NEWS
Th e Greeks want a modern combat management Refi t
system and an active phased-array radar as well as
surface-to-surface missiles with a land-attack capabil-
Sceptre on the
ity. In addition to the surface-to-air weapon system it
RAMP
is believed that Athens is seeking a medium-calibre
(76-127mm) gun, a close-in weapon system that can Good progress is being made by Babcock Marine
also engage surface targets, and the ability to operate at Clyde in the Revalidation Assisted Maintenance
both Aegean Hawk helicopters and unmanned Period (RAMP) on HMS Sceptre, the last remaining
aerial vehicles. Swift sure class nuclear-powered submarine (SSN)
Contenders are likely to include the Frégate in service with the UK Royal Navy. Time and cost
Européenne Multi-Mission (FREMM) programme savings against budget have been achieved and the
from both DCNS and Fincantieri. France has submarine entered shiplift in early September ahead
already stated it would sell Scalp missiles to Greece. of schedule.
Other potential candidates include Schelde’s De Th e 37-week RAMP, budgeted to involve 70,000
Zeven Provincien, the Blohm + Voss Sachsen hours of labour, is scheduled to end in January 2009.
(F124) or MEKO 200 AW and Navantia’s F100, All the early reactor component inspections and
although Denmark’s Odense might offer their subsequent works have been completed, with proactive
Patrol Frigate. thinking and forward planning in the writing of the
nuclear procedures enabling a four-week reduction
Upgrade in timescales for these inspections to be achieved. A
Norway updates
routine replacement of the 120-cell submarine main
battery has also been completed ahead of schedule.
minehunters
Th ese valuable time savings have resulted in the entire
docking period being brought forward by a substan-
Norway is to update its mine countermeasures force tial four weeks.
under a US$29 million contract. Th e force consists of One capability upgrade has already been completed,
three Oksøy class minehunters and three Alta class and the other two are well advanced. All secondary
minesweepers, the minehunter HMNS Oksøy and and combat weapons system work is progressing to
minesweeper HMNS Glomma having been paid off plan, including the process of converting the forward
in 2004. Th e minehunters have a Th ales Underwater fridges (which provide the correct environment for
Systems/Simrad MICOS minehunting system and the food storage areas) and chilled water plants (for
Gayrobot Pluto remotely operated vehicles. equipment cooling) from the conventional Freon gas
Under a NKr150 million (US$29.6 million)
contract the ships are to receive new command and
control systems as well as a new dynamic position-
ing system from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
by 2012. Kongsberg will also upgrade the Royal
Norwegian Navy’s tactical simulator.
The contract was heralded last year when
Commander Erik Hansen, the officer command-
ing the mine warfare training centre, addressed the
Defence IQ conference on the underwater battle
space in London. He added that the minehunters
would also receive new sensors.
Commander Hansen said the minesweepers were
scheduled to replace their mechanical minesweeping
equipment with one-shot disposable vehicles and
Hugin autonomous underwater vehicle (UUV)
for reconnaissance.
The Royal Norwegian Navy is examining the
future of mine countermeasures with a decision
anticipated in 2015. The new contracts are to
maintain capability until then. Options include
an organic capability in platforms such as frigates
or to continue operating dedicated vessels either
by updating the existing ships or producing HMS Sceptre is the last Swiftsure class submarine to go
new ones. through the RAMP process.
8 Warship Technology October 2008
WT_Oct08_p6+7+8+10+11+12+14+15.indd 8 10/10/08 1:12:02 PM
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