Basic Information

Name

Iver Huitfeldt Class Danish Frigate

Designation

Iver Huitfeldt Class

Alternate Designation

Iver Huitfeldt Class

Equipment Type

Frigate

Manufacturer

—

Date of Introduction

2011

Description

The Iver Huitfeldt class is a three-ship class of frigates that entered service with the Royal Danish Navy in 2012 and 2013. The class is built on the experience gained from the Absalon-class support ships, and by reusing the basic hull design of the Absalon class the Royal Danish Navy have been able to construct the Iver Huitfeldt class considerably cheaper than comparable ships. Side view of frigate Niels Juel in front of green hills of Harstad port F363 Niels Juel in Harstad (Norway), June 2018 The frigates are compatible with the Danish Navy's StanFlex modular mission payload system used in the Absalons, and are designed with slots for six modules. Each of the four stanflex positions on the missile deck is able to accommodate either the Mark 141 8-cell Harpoon launcher module, or the 12-cell Mark 56 ESSM VLS. The Peter Willemoes passed the British Flag Officer Sea Training test in 2015. While the Absalon-class ships are primarily designed for command and support roles, with a large ro-ro deck, the three new Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates will be equipped for an air defence role with Standard Missiles, and the potential to use Tomahawk cruise missiles, a first for the Danish Navy. The ships were constructed in blocks in Estonia and Lithuania. These blocks were then towed to Odense where they were assembled.

Naval & Littoral Specifications

Crew 101

Beam 19.50 m

Draft 6.30 m

Variants

Iver Huitfeldt Commissioned: Status: Active

Peter Willemoes Commissioned: 2011 Status: Active

Niels Juel Commissioned: 2011 Status: Active

System

Alternative Designation Iver Huitfeldt Class

Total Built 3 ships built

Type Frigate

Builder Odense Staalskibsværft Baltija Shipbuilding Yard Loksa Shipyard

In Service 2011-Present

Crew 101 total + air group

Dimensions

Length 138.70 m

Beam 19.50 m

Draft 6.30 m

Displacement, Standard 4,000 tons

Displacement, Full Load 5,850 tons

Propulsion System

Engine Name 4 x MTU 8000 M-70 diesels

Engine Type Diesel

Engine Power 44,600 total bhp

Propeller 2 variable-pitch propellers

Bow-thruster Yes

Maximum Range 15,000 nm at 9 knots

Maximum Speed 28 knots

Endurance INA

Missile Weapon System

Missile Weapon System #1

Name BGM-109A Tomahawk Land-Attack Missile (TLAM)

Type Long-Range Cruise Missile

Quantity 1 x 8-tubed Lockheed-Martin Mark 41 VLS system

Manufacturer General Dynamics (initially) McDonnell Douglas Hughes Aircraft Corporation Raytheon

Proliferation Widely Proliferated

In Service 1983-Present

Launcher 8-tubed Lockheed-Martin Mark 41 VLS system

Missile Basic Load INA

Length Without booster: 18 ft 3 in (5.56 m) With booster: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)

Diameter 0.52 m

Wingspan 2.67 m

Weight 2,900 lb (1,300 kg), 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) with booster

Warhead Nuclear: W80 warhead (retired) Conventional: 1,000 pounds (450 kg) high explosive or submunition dispenser with BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bomb or PBXN

Detonation Mechanism FMU-148 since TLAM Block III, others for special applications

Engine Williams International F107-WR-402 turbofan using TH-dimer fuel and a solid-fuel rocket booster

Operational Range Block II TLAM-A – 1,350 nmi (1,550 mi; 2,500 km) Block III TLAM-C, Block IV TLAM-E – 900 nmi (1,000 mi; 1,700 km) Block III TLAM-D – 700 nmi (810 mi; 1,300 km)

Flight Altitude 98–164 ft (30–50 m) AGL

Speed Subsonic; ~Mach 0.74. about 550 mph (480 kn; 890 km/h)

Guidance System GPS, INS, TERCOM, DSMAC, active radar homing (RGM/UGM-109B)

Launch Platforms Vertical Launch System (VLS) and horizontal submarine torpedo tubes (known as TTL (torpedo tube launch))

Missile Weapon System #2

Name RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

Type Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Ship Missile

Quantity 2 x 12-tubed Raytheon Mk 56 VLS system

Launcher 12-tubed Raytheon Mk 56 VLS system

Missile Basic Load 24

Length 3.7 m

Diameter 20 cm

Wingspan 1.02 m

Weight 230 kg

Warhead Annular blast fragmentation warhead, 90 lb (41 kg)

Detonation Mechanism Proximity fuzed, expanding rod, with a 27 ft (8.2 m) kill radius

Engine Hercules MK-58 solid-propellant rocket motor

Operational Range 19 km

Speed 4,256 km/h (2,645 mph)

Guidance System Semi-active radar homing

Launch Platform Ship

Missile Weapon System #3

Name RGM-84C Block II Harpoon

Type Anti-Ship Missile

Quantity 2 x 8-tubed Harpoon SSM Launchers Systems

Launcher 8-tubed Harpoon SSM Launchers Systems

Missile Basic Load 16

Length Air-launched: 12.6 ft (3.8 m); Surface- and submarine-launched: 15 ft (4.6 m)

Diameter (34 cm

Wingspan 0.91 m

Weight 1,523 lb (691 kg) with booster

Warhead 221 kg

Detonation Mechanism Impact fuze

Engine Teledyne CAE J402 Turbojet/solid propellant booster for surface and submarine launch; greater than 600 pounds (greater than 272.2 kg) of thrust

Operational Range in excess of 150 nmi (280 km) depending on launch platform

Flight Altitude Sea-skimming

Speed 537 mph (864 km/h; 240 m/s; Mach 0.71)

Guidance System Sea-skimming cruise monitored by radar altimeter / active radar terminal homing

Launch Platform multi-platform: RGM-84A surface-launched AGM-84A air-launched UGM-84A submarine-launched

Missile Weapon System #4

Name FIM-92 Stinger

Type Surface-to-Air Missile

Quantity 6 x Twin Sea Stinger SAM launchers

Launcher Twin Sea Stinger SAM launchers

Missile Basic Load 6

Length 1.52 m

Diameter 70.1mm

Weight 15.19 kg

Crew 1

Warhead High explosive annular blast fragmentation

Warhead Weight 3 kg

Engine Solid-fuel rocket motor

Guidance System Infrared homing

Launch Platform MANPADS, M6 Linebacker, Multi-Mission Launcher, Eurocopter Tiger, AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, MQ-1 Predator, AH-64 Apache, T-129 ATAK

Gun Weapon Systems

Gun Weapon System #1

Name OTO Melara

Type Naval Gun

Caliber 76,,

Quantity 2 x 76-mm/62-cal Mark 75 Oto Melara Compact DP Weapon Stations

Barrel Length 62 caliber: 4,724.4 mm (186.00 in)

Weight Empty: 7.5 tonnes (17,000 lb)

Crew Remote Controlled

Elevation −15°/+85° speed: 35°/s (acceleration: 72°/s²)

Traverse 360° speed: 60°/s (acceleration: 72°/s²)

Rate of Fire Compact: 85 rounds/min Super Rapid: 120 rounds/min

Muzzle Velocity 915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)

Maximum Firing Range HE-PFF 16,000 m SAPOMER 20,000 m VULCANO 40,000 m

Feed System Magazine capacity: 80 ready rounds on Compact gun mount

Ammunition Gun Weapon System #1

Type Rifle

Caliber 76 mm

Shell 76×636mmR cartridge weight 12.5 kilograms (28 lb) shell weight 6.3 kilograms (14 lb) propellant weight 2.35 kilograms (5.2 lb)

Shell Weight INA

Basic Load INA

Gun Weapon System #2

Name Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun

Type Close-In Weapon System (CIWS)

Caliber 35mm

Quantity 2 x 35-mm Oerlikon-Contraves Millennium AA

Length 5.5 m

Width 2.39 m

Height 1.94 m

Weight Gun: 450 kg Installation: 3300 kg

Crew unmanned

Action Gas-operated revolver cannon

Elevation -15 / +85 degrees rate: 70 degree/s

Traverse 360 degrees rate: 120 degrees per second

Rate of Fire Single shot Rapid Single Shot: 200 rounds per minute Burst (automatic fire): 1000 rounds per minute

Muzzle Velocity AHEAD: 1,050 m/s (3,445 ft/s) HEI: 1,175 m/s (3,854 ft/s) APDS/T: 1,440 m/s (4,724 ft/s)

Effective Firing Range 3,500–5,000 m (3,800–5,500 yd)

Feed System 252 linkless rounds in installation

Ammuntiion Gun Weapon System #2

Type Rifle

Caliber 35mm

Shell 35×228mm

Shell Weight INA

Basic Load INA

Gun Weapon System #3

Name AX50

Type Anti-Material Rifle

Quantity 7 x 12.7mm machine guns

Manufacturer Accuracy International

Proliferation Bangladesh: Recently started to be used by Bangladesh Army. Denmark: Awarded contract with Danish Defence. Due to be introduced into Service. Turkey: In service with Turkish Police Special Operation Department. United Kingdom: It has replaced the AW50 as the British Army's standard .50 BMG rifle. Malaysia: Used By Malaysian Army. Singapore: Employed by the Special Operations Force. Peru: used by the special forces of the navy and air force of Peru

In Service 2010-Present

Length 1,370 mm (53.9 in) 1,115 mm (43.9 in) folded

Barrel Length 685.8 mm (27.0 in)

Width 125 mm (4.92 in)

Height 190 mm (7.48 in)

Weight 12.5 kg (27.6 lb) (no scope/no rails, empty mag)

Action Bolt-action

Muzzle Velocity 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s)

Effective Firing Range 2,500 m (2,734 yd)

Feed System 5-round detachable box magazine

Sights Standard: S&B 5-25×56 PM II telescopic sight

Ammunition Gun Weapon System #3

Type Rifle

Caliber 12.7mm

Cartridge .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO)

Basic Load INA

Torpedo Weapon System

Torpedo Tube 2 x twin 324-mm Mk 32 tubes

Torpedo Name MU-90 M/04 ASW torpedoes

Torpedo Basic Load INA

Onboard Aviation

Facilities Aft helicopter deck and hangar

Helicopters 1 x Agusta-Westland AW101 helicopter; or unknown no. of UAVs

Fire Control

FCS Name See Missile and Gun Weapon Systems.

Computerized FCS Yes

Radar Systems

Air and Surface Radar 1 x Thales SMART-L 3D air/surface search

Phased Array Radar 1 x Thales APAR phased array air search system

Navigation Radar 2 x Furuno navigation

FCS Radar 2 x Saab CEROS 200 fire-control

Sonar Systems

Hull-Mounted Sonar System 1 x Atlas-Elektronik ASQ-94 (Thales DSQS-24C) hull-mounted towed and variable depth

Protection

Active Protection System Yes

Electonic Warfare Intercept 1 x ES-3701 intercept

Decoy #1 2 x Sea Gnat DL-12T decoy/chaff launchers

Decoy #2 2 x Sea Gnat DL-6T decoy/chaff launchers

NBC Protection Yes

Image Sources

Notes https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ivar-huitfeldt-class/; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F361_Iver_Huitfeldt.jpg; https://www.flickr.com/photos/markyharky/17596146628;