NewS
Study examines naval firepower
A return of the six-inch gun to Royal Navy warships could be on the cards as a study into
increasing firepower on surface ships reaches its next phase. A team from BAE Systems has been
awarded the second phase of a UK MoD study programme to integrate a 155mm gun on future
warships. The study will also assess fitting the more powerful system to existing ships.
If successful, and assuming continued funding, the new gun could potentially replace the
current 4.5in weapon which is a standard fit on the Royal Navy’s fleet of destroyers and frigates
and has been the customary weapon for much of the last 30 years.
According to the UK MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support agency’s Preview magazine, the
155mm gun project is part of a programme to satisfy a naval fire support requirement.
The requirement cannot be met by the current 4.5in gun, which is limited in range and precision.
This would mean moving to the 155mm gun, where the Royal Navy could take advantage of
improvements in 155mm technology in the land domain, while realising whole-life cost reductions
by using the same munitions as the British Army.
The first and second phases of the project are aimed at de-risking some of the challenges of
replacing the 4.5in ordnance with 155mm in the existing 4.5in Mk8 Mod 1 mounting, such as barrel
heating mitigation, automated handling, and loading of munitions and charge ignition.
The team at BAE Systems Land Systems, Barrow-in-Furness, is said to be making good progress,
and has already designed some engineering solutions, making the return of a 6in naval gun look
more viable as each phase progresses.
Led by CORDA, BAE Systems’ specialist consultancy arm, and the company’s Land Systems
business, the study will be delivered in conjunction with QinetiQ, Surface Fleet Solutions, and
Integrated System Technologies. BAE Systems is also exploiting the breadth and depth of
experience in wider business units such as Armament Systems in the USA and Bofors in Sweden to
ensure the UK customer benefits from its global corporate experience.
‘This research could provide the Royal Navy with access to a more capable and wider range of
munitions and allow them to benefit from land sector investments in 155mm calibre,’ said Samir
Patel, CORDA’s programme manager. ‘The conversion will also present opportunities for significant
through-life support savings as the Army and Royal Navy could potentially use a common stock.’
During the first study phase, valued at £1.5 million, CORDA examined a low risk route to fitting an
As90 self-propelled howitzer ordnance onto the existing 4.5in Mk8 Mod 1 gun mounting structure.
The second phase, worth around £700,000, will build on this research and examine in more
detail some of the technology risks of the proposed solution. should this phase of research prove
successful, a further work package will be undertaken this year to perform initial land-based firing
trials.
The last Royal Navy ship to boast 6in guns was the cruiser HMs Blake, laid down in 1944 but not
commissioned until 1969, and broken up in 1982. she was the last cruiser in Royal Naval service.
Contract In-Service Support Team (ISST) being established
Support for Royal
to ensure that CFA is managed and delivered
successfully. The CFA contract will guarantee
Navy subs
increased availability through an initial five-year
support agreement for periscopes and optronics
Thales UK has been awarded contracts initially worth masts for the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered
£35 million by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to and strategic submarines.
provide long-term in-service support for the Royal Under the terms of the contracts, Thales’ optronics
Navy’s Trafalgar, Vanguard, and Astute class periscope facility in Glasgow will provide specialised skills and
systems. The contracts, which include the ‘Contract- facilities to ensure optimal through-life capability
ing for Availability’ (CFA) programme, build on the management of these complex systems. The contracts
existing support infrastructure in which the UK MoD include design authority services, spare equipment/
has invested over many years. spare parts, repairs/replacement parts, modifications,
The CFA programme is the result of Thales and the engineering changes, field changes, overhauls,
UK MoD adopting a partnering approach, with a joint refurbishments, and engineering services.
8 Warship Technology May 2008
WT May 08 - p4+5+6+7+8+10+11.ind8 8 25/04/2008 14:16:39
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