25.09.

2017 De Zeven Provincin-class frigate - Wikipedia

De Zeven Provincin-class frigate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

De Zeven Provincin-class frigates are highly advanced

air-defence and command frigates in service with the De Zeven Provincin-class frigates
Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy). This class of
ships is also known as LCF (Luchtverdedigings- en
commandofregat, air defense and command frigate). The
ships are similar to the German Sachsen-class frigates in
role and mission. During international exercises
performance of the sensor suite and weapons platform have
been proven to be exceptional and 'best in class'. The
classification of these ships as frigates is subject to debate
given that due to their capabilities, these ships would in
other navies be classified as destroyers.

Contents
HNLMS Tromp (F803)
1 Anti-air warfare
2 Ballistic missile defence Class overview
3 Modernization
4 Surface and subsurface warfare Name: De Zeven Provincin class
5 Live missile firings Builders: Royal Schelde, Vlissingen
6 Counter-piracy operations
7 List of ships Operators: Royal Netherlands Navy
8 See also Preceded by: Tromp class
9 Footnotes
10 External links Cost: 600 million ($816 million)
In commission: 26 April 2002 present
Completed: 4
Anti-air warfare Active: 4

These ships were optimized for the anti-air warfare role. For General characteristics
this role the ships are equipped with an advanced sensor and Type: Air-defense and command frigate
weapons suite. The primary sensors for this role are the long
range surveillance radar SMART-L and the multi-function Displacement: 6,050 tonnes (full load)
radar APAR. The SMART-L and APAR are highly Length: 144.24 m (473.2 ft)
complementary, in the sense that SMART-L is a D band Beam: 18.80 m (61.7 ft)
radar providing very long range surveillance while APAR is
an I band radar providing precise target tracking, a highly Draught: 5.18 m (17.0 ft)
capable horizon search capability, and missile guidance Propulsion: Combined diesel and gas
using the Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination (ICWI) 2 Wrtsil 16 V26 diesel
technique, thus allowing guidance of 32 semi-active radar engines, 4.2 MW
homing missiles in flight simultaneously, including 16 in the
(5,600 hp) each
terminal guidance phase.[1] The primary anti-air weapons
2 Rolls Royce Spey SM
are the point defence Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile and the
1C gas turbines, 18.5 MW
area defence SM-2 Block IIIA. The Mk 41 Vertical Launch
System is used to house and launch these missiles. 32 (24,800 hp) each
Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile and 32 SM-2 Block IIIA are 4 Wrtsil-Deutz D620
carried. V12 diesel-generators,
1,680 kW (2,250 hp) each

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Ballistic missile defence 2 propeller shafts, 5-

bladed controllable pitch
The Koninklijke Marine is investigating the use of these propellers
ships for the role of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD). Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
During tests carried out by HNLMS Tromp in the Pacific
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at
ocean near Hawaii, experimental modifications to the
18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
SMART-L to allow even longer range were proven. A study
by the Koninklijke Marine, the Netherlands Defence Complement: 30 officers, 202 ratings
Material Organization, Thales Nederland, Raytheon Missile Sensors and Thales Nederland SMART-L
Systems, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics processing long-range air and surface
Laboratory, and Lockheed Martin has been conducted to
systems: surveillance radar
establish the feasibility of modifying the De Zeven
Provincin class to provide it the capability to intercept Thales Nederland APAR air
ballistic missiles. In particular, the study examined the and surface search, tracking
feasibility of integrating the SM-3 Block IB missile with the and guidance radar (I band)
SMART-L and APAR radars. The study concluded that DECCA NAV navigation
with certain modifications to the SMART-L and APAR, as radar
well as to the ship's Combat Management System and the Thales Nederland Scout
missile itself BMD with the De Zeven Provincin class (Low Probability of
could be achieved.[2] During a 2015 very large NATO Intercept)surface
exercise the BMD capabilities were proven, the sensor suite
search/navigation radar
discovered Ballistic targets and destroyed them using both
Thales Nederland Sirius
own SAM missiles as well as using a US Destroyer's SAM
weapons, providing target data and missile guidance. IRST long-range infrared
surveillance and tracking
A contract was awarded for the radar modification in June system
2012, operational tests & life firing show the performance to Thales Nederland Mirador
exceed expectations.[3] optical surveillance and
tracking system
Modernization Atlas Elektronik DSQS-24C
hull-mounted sonar
The De Zeven Provincin-class ships will get the new MK XII IFF system
SMART-L Mk2 radar that can detect ballistic missiles at a
Electronic 2 Thomson Racal (now
range of 2,000 km (1,200 mi). The Dutch minister promised
warfare Thales) Sabre ECM suite
also that the APAR radar will have a bigger range than
400 km (250 mi) as the Netherlands is the first country to & decoys: 4 Sippican Hycor SRBOC
participate as an active missile shield for NATO. MK36 launcher
1 AN/SLQ-25 Nixie
In late 2011, the Ministry of Defence announced a torpedo decoy
modernization program to upgrade the SMART-L early-
Armament: Guns:
warning radar so that De Zeven Provincin-class frigates can
1 Oto Melara 127
detect and track ballistic missiles at extended range.
Although there are no plans to acquire the BMD-capable mm/54 dual-purpose
SM-3 surface-to-air missiles, De Zeven Provincin-class gun
frigates can pass on the tracking and detection data to other 2-4 Browning M2
sea-based or land-defense BMD assets, including U.S. 12.7mm machine
Navys warships, that can deal with a ballistic missile threat. guns
This modernization program is scheduled for completion by 4-6 FN MAG
late 2017 for the entire De Zeven Provincin class.[4] 7.62mm machine
guns
Surface and subsurface warfare 1-2 Goalkeeper
CIWS
Missiles:

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As noted above, these ships were optimized for anti-air 40-cell Mk.41
warfare, but they also have weapons on-board capable of vertical launch
attacking surface and submarine targets, for example: the system
RGM-84F Harpoon missile and Mk. 46 torpedoes. 32 SM-2
IIIA surface-
Plans to equip some of the Zeven Provincin-class frigates
with a total of 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles have to-air
existed but these were shelved in May 2005.[5] missiles
32 Evolved

Live missile firings Sea Sparrow

Missile
In November 2003, some 200 nautical miles (370 km) from (quadpacked)
the Azores, the missile guidance capabilities were tested 8 Harpoon anti-
with live firings for the first time.[1] The firings involved the ship missiles
firing of a single ESSM and a single SM-2 Block IIIA. 2 twin MK32 Mod
These firings were the first ever live firings involving a full- 9 torpedo launchers
size ship-borne active electronically scanned array (i.e., with Raytheon
APAR) guiding missiles using the ICWI technique in an MK46 Mod 5
operational environment.[6] As related by Jane's Navy torpedoes
International:
Aircraft 1 NH-90 helicopter
carried:
During the tracking and missile-firing tests, Aviation Hangar and flight deck for 1
target profiles were provided by Greek-built
facilities: medium sized helicopter
EADS/3Sigma Iris PVK medium-range
subsonic target drones. [...] According to the
RNLN, ... APAR immediately acquired the
missile and maintained track until destruction".
[...] These ground-breaking tests represented the
world's first live verification of the ICWI
technique.[1]

Further live firings were performed in March 2005, again

HNLMS De Zeven Provincien (F802) outward bound
from Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, on 21 September
2009.
in the Atlantic Ocean some 180 nautical miles (330 km)
west of the Azores.[1] The tests involved three live-firing
events including firing a single SM-2 Block IIIA at an Iris
target drone at long range, a single ESSM at an Iris target
drone, and a two-salvo launch (with one salvo comprising
two SM-2 Block IIIAs and the other comprising two
ESSMs) against two incoming Iris target drones.[1] The
long-range SM-2 engagement apparently resulted in an
intercept at a range of greater than 100 km (62 mi) from the
ship, with a missile-target miss distance of 2.4 m (7 ft
10 in) (the warhead's proximity fuse having been disabled
for the purposes of the test).[1]

Counter-piracy operations
Ships of the De Zeven Provincin class have been involved in counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.
The untraditional target set (i.e., small slow-moving or even static surface targets) can apparently be
challenging for doppler radars designed to take on "high end" threats. However, according to Jane's
International Defence Review:

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[The RNLN has] reported great success using tailored surface-search software for the APAR sets
fitted to the De Zeven Provincin-class frigates deployed on anti-piracy roles. By sacrificing some
of APAR's high-end anti-air warfare capabilities, which were deemed unnecessary for the anti-
piracy role, its performance and resolution were improved in the surface-search role.[7]

List of ships
Pennant
Name Namesake Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
number

The seven provinces of the Union of 1

De Zeven 8 April In
F802 Utrecht September 26 April 2002
Provincin 2000 service
Flagship of admiral de Ruyter 1998

Luitenant-Admiraal Maarten Tromp 3

7 April In
F803 Tromp Luitenant-Admiraal-Generaal Sir September 14 March 2003
2001 service
Cornelis Tromp, Bt 1999

1
Luitenant-Admiraal-Generaal Michiel 13 April In
F804 De Ruyter September 22 April 2004
Adriaenszoon de Ruyter 2002 service
2000

Luitenant-Admiraal Johan Evertsen

Luitenant-Admiraal Cornelis Evertsen
de Oude 3
19 April In
F805 Evertsen Schout-bij-nacht Cornelis Evertsen de September 10 June 2005
2003 service
Jonge 2001
Schout-bij-nacht Cornelis Evertsen de
Jongste

All ships were built at Royal Schelde's shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands.

See also
Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate, Denmark
Sachsen-class frigate, Germany

Footnotes
1. Jane's Navy International, October 2005, "Live firing tests rewrite the guiding principles"
2. Jane's Defence Weekly, 5 January 2011, "Aiming high"
3. "SMART-L For Smart Defense?" (http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53
-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3
A13412d92-fe72-480a-9b56-c6c076a0ac65)
4. Wertheim, Eric (January 2012). "Combat Fleets" (http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2012-01/c
ombat-fleets). Proceedings. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute: 90. ISSN 0041-798X (ht
tps://www.worldcat.org/issn/0041-798X). Retrieved 2012-01-13.
5. Trouw, Laatste nieuws (Novum/ANP)| novum_laatstenieuws Defensie ziet af van Tomahawks (http://w
ww.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article712492.ece/Defensie_ziet_af_van_Tomahawks)
6. Jane's International Defence Review, February 2004, "Active phased array multifunction radars go live
for missile firings"
7. Jane's International Defence Review, September 2010, "Fighting the hydra: multinational piracy
operations move inshore"

External links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Zeven_Provinci%C3%ABn-class_frigate 4/5
25.09.2017 De Zeven Provincin-class frigate - Wikipedia

De Zeven Provincin-class Air-defence and Command Frigate (LCF) (https://web.archive.org/web/20120

318232852/http://www.defensie.nl/english/navy/materiel/ships/frigates/air_defence_and_command_friga
tes) Royal Netherlands Navy website of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
De Zeven Provincien Class Air Defence and Command Frigate (http://www.naval-technology.com/projec
ts/dezeven/) @ naval-technology.com
Netherlands De Zeven Provincien Class Destroyer (https://web.archive.org/web/20051119144645/htt
p://www.amiinter.com/samples/netherlands/NL1301.html) @ AMI International
De Zeven Provincin class (https://web.archive.org/web/20051214200518/http://www.kitsune.addr.com/
LCF/index.html) (Private page)

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