60 days endurance and have a range of 7000 miles (11,265.4 km) at 15 knots (29.4 km/h). Like the Franco-Italian family of FREMM/FREDA frigates
FREMM multipurpose frigate
The FREMM Multipurpose Frigate is a ship designed by DCNS/Armaris and Fincantieri to operate in anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, and be capable of carrying out deep strikes against land targets.The French Navy plans to operate eleven FREMM frigates, and the Marina...
, three versions are proposed; A design optimised for anti-submarine warfare (ASW); An anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) variant and a general purpose (GP) variant.
BAE have suggested that some customers will install gas turbine engines and others will prefer to sacrifice 2-3 knots of speed by choosing cheaper diesel engines.
Royal Navy
The Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(RN) plan to buy 8 ASW and 5 GP ships to replace the 13 Type 23's one-for-one from 2021. The RN ships will use the Artisan radar, Common Anti-Air Modular Missile
Common Anti-Air Modular Missile
The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile is a Surface-to-air missile and Air-to-air missile made by MBDA for all three branches of the British Armed Forces, scheduled to enter service from 2016...
and probably the 4.5" gun, currently installed/planned on the Type 23. Other navies could choose systems and equipment that meet their individual requirements, such as the Thales SMART-S radar found on Denmark's Absalon class, the Mk 45 or Otobreda 127/64
Otobreda 127/64
The upcoming Oto Melara 127/64 Lightweight naval Gun Mount is a rapid fire gun mount suitable for installation on large and medium size ships, intended for surface fire and naval gunfire support as main role and anti-aircraft fire as secondary role....
guns, or RIM-66 Standard
RIM-66 Standard
The RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . The SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships...
missiles. In the stern is a mission bay with a ramp allowing the deployment of boats and unmanned vehicles, or the deployment of a towed array sonar. Chinooks can be flown off the large flight deck, and the hangar can accommodate Wildcats
AgustaWestland AW159
|-See also:-External links:* * . Flight International, 29 March 2005.* . Flightglobal.com, 9 Oct. 2007.* . Flight International, 12 Dec. 2008....
and Merlin.
Possible partnerships
Britain needs foreign markets to keep the per-unit costs of the new frigates down enough to keep them affordable. As of 31 January 2011 Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Turkey had all expressed interest in collaborating on the Global Combat Ship, and the UK was in "close discussion" with Canada. A Canadian union campaigned that the Global Combat Ship threatened Canadian shipbuilders and in the run-up to the May 2011 election a spokesman for the Canadian Defence MinisterPeter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
ruled out involvement with the British programme.
Australia
In January 2010, Jane's Defence Weekly announced that the UK government and the government of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
were exploring the potential for cooperation on the C1 and C3 designs, which correspond closely to the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
's requirements in replacing its with a new frigate, and four minor war vessel classes with a single class of offshore combatants.
Brazil
The British and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian governments agreed on a defence partnership that may lead to the sale of five or six Type 26 frigates to the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
. In October 2010, BAE made a detailed proposal to the Brazilian navy, for a package including Type 26 frigates as well as variants of the and .
Turkey
The United Kingdom is currently in the process of negotiating a military partnership with the Republic of Turkey. Under the partnership, Turkey could assist the United Kingdom with the development of the Type 26 Frigate. It is said that Turkey has gained significant experience in the design and development of modern stealth naval platforms. Turkey had recently developed the Milgem class corvette/frigate and is also currently developing the TF-2000 class frigate
TF-2000 class frigate
The TF-2000 class frigate is a projected anti-air warfare frigate currently undergoing development by the Turkish Naval Institute. The class will provide survivability in the presence of aerial threat and also support mission functions such as command control and communication, reconnaissance,...
.
See also
- Type 45 destroyerType 45 destroyerThe United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
- Future of the Royal Navy
- Common Anti-Air Modular MissileCommon Anti-Air Modular MissileThe Common Anti-Air Modular Missile is a Surface-to-air missile and Air-to-air missile made by MBDA for all three branches of the British Armed Forces, scheduled to enter service from 2016...
External links
- BAE Systems Global Combat Ship
- Ministry of Defence - Type 26 combat ship, 25 March 2010 update (includes two renders of a design concept)
- RUSI FSC update (PDF)
- Navy Matters Future Surface Combatant after 2004 - good overview
- Navy Matters FSC until 2004 - lots of pictures of the trimaran concepts