NEWS
upgraded systems on Type 42 destroyer HMS York and on fleet replenishment ship RFA Fort Victoria. Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar
and 20mm Gatling gun system. Te Phalanx Block 1B upgrade incorporates a side mounted Forward Looking Infra-Red Camera (FLIR) enabling the CIWS to defend the ship against surface targets and slow air targets in addition to anti-ship missiles. The Phalanx system will add further armament
to the Type 45, which has a comprehensive suite of weapons and equipment including the sophisticated Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS) and the 4.5inch Mark 8 Mod 1 gun system, and is equipped with the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System. Te installation in HMS Daring took eight weeks,
including two weeks to install, and was due to be followed by six weeks of testing. In addition to provid- ing the 1B upgrade installations, Babcock has a ten-year support contract for the 36 Phalanx systems, based on providing availability of the systems through- out their life on board ship. Babcock manages and executes upkeep support activities including safety case management, and provides a 24/7 helpdesk to the Royal Navy, supplying a point of contact for front- line maintainers and operators to resolve any technical issues arising. Te company also takes responsibility for logistics support for spares and repairable units.
Surface combatants Gowind’s L’Adroit
begins sea trials Te Gowind offshore patrol boat L’Adroit began sea trials on 27 July in order for DCNS to validate the seakeeping and other characteristics of the vessel. Te initial sea trials mark the beginning of the next phase of the Gowind OPV programme, which spearheads DCNS’s efforts to win a larger share of the market for small- and medium-displacement surface ships. Te sea trials got under way in line with the contract
schedule, just 14 months aſter construction started of the innovative offshore patrol vessel. L’Adroit is being built under a DCNS-funded
programme and will be made available to the French Navy for three years on completion. Te three-year loan period will enable the French Navy to qualify the OPV as ‘sea proven.’
L’Adroit has a length of 87m, endurance of 21 days,
and a range of 8000nm. With a maximum speed of 21knots, the vessel has a helicopter flight deck and can accommodate unmanned aerial vehicles. It is designed for reduced crewing, with a complement of 30 and space for 30 others.
Weapons handling Weapons systems
order for fifth Astute Babcock has recently received the full contract to deliver its weapon handling and launch system (WHLS) for the fiſth Astute class submarine nuclear- powered attack (SSN) submarine. The system is the first on a UK Royal Navy submarine to use Babcock’s advanced air turbine pump and program- mable firing valve technology, with a number of important advantages. Babcock has designed and supplied the WHLS for the
first four Astute class boats (Astute, Ambush, Artful and Audacious) under earlier contracts. Te latest contract for WHLS equipment for boat number 5 follows an earlier contract for the long-lead items, and is accompa- nied by a long-lead items contract for boat 6. Te Astute class WHLS is capable of carrying more
torpedoes and tube-launched missiles than any previous class of Royal Navy submarine, and is smaller, quieter, and more flexible, optimising firing profiles for the range of weapon types that the system can carry. Te handling system comprises equipment to embark,
store, reposition and load weapons into the torpedo tubes. Configuration of the weapons within the Weapon Stowage Compartment (WSC) has been carefully developed, resulting in the highest packing density of weapons in the stowage compartment. Weapons are protected in the WSC using a unique method of shock mounting, which provides adaptable protection accord- ing to the number of weapons stored on each stowage tier. Tis improves crew safety and maximises potential for the system to continue to function following a shock event. Te launch system uses an air turbine pump (ATP)
to achieve a positive launch firing mechanism. Te ATP is an air-driven rotary pump that displaces a volume of water to launch a weapon from a torpedo tube. Uniquely, Babcock uses a programmable firing valve (PFV) to control the ATP firing air profile, allowing the system to match the launch requirements precisely to a range of variables including weapon type, boat speed and depth. Te ATP and PFV system on the Astute class offers
L’Adroit began sea trials in July.
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significant performance advantages over previous systems, including the water ram systems currently in service with the Royal Navy. As well as being smaller, with space saving benefits, it is more efficient (using substantially less firing air), and has acoustic advantages (lower noise signature), and an extended operational
Warship Technology October 2011
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