Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Feature - IJN Light Cruiser, Nagara
MSW crew-mate Kym Knight (Rab) shares a fine gallery of images of his IJN Light Cruiser, Nagara in this "On Display" feature.
Visby Corvettes Delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces
Source: FMV Swedish Defence Materiel Agency
HMS Helsingborg and HMS Härnösand are the first two corvettes in the Visby series delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces to be included in the organization and ready for missions.
FMV handed over the two ships to the Armed Forces at a ceremony in Karlskrona on December 16.
“It's satisfying that we now can hand over the ships in a version where, after the training of the crew, they will be able to go into the organization and be available for operations, "says Mats Elofsson, project manager for the project Visby at FMV.
The series of five Visby corvettes are high-tech ships. They are designed to have the ability to operate in several areas, such as demining, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, maritime surveillance and maritime security and in international operations, but also to provide support to the society for example when there are accidents at sea.
The vessels are built in plastic laminate, a material that makes the ship very strong and resilient in relation to their weight. The material is one of the factors that gives the vessels very low signature levels, in terms of radar, magnetic and hydro-acoustic. This makes them difficult to detect on radar and infrared camera. At the same time the vessels can withstand shock effects very well and they can also take a big load.
The vessels has been equipped to be able to cooperate with other parts of the Armed Forces that occur in the maritime area, such as the air force, coast guard, civil protection, customs, police and civilian shipping. The Visby corvettes will also be able to behave in particular as a good management of resources for long-term efforts at sea.
The Visby corvette type is the first ship drawn up with all these skills together in a single hull. The project has faced several major challenges.
“To succeed, we have forced several technical barriers. The main challenges have been in three areas: surface vessels in composite materials, extremely low signatures and integration of sensors for a common situation picture. This technical complexity of the development project Visby has contributed to delays in delivery of the vessels, "says Mats Elofsson.
The two ships which are now handed over is equipped with over-water and underwater sensors and are in this version (version four) able to be operational in a number of national and international tasks.
When the first Visby corvettes will be delivered in version five in 2012, there will be trained crews available. The ships have since been supplemented by including mine clearance systems, helicopter landing capability, anti-surface ship missile and additional stealth adaption.
Most of the technology in the Visby corvette is developed in Sweden in cooperation between the Armed Forces, the Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), the Defense Research Agency (FOI), Swedish and foreign defence industries and universities.
DSNS Awarded Contract for JSS for Royal Netherlands Navy
Source: Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding
On 18 December 2009, the Netherlands' Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) signed a contract for the supply of a Joint Logistic Support Ship (JSS).
The Joint Logistic Support Ship will be built for the Royal Netherlands Navy, and will be delivered in July 2014.
The Joint Logistic Support Ship (JSS) replaces HNLMS "Zuiderkruis", a vessel which is already for 34 years in service in the Royal Netherlands Navy.
The JSS fulfils the operational requirements of the Royal Netherlands Navy for a robust multi-functional platform specifically designed for maritime support, strategic sea lift and sea basing missions in open ocean as well as in littoral waters.
To that end, the JSS has the disposal of capacities for replenishment at sea, for storing supplies, for loading and unloading of supplies, for transport of materiel and personnel, and for extensive medical, technical and logistic support.
The construction of the vessel will largely take place at Damen Shipyard Galati under supervision of DSNS, whereas the complete engineering, purchasing of material packages, final systems outfitting, commissioning and testing of the vessel and all of her systems will take place at DSNS's premises in Vlissingen.
The contract marks the ongoing, intensive relation between the Royal Netherlands Navy and DSNS over many decades. It also highlights the outstanding reputation of DSNS as a major naval shipbuilder of amphibious support and naval auxiliary vessels.
About the Joint Logistic Support Ship
The JSS has been designed to operate both in the lower and higher levels of the force spectrum, and measures 205 meter in length and 30 meter in breadth. Total displacement is 28.000 tonnes.
The vessel accommodates 150 crew and up to 150 non-listed persons, such as helicopter crew and medical teams. Further large areas for evacuees can be arranged.
The ship's speed is approx. 18 knots. The diesel-electric propulsion plant consists of 2 main electric motors of approx 9000 kW each, two shaftlines with Fixed Pitch Propeller, and two bow and one stern thruster. Electric generation by means of 5 diesel generator sets of approx. 25 MW in total.
The JSS has 2000 lanemeters for transport of materiel, a helicopter deck with landing spots for operating two Chinooks, and a hangar with a storage capacity of upto 6 helicopters.
The JSS has the facilities for loading and unloading operations of materiel and goods in harbours, near the shore or at open sea: two Replenishment-At-Sea masts, an elevator and crane for up to 40 tons, a roll on/roll off facility for vehicles, and a steel beach stern construction for accommodating cargo transfer via landing craft.
Oceanographic Survey Ship for U.S. Navy
Source: ST Engineering
SINGAPORE --- ST Engineering announced today that its US shipyard, VT Halter Marine, has been awarded a contract worth US$87m (about S$121m) to build an enhanced version of a T-AGS 60 Class oceanographic survey ship for the U.S. Navy.
Construction of the new ship, T-AGS 66, will begin at Halter Moss Point in 1H2010 with delivery scheduled in 2013. VT Halter Marine is the US operation of ST Engineering's marine arm, ST Marine.
This contract is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current financial year.
The all-steel vessel is about 107.6 metres long, with a beam of 17.68 metres, a 5.48-metre draft and permanent accommodation for 67 persons. The T-AGS 60 Class design eliminated conventional reduction gears and long propeller shafts to free up space for oceanographic uses. Its dynamic positioning controls thrust direction provides unparalleled ship control and maneuverability to permit precise position keeping and track line following. In addition to various enhancements of its equipment and electronics systems, the T-AGS 66 will be fitted with an 18' x 18' moonpool for through hull launch and retrieval of scientific research equipment.
Typical missions of the T-AGS 60 Class ships may include: oceanographic sampling and data collection of surface, midwater and ocean floor parameters; the launching, recovering, and towing of scientific packages both tethered and autonomous including the handling, monitoring, and servicing of remotely operated vehicles; shipboard oceanographic data processing and sample analysis; and precise navigation, track line maneuvering, and station keeping to support deep ocean and coastal surveys.
VT Halter Marine is the leading designer and builder of specialised oceanographic ships for the U.S. Navy and has experience in building the previous six ships of the T-AGS 60 Class; T-AGOS 13 through T-AGOS 18 ocean surveillance ships; a T-AGOS 23 Class SWATH ocean surveillance ship: T-AGS 51 and T-AGS 52 hydrographic survey ships; oceanographic survey ships AGOR 23, 24 and 25; and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) AGOR Ronald H. Brown as well as four fisheries survey vessels (FSVs) for NOAA.
T-AGS 60 Class ships are designed and constructed to provide multi-purpose oceanographic capabilities for the Oceanographer of the Navy. Physical, chemical and biological oceanography; multi-discipline environmental investigations; ocean engineering and marine acoustics; marine geology and geophysics; and bathymetric, gravimetric, and magnetometric surveying are performed from T-AGS 60 Class ships using the latest in oceanographic surveying equipment and other instrument packages with the ability to process and analyse the data onboard using the latest computer technology.
"VT Halter Marine is pleased to be given the opportunity to continue our long standing partnership with the U.S. Navy and this contract is a testament to our track record of designing and constructing quality T-AGS oceanographic vessels for the U.S. Navy," said Chang Cheow Teck, President, ST Marine
VT Halter Marine, the marine operations of VT Systems, is based in Pascagoula, Mississippi and is a leader in the design and construction of medium-sized ships in the United States. VT Halter Marine designs, builds and repairs a wide variety of ocean-going vessels such as patrol vessels, oil recovery vessels, oil cargo vessels, ferries, logistic support vessels and survey vessels.
ST Marine (Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd) is the marine arm of ST Engineering, it provides turnkey building, repair and conversion services for a wide spectrum of naval and commercial vessels.
ST Engineering (Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd) is an integrated engineering group providing solutions and services in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Headquartered in Singapore, the Group reported revenues of $5.34b in FY2008 and ranks among the largest companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. ST Engineering has more than 20,000 employees worldwide, and over 100 subsidiaries and associated companies in 24 countries and 42 cities.
Historic Naval Ships Association
Today’s website is Historic Naval Ships Association. Today, the 175 ships of the HNSA fleet ride peacefully at anchor, inviting you to cross their brows and journey back in time. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1941 - Admiral Ernest J. King assumes duty as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet.
1959 - Commissioning of first fleet ballistic missile submarine, USS George Washington (SSB(N)-598), at Groton, CT.
Photo of the Day
A landing craft utility from Assault Craft Unit 1 passes astern the well deck of the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing Ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46).
Gator
