Feature 1 | Corvettes, Frigates, Destroyers
Contract award sets up Future Surface
Combatant transition
The UK Royal Navy’s newly refreshed Future Surface Combatant (FSC)
programme is expected to enter the Assessment Phase later this year.
T
his follows the award by the UK
Ministry of Defence (MoD) to
BVT Surface Fleet (a joint venture
company between VT Group and BAE
Systems) of a £610,000 (US$873,000)
contract to prepare the ground for
the programme to advance into its
assessment phase.
Designed to replace the capabilities of
the Royal Navy’s existing frigate fleet from
around 2020, the FSC project envisages
two ship types: a task group-enabled Force
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Land
Attack Combatant (known as C1); and a
general purpose Stabilisation Combatant
(C2) – entering service in succession
to replace the current Type 22 Batch 3 the FsC programme is currently nearing the end of a year-long concept phase being led
and Type 23 frigates and recapitalise the by the Naval Design Partnership.
surface combatant force.
A smaller C3 ocean-capable patrol
vessel of approximately 2000tons break the mould in terms of its approach summary we must “design to cost and
displacement is separately planned to to cost and capability. “Given the reality support the design”.
replace existing minor war vessels, but of available budgets, and to sustain our Another area highlighted by Commodore
is currently less well defined. Its funding future industrial capacity, we should Brunton is the relationship between C1
line is, at this stage, primarily linked to the be aiming to support the build of a new and the ships it will replace, principally
Future Mine Countermeasures Capability, combatant about every 12 months or so,” the Type 23 frigate. “We need to look at
although evolving thinking will consider he told delegates at the BNEA/Society of this in the overall context of Through-Life
whether there is a business case to Maritime Industries ‘Sustaining the UK Capability Management [TLCM],” he said,
deliver the C3 capability on the basis of maritime industries at home and abroad’ “and understand where the transition point
a lease arrangement similar to that used conference in February 2009. “To build in terms of investment is”.
for the Royal Navy’s River class offshore more and faster would challenge the wider Migration paths for pulling through
patrol vessels. defence budget, which is already under and/or cross-decking certain equipments
Priority is currently being given to considerable pressure.” are also being developed. For example,
the C1 variant, due to enter service from the new Medium Range Radar being
around 2020. This ship is characterised as a Cost drivers procured for the Type 23 capability
“force ASW and precision strike optimised The level of capability in each ship is upgrade will end up on C1, and possibly
combatant that will contribute to and enable recognised as a key cost driver. “We need also C2. The combat management system
the Joint Force’s ability to deliver strategic to be clear on what we need, and where will be evolved from that of the current
effects of insight, coercion, deterrence, clarity does not exist we need to provide DNA/CMS combat system core, and the
stabilisation, prevention, disruption and suitable margins and space to enable us to Future Local Area Air Defence System
destruction primarily in medium- and accommodate technologies that are likely (Maritime) will be fitted first to Type 23,
large-scale warfighting operations, but with to change during platform life. The other then C1.
wider warfighting utility”. part of that trade-off will be ensuring that Another important line of development
According to Commodore Steve the design is not prohibitively expensive is manning and habitability. “FSC will be a
Brunton, Head of Above Water Effects to support and maintain, be it equipment, catalyst to changed manning in the Royal
in the MoD’s capability area, FSC should manpower, training or infrastructure. In Navy,” observed Commodore Brunton.
12 Warship Technology May 2009
p12-13-14_WT_May09.indd 12 16/04/2009 12:10:14
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52