Posted on 01/23/2019 8:32:31 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
ESPS Mendez Nunez (F-104) in Norfolk. USNI photo.
ABOARD SPANISH ARMADA FRIGATE ESPS MENDEZ NUNEZ, IN NORFOLK, Va. – Spanish shipbuilding firm Navantia is showcasing the utility of its F-100 frigate design to the U.S. Navy ahead of the Spanish Armada deploying one with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group this spring.
ESPS Mendez Nunez (F-104) will be an integrated part of the CSG as it steams during the spring and summer, on a course expected to pass through the Middle East and eventually on to San Diego, Calif., the new homeport for USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). Mendez Nunez will continue east, expected to return to Spain in November.
Mendez Nunez’s current visit to the U.S. provides its builder, Spanish firm Navantia, an opportunity to show its ship design to the U.S. Navy ahead of an expected formal request for designs and an anticipated 2020 contract award for its future frigate (FFG(X)) program.
For its likely submission, American shipbuilder General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works is working Navantia to develop an FFG(X) bid based on the F-100 design. For the FFG(X) competition, the U.S. Navy is only considering designs already in use. Along with Spain, Norway and Australia also have frigates based on the F-100 design.
The Navy wants to save time in fielding a frigate fleet and using existing parent designs is expected to save time and money by not having to start the design phase from scratch. The Fincantieri Marine Group, Austal USA, Lockheed Martin, and Huntington Ingalls Industries are also expected to submit FFG(X) designs.
Among the requirements, the FFG(X) is expected to conduct multiple missions, including submarine warfare, surface warfare and anti-air warfare. The FFG(X) must also accommodate at least one MH-60R Seahawk helicopter.
The bridge and MK-45 Mod 2 5″ gun aboard ESPS Mendez Nunez (F-104), USNI News photo.
The F-100 frigates are equipped for all of these missions, with a particular focus on anti-air warfare. The frigates are equipped with the Aegis Combat System and use SPY-1D radar. Mendez Nunez supports a Spanish version of the Seahawk, the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. The helicopter is a vital part of the anti-submarine mission by dropping sonobuoys into the water, and in the surface warfare mission by firing either Penguin or Hellfire missiles, Cmdr. Antonio Gonzalez del Tanago de la Lastra, Mendez Nunez’s commanding officer, told USNI New during a briefing on Monday.
The ship has Link 16 data communications system, which with Aegis, makes it very easy to communicate with aircraft and other ships including those from the Abraham Lincoln CSG, Gonzalez del Tanago said.
With a displacement of 5,800 tons, 482 feet long, and a beam of about 57 feet, Gonzalez del Tanago said the F-100 is on the smaller side when compared to other warships used by European navies. However, the F-100 brings fields 48 vertical launching system (VLS) cells, is capable of launching standard missile 2 (SM-2) medium range missiles or Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM).
“We are one of the smallest, but thanks to Aegis, one of the most powerful European ships,” Gonzalez del Tanago said. “The Aegis is an excellent system. I haven’t seen anything that can compare with that.”
The ship is divided into 14 watertight sections and four damage control zones and is designed with systems redundancy in mind. The main engineering department can monitor all zones for damage and take over steering and propulsion if necessary. The engineering room also can monitor the engine room, including the ability to remotely monitor the performance of the propulsion system centered around two Bazan Bravo-12 diesel engines and two GE LM2500 gas turbines. Engineers can open the propulsion system’s gage readings on display panels without having to enter the engine room.
“One of the main features is they are very safe, very good sea-going transport with bad weather condition,” Gonzalez del Tanago said.
The typical F-100 crew has about 205 officers and enlisted sailors. About 11 additional personnel are onboard to fly and maintain the helicopter. The captain and department heads have single-rack staterooms. Other officers are berthed two per stateroom. For enlisted sailors, chiefs are four to a stateroom, petty officers are six to a stateroom, and nine junior enlisted sailors share staterooms on racks stacked three high.
The F-100 class has an operating room and a separate room that can accommodate four sick or injured sailors. Typically on deployments, the ship will have a nurse and doctor onboard, Gonzalez del Tanago.
Having such a medical facility is somewhat unique among the small surface combatants. Even the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers do not have similar medial capabilities. Typically, these ships have a hospital corpsmen as part of the crew, and doctors are aboard amphibious warships or aircraft carriers, according to the Navy’s Fleet Medicine Pocket Reference.
A "FLETCHER" class destroyer of WWII displaced 2500 tons and was 376.5 ft long.
The cold-war "ADAMS" class destroyer displaced 4526 tons and was 437 ft long.
That’s a destroyer if I ever saw one. 5,800 tons, 482 feet long, 57 ft beam
Spruance class destroyer was 529 felt and 8040 tons, 55 ft beam
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate was 408 feet 4100 tons, 45 ft beam
she’s lighter than a spru-can but nearly as long and wider.
Oh... and someone needs to be taken to task for the condition of those anchor chain shots.
The US Navy ( or US shipyards)should build its own warships. That is a basic strategic thing and should require no explanation. This is an admission that globalism has pretty much hampered the USA’s ability to make warships in large numbers. This is without a doubt crosses a line. A show of pathetic weakness. The Chinese are laughing at us.
100%. Without a doubt.
It shows out our enemies that in a war of attrition the Navy can’t replace it’s ships. That’s why. IT is the worst message that could be sent. THE USA SHOULD MAKE ALL OF ITS MILITARY EQUIPMENT. ALL OF IT. 100% ALL OF IT.
Needs to be built here with US Steel and US labor. 100%.
Surprised is not the word I would use. I'd say pissed off.
Do you want them built here or do you want them in service as fast as possible?
Built here. The USA should be able to crank out and repair ships better and faster than every other country in the world If not then we are screwed.
I would have resigned my commission before I would serve on a warship NOT built in the USA. I’d get a transfer or resign.
Meets our specs, we can monitor it’s construction for shortcuts, we can add technology we may not want Spain or anyone else to know about, and it will use American workers instead of Spanish. What I don’t understand is why can’t we design our own ships of the line anymore?
Spain already has orders for several of them from Australia and South Korea. Canada is expected to choose this platform as well.
That’s about 30 units. There’s a line.
If we want them they’ll have to be built here, from US Steel and by US workers. The Spanish supplier will be HAPPY, OVERJOYED to settle for royalties on their design, to be a major element of the most powerful fleet the world has ever seen.
That’s prestige that will sell at least 100 copies over the next 25 years.
Most of the components are American anyway.
I noticed a glaring weakness that will ensure the US Navy does not choose this platform without major changes.
It’s limited to 28.5 knots, top speed.
It’s range limited to 4,500 nautical miles.
A US Frigate has to be an integral part of a Carrier Battle Group.
That dictates 30+ knots and 7,000 NM range. That’s the bare minimum entry to the big boys club.
I served on frigates and the primary mission of a frigate is ocean escort and ASW. I spent 4 years at sea on a frigate and spent maybe 4 days in a CVBG.
Destroyers and cruisers are CVBG escorts, not frigates.
The only reason our frigate was in a cvbg for a few days was that the there was some new requirement that all frigates had to have some time (familiarization) in cvbg in case of emergencies. If frigates are in a CVBG then something has gone very wrong. The frigate I was on took on fuel (unrep) from the CVN, yes they carry dfm. Lots of it.
Probably built at Bath Iron Works under license. That’s typically how these things are done, particularly when the design gets customized to accomodate certain design features that the USN will insist upon.
The US Navy said those are the criteria, in addition to Aegis integration and VLS, for the new “Frigate”. Oh, and an existing platform design.
Which is bigger than any destroyer built before the 1970s.
I served on the Adams Class DDG for a WestPac and she was only 4,000 tones loaded.
But you’re right, the traditional role of a Frigate is Amphibious and Commercial escort along with ASW.
But you don’t need 48 VLS tubes for that. And the admirals like their VLS tubes. Hell, so do I.
If the Navy picks this one, it will be the best armed Frigate in history.
5in gun
48 vls
8 harpoon
8 mk46 torpedos
Phalanx AND RAM
AEGIS and AN/SPY-1
Yikes, it’s a baby Burke.
The three Australian ships of this have been built in Australia, not Spain. We designate them as destroyers though. The upcoming Type 26 based ships are frigates.
They are rightfully designated as Destroyers at 5,800 tons minimum. Versions go up to 6,100 tons.
But if you’re in a Surface Action Group with Burke class Destroyers at 10,000 tons, I guess you have to take the designation you’re given.
Or properly re-designate the Burkes as the Cruiser they are.
A “frigate” is really a destroyer. A “destroyer” is really a light cruiser.
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