press clippings 2010 - Orizzonte Sistemi Navali

PRESS CLIPPINGS
2010
In this section you will find different articles about us published during 2010.
PRESS
TITLE
01/01/2010
Panorama
Difesa
Programma MOSAIC
Corvette e fregate leggere per le Marine del XXI Secolo.
(download PDF)
01/02/2010
Naval
Forces
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
The HORIZON Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF) was
originally a multi-national co-operation and collaboration project
of Great Britain, France and Italy to procure a new generation
of anti-air warfare frigates.
(download PDF)
www.orizzontesn.com
DATE
OSN IN THE PRESS
SISTEMI NAVALI
Anticipazione di una
MOSAIC 2.2. Notare
il lanciatore a otto
celle per missili
antiaerei, assente
nelle versioni più
leggere.
derni chiamati a rinforzare le flotte devono essere quanto mai flessibili, adatti a più ruoli e missioni,
e rispondere alle richieste di comfort e di rispetto dei limiti di bilancio, sempre più severe soprattutto a causa della recente, lunga
crisi economica globale.
Il progetto di navi corvette e fregate leggere MOSAIC (Modular
Open System Architecture Integrated Concept) di Orizzonte Sistemi Navali cerca di rispondere
precisamente a tali necessità.
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali
e la genesi del
programma MOSAIC
Orizzonte SN è la società di ingegneria navale costituita da Fincantieri e Finmeccanica (da luglio
2009 il pacchetto azionario di
Finmeccanica è stato ceduto a Selex S.I.). Il com-
el sistema geopolitico
post-Guerra fredda, in
costante evoluzione, le marine
delle principali potenze, così come quelle dei paesi emergenti,
sono chiamate a confrontarsi con
un gran numero di sfide. Se è vero, come è vero, che è per il momento venuta meno la minaccia
di uno scontro letale fra superpotenze, è però innegabile che la
moltiplicazione dei rischi di medio livello e l’estensione del concetto di sicurezza comportano un
aumento dei tipi di missione che
una forza navale moderna deve
poter compiere.
Innanzitutto, sia le grandi potenze, come gli Stati Uniti, sia le potenze regionali emergenti come
Turchia, Pakistan, Brasile fra gli altri, devono esser capaci di pro-
N
60 PANORAMA DIFESA
Il programma MOSAIC (Modular Open System Architecture Integrated
Concept) di Orizzonte Sistemi Navali offre una valida soluzione alle
marine emergenti in materia di corvette e fregate leggere. MOSAIC
nasce dal progetto delle unità Cigala Fulgosi, in servizio nella Marina
Militare, e comprende navi con un dislocamento variabile tra le 1.500 e
le 2.400 tonnellate, progettate sui principi di Architettura a Sistema
Aperto e di Modularità Volumetrica.
di Federico Bordonaro
teggere i propri interessi nazionali e al contempo proteggere il
buon funzionamento dei sistemi
economici e militari sovranazionali di cui fanno parte. In questo
senso, la partecipazione a missioni multinazionali di stabilizzazione e mantenimento della pace
assume un’importanza centrale.
Tali missioni permettono da un
lato di rafforzare la stabilità regionale in aree sensibili, dall’altra di
proporsi come attore-chiave nei
consessi diplomatici internazionali, aumentando così il proprio
prestigio e la propria influenza.
D’altro canto, contrariamente a
quanto talvolta sostenuto, alle
soglie del secondo decennio del
XXI secolo i rischi classici non so-
no scomparsi. In altre parole, i
compiti di una moderna marina
militare non possono essere limitati alle missioni multinazionali di
stabilizzazione. La migliore dimostrazione di tutto ciò è stata la
guerra russo-georgiana del
2008, che, per quanto breve, ha
messo in luce quanto pericolose
possano essere le tensioni inter-
statuali, soprattutto se complicate da questioni locali (come i separatismi) e internazionali (come
l’espansione dell’influenza di un
gruppo di Stati estranei all’area).
Infine, le forze navali sono chiamate al compito cruciale di sostenere lo sforzo contro il terrorismo
internazionale e le “minacce
asimmetriche”.
Le conseguenze di tale ampio
quadro strategico-geopolitico
sul procurement delle marine sono notevoli. In primo luogo perché si sviluppa, in modo sempre
più evidente, una sorta di competizione fra le esigenze tipiche dello Stato (protezione del territorio
e delle linee di comunicazione
strategiche sia dalle minacce
classiche sia da quelle asimmetriche e dal terrorismo) e quelle del
sistema (focus sulle missioni multilaterali di “polizia internazionale” in caso di conflitti, minacce
terroristiche, pirateria). In secondo luogo perché i mezzi più mo-
pito principale dell’azienda era
l’assunzione del ruolo di prime
contractor per la realizzazione
del programma di fregate Horizon per le marine d’Italia e Francia. Successivamente, il gruppo è
anche diventato prime contractor e design authority per il ben
noto programma europeo di fregate multi-ruolo FREMM, concepito insieme alla francese Armaris. La caratteristica di Orizzonte
SN è di essere una cosiddetta
Whole Warship Design Authority, cioè di definire l’intera configurazione della nave da guerra,
assicurandone appunto il Total
Ship Design. Ciò significa essere
responsabili per la definizione del
sistema della piattaforma e del sistema di combattimento; assicurare nei confronti della committenza l’integrazione fisica e funzionale della nave e dei suoi sistemi, la messa in opera delle com-
ponenti dei sistemi e della piattaforma stessa, permettendo di ridurre il personale a bordo.
Nel 2006, Orizzonte SN ha lanciato il programma MOSAIC
quale prodotto mirato al mercato d’esportazione. Come detto,
molte marine emergenti si trovano a dover far fronte a diverse
necessità di ordine operativo e
tattico, prendendo parte sempre più spesso a missioni multilaterali, ma mantenendo proprie
esigenze in materia di difesa delle proprie coste e linee di comunicazione marittime. Le navi più
adatte a rispondere a tali necessità sono relativamente leggere,
molto manovrabili e idealmente
sono in grado di compiere sia
compiti di pattugliamento e
scorta, sia compiti di combattimento, anche anti-aereo. MOSAIC quindi comprende un’ampia gamma di configurazioni
La MOSAIC 2.4,
una fregata da
2.400
tonnellate,
rappresenta la
massima
estensione del
nuovo
concetto
sviluppato da
Orizzonte
Sistemi Navali.
La corvetta Comandante Cigala Fulgosi è la base sulla quale è stato elaborato il concetto MOSAIC.
PANORAMA DIFESA
61
Programma MOSAIC
stante ne identifichi la presenza,
non ne identifichi l’identità.
In fase di sviluppo del progetto i
risultati dei test in campo elettronico hanno corrisposto in
modo abbastanza corretto con i
dati previsionali. Orizzonte SN
inoltre gestisce il training necessario, qualora richiesto dal cliente, esclusi ovviamente gli aspetti
operativi di competenza della
Marina italiana.
Analisi delle
configurazioni proposte
Un'immagine della MOSAIC 2.0. Le dimensioni dell’albero sono pensate per poter installare radar
come il Kronos 3D di Selex Sistemi Integrati, il TRS 3D di EADS, o il Sigraf di Ericsson.
possibili, da corvette con dislocamento da 1.700 tonnellate
(MOSAIC 1.7) a fregate leggere
da 2.000, 2.200 o 2.400 tonnellate (MOSAIC 2.0, 2.2, 2.4).
Queste navi sono destinate in
particolare a marine emergenti,
come quelle dei paesi del bacino
del Mar Nero (in particolare Bulgaria e Romania) o dell’Oceano
Indiano (Indonesia). Possono essere considerate navi di “prima
linea” in queste marine, e navi di
seconda e terza linea in marine
più avanzate come quella turca.
Altri paesi interessati all’acquisto delle MOSAIC sono il Brasile,
l’Angola, la Nigeria. Con il Pakistan le trattative sono in sospeso, ma Islamabad ha manifestato interesse per il programma.
La base per la realizzazione delle
nuove navi fu individuata nel Cigala-Fulgosi, nave della Classe
Comandanti, facente parte delle
NUMC (Nuove unità minori combattenti) della Marina italiana.
Quest’ultima designa le NUMC
come “pattugliatori d’altura” caratterizzati da una forma della carena “ottimizzata per migliorarne
le prestazioni in termini di tenuta
di mare e di resistenza al moto, di
forma tonda convenzionale”. Le
NUMC sono altresì dotate di scafo e sovrastrutture realizzati in acciaio ad elevata resistenza (fatta
eccezione per la quarta unità della serie che avrà sovrastrutture in
materiali compositi).
La Cigala-Fulgosi è stata considerata la base ideale a partire
dalla quale sviluppare le MO-
La bassa segnatura radar rende la nave
proteggibile grazie ai sistemi di guerra
elettronica pur non essendo
propriamente stealth
SAIC in ragione della flessibilità
della sua piattaforma, dell’ottima abitabilità, delle performance misurate in termini di segnatura radar, e dei dimensionamenti strutturali. La flessibilità è
ovviamente un aspetto di primaria importanza per un progetto
modulare che deve poter essere
configurato, a seconda della volontà del cliente, come pattugliatore o come nave combattente vera e propria.
Anche i pattugliatori della Classe Sirio, peraltro, sono stati derivati in buona parte dalle NUMC.
Rispetto al Cigala-Fulgosi, il mercato richiede in genere navi più
armate e soprattutto più veloci.
Se la NUMC è progettata per velocità di 25 nodi, le corvette e le
fregate leggere necessarie alle
flotte delle marine emergenti devono raggiungere i 28-30 nodi.
Ciò ha comportato una re-ingegnerizzazione considerevole. Infatti la carena del Cigala-Fulgosi,
come detto, aveva una carena
ottimizzata per un range di velocità inferiore ottenuto dalla coppia di motori Diesel della nave.
Serviva quindi, per le MOSAIC,
una carena più flessibile che senza stravolgere le forme del CigalaFulgosi consentisse di ottimizzarne il funzionamento a 28-30 nodi. Inoltre, il sistema di combatti-
mento doveva essere molto più
avanzato e “ricco” rispetto alla
“nave madre”, come si illustrerà
analizzando da vicino le configurazioni proposte da Orizzonte SN.
I sistemi di comando e controllo
e tutti i sotto-sistemi sono identificati da Orizzonte SN, che è responsabile delle prestazioni della nave completa e quindi indirettamente del loro funzionamento e supporto.
È possibile in ogni caso modificare il progetto-base anche
“verso il basso”, nel senso di derivare una nave più piccola e leggera a partire dal Cigala-Fulgosi.
In questo caso, tuttavia, si entra
in una “nicchia mercantile” del
mercato con conseguente aumento relativo del prezzo e incremento dei competitori.
Quando si parla di flessibilità
delle MOSAIC ci si riferisce anche ai compartimenti al suo interno. Occorreva infatti poter
predisporre diverse configurazioni di apparato motore e, a parità di configurazione, anche di
una varietà di motori primi per
garantire, appunto, le performance adeguate nelle diverse
versioni della nave e per soddisfare le richieste dei clienti. In navi di concezione più antiquata
accadeva spesso che là dove vi
era un motore non si potesse
cambiare poiché, se lo spazio
non era sufficiente, mancava la
flessibilità nelle configurazioni
possibili.
Una questione interessante è
quella relativa alle capacità stealth
delle MOSAIC. Il Cigala-Fulgosi
nacque con requisiti di invisibilità
ai radar piuttosto avanzati; tuttavia il progetto MOSAIC, proprio
come la nave da cui deriva, non fa
dell’invisibilità il proprio obiettivo.
In realtà si tratta piuttosto di avere
una “figura radar” ben definita e
misurabile, e soprattutto di avere
una bassa segnatura radar. Rendere invisibile del tutto la nave è
un compito quanto mai improbo
dal punto di vista tecnico, e il tentativo di farlo comporterebbe notevoli problemi per la struttura
dell’imbarcazione, anche a causa
dell’inclinazione richiesta. Ottimizzare le caratteristiche stealth
per alcuni angoli, inoltre, renderebbe arduo ottenere lo stesso risultato per altri.
La bassa segnatura radar rende la
nave più difficilmente identificabile grazie ai sistemi di guerra elettronica, pur non essendo la MOSAIC propriamente stealth. Interessante è notare che il progetto
prevede la possibilità di camuffare
la segnatura radar a seconda dei
contesti in cui si trova la nave, in
modo che il radar nemico, nono-
Come detto, MOSAIC può assumere le caratteristiche di una corvetta o di una fregata leggera dal
dislocamento variabile. La versione 1.7 da 1.700 tonnellate è una
corvetta lunga 88,40 metri con
propulsione CODAD e tre Diesel
generatori, capaci di generare
una potenza di circa 13 MW.
Il sistema di combattimento prevede la presenza di sensori per la
guerra anti-aerea e anti-superficie come i radar di superficie
2D/3D + IFF (identificazione amico o nemico) e il sistema radar
per il controllo del tiro.
I sistemi d’armamento principali
comprendono missili superficiearia VLS-SAM, lanciamissili superficie-superficie (SSM), un
cannone di medio calibro da
76/62 mm e due mitragliere da
25 mm. Per quanto riguarda la
guerra elettronica spiccano i sistemi di difesa passivo (ESM) e le
contromisure (DLS).
Le comunicazioni prevedono il
sistema per la comunicazione integrata e il Tactical Data Link,
mentre per il controllo della na-
62 PANORAMA DIFESA
vigazione abbiamo il sistema di
navigazione integrato e il radar.
L’hangar per l’elicottero può
ospitare un velivolo fino a 11
tonnellate, come per esempio
l’NH-90 o l’AW 101.
La versione 2.0, una fregata leggera da 2.000 tonnellate, è lunga invece 100 metri. Come la
corvetta ha un sistema di propulsione CODAD, ma con quattro
motori Diesel principali e una
potenza totale di circa 30 MW,
fatto che le garantisce una velocità massima continua di oltre
29 nodi. Per quanto riguarda i
sensori aggiunge a quelli della
MOSAIC 1.7 anche il sonar HMS
montato sullo scafo e il Towed
Array Sonar (TAS).
Riguardo agli armamenti, oltre
che sui sistemi SAM e SSM montati anche sulla corvetta e al cannone da 76/62 mm, la MOSAIC
2.0 può anche contare su due
cannoni di piccolo calibro e sul
sistema TLS per il lancio di siluri.
La dotazione in materia di guerra elettronica e comunicazioni è
identica a quella della 1.7, mentre l’hangar può ospitare un elicottero di 5 tonnellate, come a
esempio il Lynx.
Nella versione 2.2 da 2.200 tonnellate, lunga circa 104 metri,
troviamo caratteristiche pressoché identiche per quanto riguarda la propulsione (CODAD con
quattro motori principali Diesel).
Per quanto riguarda invece i sensori si segnala, rispetto alla 2.0,
l’assenza del Towed Array Sonar
e la presenza di due sistemi per il
controllo del tiro. Il capitolo armamenti invece è arricchito da
un sistema missilistico SAM con
un lanciatore da otto celle, da un
sistema di difesa anti-missile
Close-in Weapon System da 30
mm con quattro missili a corto
raggio, e da due lanciasiluri tripli. È inoltre opzionale la presenza di un sistema missilistico superficie-superficie.
Gli apparati per la difesa elettronica sulla 2.2 sono più ricchi, appaiando al radar ESM e all’ingannatore anche il sistema ECM
per contromisure elettroniche.
Inoltre sono installati a bordo
due radar per la navigazione. L’hangar può ospitare a bordo un
elicottero da 11 tonnellate.
Le dimensioni dell’albero sono
pensate per poter installare radar come il TRS 3D di EADS, oppure il Kronos 3D, o anche il Sea
Giraffe di Ericsson Radar.
Infine, la versione 2.4 da 2.400
tonnellate si segnala per un diverso sistema di propulsione:
CODAG (Combined Diesel and
Gas Turbine) invece di CODAD.
La sua potenza massima è di 31
MW e la velocità massima continua è superiore ai 30 nodi.
Per quanto attiene ai sensori,
questa configurazione è dotata
di un sonar anti-mine (MAS) e di
un radar per la ricognizione di superficie oltre ai sistemi già presenti sulle versioni inferiori. La
sua dotazione d’armamenti
comprende anche due cannoni
di piccolo calibro dotati ognuno
di quattro missili a corto raggio
per la difesa anti-aerea, mentre
per quanto concerne guerra elettronica, sistemi di comunicazione
e hangar per l’elicottero, le sue
caratteristiche sono identiche a
quelle della versione 2.2.
■
Il cannone 72/62 di Oto Melara sarà l'arma standard delle
MOSAIC. Sotto, tutte le varianti della MOSAIC, a eccezione
della 2.0, potranno ospitare un elicottero della classe del
NH-90 (nella foto) o dell'AW 101.
MOSAIC programme
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) is the Italian
company specialized in naval engineering
created by Fincantieri and Finmeccanica. In
July 2009 Finmeccanica has made over its
share parcel to SELEX SI.
OSN has been prime contractor of the Horizon program, and successively prime contractor and design authority of the FREMM
program. The company’s main characteristic consists in being a Whole Warship Design Authority, defining the ship’s whole
configuration in order to provide the Total
Ship Design.
In 2006 OSN launched the MOSAIC program, a naval product aimed to the export
market.
Today many emerging Navies have to meet
different operational and tactical requirements: they take part more and more frequently in multilateral missions, but also have
the traditional need of defending their own
coastlines and maritime communication lines. The fittest ships for such needs are relatively light, very maneuverable and ideally able
to accomplish patrol, escort, combat, and air
defence tasks.
The Orizzonte Sistemi Navali’s MOSAIC (Modular Open System Architecture Integrated
Concept) is tailored to meet the above mentioned requirements. It embraces a wide range of possible configurations, from 1,700tons corvettes (MOSAIC 1.7) to light frigates
of 2,000, 2,200, and 2,400 tons of displacement. These ships are destined mainly to
emerging Navies such those of the Black Sea
(Bulgaria, Romania) or Indian Ocean (Indonesia). Other countries interested include Brazil,
Angola, Nigeria. The negotiations with Pakistan are pending, but Islamabad has expressed interest in the program.
The base of the ships was individuated in the
Cigala-Fulgosi, Comandanti Class ship of the
Italian Marina Militare. This minor naval unit
was chosen for its platform’s flexibility, excellent habitability, limited radar signature, and
structural dimensioning.
Relative to the Cigala-Fulgosi, the market generally demands more heavily armed ships,
and, above all, with higher speed (28-30
knots). These requirements have involved a
considerable re-engineering effort, as the
MOSAIC needs a more flexible keel, besides
a much more advanced and “rich” combat
system.
The flexibility required also refers to internal
compartments, so as to be able to predispose different configurations of the engine
apparatus.
The MOSAIC is not properly a stealth ship,
but its low radar signature makes it more difficult to identify thanks to the EW systems.
The project includes the capability of disguising the radar signature according to the context in which the ship is operating.
It must be said that OSN also provides the necessary training, if required by the customer.
The article reviews the possible configurations of a MOSAIC ship, from corvette to light
frigate of variable displacement: 1.7 version,
1,700-tons corvette with CODAD propulsion, 88.40 m in length; 2.0 version (2,000tons light frigate, 100 m in length) with CODAD propulsion and max speed of 29 knots;
2.2 version (2,200 tons, 104 m in length) with
CODAD propulsion; 2.4 version (2,400 tons)
with CODAG propulsion (Combined Diesel
and Gas Turbine) and a max continuous speed exceeding 30 knots.
PANORAMA DIFESA
<< back to top >>
63
(Photo: Courtesy of Italian Navy)
NAVAL FORCES
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
SHIP PROFILE XXXII
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
79
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
To see all four ‘sisters’ together, as here outside La Spezia, will be a very rare sight:
“Andrea Doria” leading “Cailo Duilio”, “Chevalier Paul” on port and “Forbin” on starboard side.
(Photos: Courtesy of Italian Navy)
The HORIZON Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF) was originally
a multi-national co-operation and collaboration project of Great Britain,
France and Italy to procure a new generation of anti-air warfare frigates. After
the withdrawal of Great Britain because
of differing requirements the project
became a French/Italian project named
ORIZZONTE in Italian and HORIZON in French (OR/HOR).
OVERVIEW
Name:
ORIZZONTE /
HORIZON (OR/HOR)
Builders
HORIZON SAS,
JV of ARMARIS (DCNS,
THALES), and ORIZZONTE
Sistemi Navale
(Fincantieri, Finmeccanica)
Operators:
Marina Militare,
Marine Nationale
In service:
2008
Commissioned: 2007
Units:
“Andrea Doria” (D 553),
“Caio Duilio” (D 554),
“Forbin” (D 620),
“Chevalier Paul” (D 621)
Planned:
8
Completed:
4 (4 cancelled)
80
GENESIS
France, Italy and the UK formulated a joint
requirement in 1992 after the failure of the
NATO Frigate Replacement (NFR-90) project,
which resulted in the CNGF programme that
fused the OR/HOR destroyer with its Principal
Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS). But problems emerged soon based on differing national
requirements: France preferred an Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) escort for its aircraft carriers with
only a limited range due to the self-defence capability of the carrier, with Italy too requiring only
close range capabilities, as in its home waters
the ships would operate under Italian Air Force
cover or as escort for its own aircraft carrier.
The RN, however, required a naval combatant
for establishing a defensive ‘umbrella’ around
a massive force in remote and possibly hostile
areas. A compromise which would largely solve
this problem was the adoption of a standard radar
interface which allowed France and Italy to
install the EMPAR multi-function radar whereas the UK would install the more capable SAMPSON radar – a sensor with a higher data rate and
adaptive beam forming, featuring a greater multi-tracking capability, long-range detection of
low-RCS targets, lower false-alarm rate, and an
overall higher tracking accuracy.
In 1995 an International Joint Venture Company (IJVC) was established with the follow-
ing national prime contractors, DCN (France,)
GEC-Marconi (UK) and ORIZZONTE (Italy).
In 1995/1996 significant arguments, changing
requirements and technological problems led to
the postponement of the ships’ in-service-date
to around 2006. In 1997 a disagreement emerged
concerning the choice of Vertical Launch System (VLS) for the PAAMS MBDA ASTER missiles. France and Italy favoured an own SYLVER launcher development, while the UK was
opting for the US Mk 41 system – capable of
firing TOMAHAWK Land Attack Missile
(TLAM). This issue was eventually resolved
when the SYLVER launcher was selected by
the PAAMS development team. In April 1999
the UK withdrew from the CNGF project to pursue its own national design. Finally, the UK’s
wish to have Marconi appointed as prime contractor was accepted by France, but only in return
for DCN being given the role as prime contractor for the combat management system. The UK,
however, wished to see a BAE Systems-led consortium given this role and would not accept
DCN as prime. The resulting UK Type 45
destroyer is armed with the PAAMS missile system and has benefited from investment in the
HORIZON project.
France and Italy have continued their collaboration under the OR/HOR project, ordering
two ships each which will also deploy the
PAAMS missile system. The first ship of the
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
series, the French “Forbin”, was launched in
March 2005; the second French unit was
“Chevalier Paul” with launch in July 2006,
delivery in 2008 and commissioning in May
2009. The Italain Navy ordered two units,
“Andrea Doria” and “Caio Duilio”. “Andrea
Doria” was launched in October 2005, delivered
in December 2007 and commissioned in 2009,
“Caio Duilio” was launched in October 2007
and will be commissioned in 2010.
The French newbuildings will replace the
(already de-commissioned) destroyers “Suffren”
and “Duquesnes”, while the ORIZZONTEs
replace the likewise de-commissioned destroyers “Audace” and “Ardito”.
The OR/HOR main task is to escort and protect task forces or merchant shipping with main
missions to provide local area or extended cover against saturation missile attacks. All combatants have also powerful anti-submarine and
anti-air self defence potential and are con-figured for rapid deployment and extended
range/endurance and can carry sufficient fuel,
water and stores for 45 days at sea between
replenishments. They attain a max speed of 29
knots and have a range of over 7,000nm at the
cruising speed of 18 knots.
PLATFORM
When shipbuilders talk about the OR/HOR
they point out that this type of combatants is
extremely well protected against all kinds of
threat/impact. They comprise 12 water tight segments, especially designed to operate in dangerous areas, e.g. littoral zones where the mine
threat is high. The hull is built to resist an underwater explosion and can still sail with a breach
exceeding 15m and several compartments flooded. The assembly of equipment shock absorbers, doubled partitioning, and a very ‘tight’ hull
structure, ensures an unprecedented survival
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Type
Destroyer
Displacement:
5,500 tons (6,970 tons full load)
Length/Beam/Draught:
153m/20.4m/5.4m
Propulsion:
2 x 31,280hp AVIO General Electric LM2500 gas turbines
2 x 5,875hp SEMT Pielstick 12 PA6 STC diesels,
1 beam propulsor, 2 x 5-blade propellers
Speed:
29 knots (18 knots on diesels)
Range:
7,000nm at 18 knots, 3,500nm at 25 knots
Boats and landing craft:
1 EDO EFRC (20 seats) 1 HURRICANE 733 (32 passengers)
Complement:
26 officers, 123 petty officers, 46 sailors
Sensors and effectors:
EMPAR phased array G-band multi-function radar,
S1850M early warning long range volume search radar,
1 NGDS system (2 decoy launchers, REM, RIR, LAD),
1 radar jammer, 1 communications jammer,
1 CONTRALTO system (2 acoustic decoy launchers),
1 sonar THALES UMS 4110 CL
Armament:
8 x EXOCET MM40 (French version) or
8 x TESEO Mk-2/A (Italian version) anti-ship missiles,
2 x Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid guns (3 on Italian ships),
2 x 20mm modèle F2 or 3 x 25/80 guns (Italian ships),
PAAMS (Principal AAM System): SYLVER A50 vertical launchers with
32 ASTER 30 and 16 ASTER 15 missiles,
2 x MU90 Impact twin torpedo tubes,
2 x SCLAR-H chaff, decoy and flares launchers.
2 x SLAT anti-torpedo system
Aircraft carried:
1 (capacity of 2) NH90 or EH101 helicopter
(radar ENR, sonar FLASH, LADT 11, MARTE missiles
or MU90 IMPACT torpedoes)
capability. Beyond the general radiated noise
reduction measures a damping system protects
the material against the high-G caused by possible impacts. To further improve the resistance
of the already highly partitioned OR/HOR, they
are equipped with two longitudinal girders, one
on each side of the ship, that protect the most
part of the ship’s 450km of cables. Redundan-
cy ensures that, if the OR/HOR is hit on one
side, the other girder acts as full backup. The
purpose of the girders is also to retain the impact
of incoming grenades and to avoid their reaching the interior, preventing major damages.
Finally, the room layout allows firefighter teams
to circumvent open fires in one of the sections
and to attack a fire from two sides or to enter a
room located beyond.
A fully automated Platform Managment System (PMS) allows a clear overview of the ship’s
damage control situation and supervision of all
alarms. Power supply, air-conditioning and an
additional fire detection system are managed by
an automatic system. The redundancy of the system is provided by a ring architecture – if one
circuit is disconnected, the system continues to
function. Like in the combat system, the standard consoles are reconfigurable and designed
to control and operate the unit from eight different positions. A flat panel display presents
the layout plan of the unit’s functions and permanently monitors its status, e.g. through fire
Platform Management System.
(Photo: Courtesy of AVIO)
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detectors. In the event of a problem, a marker
will immediately show the location of the affected section or system. In addition to the principal monitoring stations there are two extra safety stations, one located at the SYLVER launchers and one below the helicopter hangar. All
functions can be ordered through simple clicks
e.g. the start of engines, and all stations are interchangeable. Thanks to the automation concept
the crew could be reduced: only 195 sailors (15
percent female) are necessary operate the ship.
Stealth characteristics are fully integrated into
the OR/HOR class design. One of its stealth features is her optimised, low radar reflection. Every detail of the hull, superstructure and mast has
been designed to reduce the radar cross-section
(RCS): inclined bulwarks, covered fore deck
and aft deck, solid masts with inclined sides,
redesigned gun turrets and launchers, inclined
hull sides, elimination of all right angles as well
as all circular shapes, and concealment of equipments/vehicles behind a metal curtain. List
caused by wind etc., which could considerably
deteriorate the RCS, are counteracted by trimming. Special paint reduces the reflection of
electromagnetic waves even further. The
OR/HOR with 125m length can be easily confused with a trawler as they are also equipped
with civil navigation radars. Other significantly reduced signatures are:
• IR with special paints, careful insulation of
The HORIZON reduction gear –
not a small affair!
(Photo: Courtesy of DCNS)
hot parts and exhaust funnels made of glass
reinforced plastic (GRP),
• Magnetic by use of a degaussing system,
• Acoustic by specially designed rotating
machines and insulation of noisy equipment,
use of cradles on flexible mounts, the auxiliaries being assembled on studs/shock absorbers, all measures to prevent the propagation
of the vibration towards the hull and intercept
by a submarine and of a ‘Prairie masker’ system.
PROPULSION
This view of “Chevalier Paul”
during her shipyard trials shows
the angled hull and superstructure,
greatly reducing RCS.
(Photo: Courtesy of DCNS)
82
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HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF OF FRENCH NAVY,
ADMIRAL PIERRE-FRANCOIS FORISSIER
NAVAL FORCES: Which role
will the modern HORIZON Air
Defence destroyers play in the
new organisation?
ADMIRAL FORISSIER: The
HORIZON destroyers will ensure
air defence missions in power projection operations, be it with aircraft carriers or amphibious forces. Their capability to detect,
exchange and fuse data and
engage targets with their missiles
ASTER 30/15 provides adeaquate
C2 functions plus the coordination of air operations for joint
and/or combined operations starting from the port and at sea.
NAVAL FORCES: What is the rationale for defining the HORIZON
an air defence destroyer? Her significant extra capabilities would
also allow tasking her as mutli-mission surface combatant?
ADMIRAL FORISSIER: The capacity of air defence is primarily
founded on the aptitude to perfectly know its environment at long distance. To obtain it, the combatant must permanently be able to obtain
a clear tactical real-time situation picture. It must also be able to protect other units or a land point with a tight air raid shield. Finally, it
must have the tools to be able to execute command functions and control an efficient air defence system. Following this concept, the HORIZON destroyers have an extremely powerful tracking radar
LRR/EMPAR and an electronic warfare system, coupled with the
capacity to control a multi- data link and computer based network that
enable and ensure all C2 functions. They have not only complete capabilities to control airborne assets but also the two ASTER 15 and
ASTER 30 type missiles to ensure a very high degree of intercept
probability. In addition they have an important anti-ship capability
with EXOCET MM40 Block 3 and, in a near future, the helicopter
NH 90. In the ASW field, they have a good capacity of self-protection, founded on a hull mounted sonar THALES 4110 and the anti-
torpedo system SLAT. Lastly, these destroyers are able to embark a staff of about thirty
pesonnel.
NAVAL FORCES: New procedures with
real time data exchange not only for combined operations but also over a long period and distance will require the adaption of
the OPCON/OPCOM Authority organisation. Is the FN Surface Action Force prepared
for the role to handle and control the ‘flood of information’?
ADMIRAL FORISSIER: Since many years, the naval combatants
controled or participated in such operations according to the flow of
information in ‘real-time’. With the arrival of the HORIZON destroyers this will not change, architectures of operational C2 will not experience changes. The evolution is taking this into account and in the
dialogue between the various levels which could involve a ‘microphone-management’ of the strategic level. HORIZON destroyers will
have like any first rank combatant both Link 11 and L16 and modern
SATCOM systems.
NAVAL FORCES: How and to what extent will the HORIZON be
able to participate in defence against ballistic missiles? Are they capable of or foreseen for TBMD?
ADMIRAL FORISSIER: Intrinsically these units have all essential
prerequsites, but to have a first limited capacity of TBMD certain
functionalities must be improved. This could be done on a step-bystep basis. The first step concerns the detection of short range (600 700km) ballistic missiles; this requires some limited modifications of
the LRR surveillance radar. That could be arranged shortly. From now
until 2015 the units will have a compatible autonomous missile defence
capability at their disposal like the Italian units, with the capability to
participate in a BMD theatre.
NAVAL FORCES: It is planned to replace all SENIT CMS System
in the French Navy with the new THALES SIC 21 CMS. How will this
concern the HORIZONs?
ADMIRAL FORISSIER: The SENIT systems are only the Command System (CS) part of the CMS, and SIC21 is the Command Support System (CSS) part. These two systems are not
intended to be replaced one by another, but to coexist and
exchange information. For example, the CS uses mainly real
time information, for actions such as weapon assignment,
while the CSS establishes the maritime picture with near real
time information. However, it is true that SIC21 will be
deployed on all ships, including those that are not equipped
with SENIT systems.
■
The aircraft carrier USS “Dwight D. Eisenhower” (CVN 69),
the guided-missile cruiser USS “Vicksburg” (CG 69),
and the French Navy destroyer FS “Forbin” (D 620)
conducting operations in the Arabian Sea.
The French HORIZON will get a BMD capability by 2015.
(Photo: Courtesy of US Navy 090606-N-9988F-372 /
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class
Rafael Figueroa Medina)
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TYPE DESTROYERS
AVIO
AVIO has supplied more than
100 Gas Turbine (GT) propulsion modules. For the
French-Italian programme
HORIZON, AVIO (GE Marine
System Supplier) has delivered the Propulsion System
with LM2500 modules, auxiliaries, Turbine Control System (TCS) and Platform Management System (PMS),
including also assistance to
installation, HAT and SAT and
ILS.
AVIO closely cooperated with
Fincantieri and DCNS in
engine room layout definition.
HORIZON CODOG configuration foresees diesel engines up to cruise
speed (18 knots) and GT for higher or silent
speeds. Both GTs at 20,5MW allow achieving
29 knots.
All frigates (“Andrea Doria”, “Caio Duilio”, “Forbin” and “Chevalier Paul”) have been delivered to their Navies. The eight GTs have accumulated more than 4,000 hours and 1,500 start
ups with very high reliability. All GT modules
have been designed, assembled and tested
by AVIO at the Brindisi facility and fully meet
severe HORIZON requirements (shock, vibration, noise, safety and maintenance).
All GT auxiliaries were designed by AVIO applying the ‘skid philosophy’, putting together all
components of each system in one skid, with
advantages in terms of installation time and
reliability.
GT’s are managed by the AVIO proprietary
TCS, also installed on “Cavour”, FREMM and
The ship’s propulsion system is configured
in a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) arrangement with two GE LM2500/Avio gas turbines
rated at 53MW and two SEMT Pielstick diesel
engines. The engines drive two shafts with fixed
pitch propellers; 50,000hp to advance 7,000tons
to 29 knots. During its first sea trials the “Forbin” even surpassed 31 knots but the ship was
not fully loaded. Up to 18 knots, the HORIZONs
use two Pielstick 12 PA6 STC diesel engines,
with a unit power of 5,875hp (4.7MW). The
electrical energy is provided by four Isotta Fraschini diesel-alternators of 1.6MW each. The
ships’ propulsion plant is conceived to reduce
the vulnerability in case of combat and distributed in two distinct sectional compartments
ensuring that both machines are not incapacitated at the same time.
컅 AVIO GT-MODULE.
왓 AVIO-TCS.
Polish GAWRON corvette to control
theirLM2500s. TCS features are complete military qualification, high level of remote automation with user-friendly Human-Machine Interface (HMI) based on touch-screen panel.
TCS provides for the control of GTs ‘core’ and
auxiliaries with ‘care free’ management in all
operational conditions. TCS has been designed
and manufactured using COTS components
like PC panels for HMI, control racks, Electronic Engine Control unit based on micro controllers. All algorithms and software codes are
designed and developed by AVIO.
The Platform Management System, developed
with Italian and French partners, is an integrated vessel control and monitoring system based
on distributed hardware architecture, acquiring about 12,000 field signals. Its components
are connected through a high speed Ethernet
network. Cabinets can be based on different
COTS products like PLC or VME cards. In
conclusion, Italian-French HORIZON Programme has seen deep AVIO involvement as
system supplier with forty-year experiences
in marine propulsion and system automation.
Today’s missions and operations other than
war must take into consideration the considerable development of air transport and the difficulty of detecting a threat in an increasingly
dense civil traffic. Moreover, naval combatants
must have a clear vision of the situation above,
on and below the surface and a comprehensive
picture of the operation theatre. For this purpose
the OR/HOR are equipped with a ‘super-brain’,
a Combat Management System (CMS), built
around a score of consoles and functions in a
redundant network, with reconfigurable consoles. The system includes 22 software modules, 20 consoles, 10 computers and one million connection lines to manage weapons, tac-
COMMAND AND CONTROL
Partial overview of the Combat Information
Centre of “Andrea Doria”.
(Photo: Courtesy of SELEX Sistemi Integrati)
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The reconfigurable consoles on the bridge
can repeat important information from the CIC.
(Photo: Courtesy of RID)
tical communications and to analyse the information transmitted by ten sensors, including the
integration of all external data from own, allied,
civil or other sources … and all this with only
20 to 25 operators!
According to the mission, readiness status,
alarm or operator qualification level, each console can concentrate nearly all functionalities,
including control of the various equipments.
Some consoles are assigned to the air-, some to
the surface- and others to the ASW situation,
others with the coordination of data links and,
finally some in charge of the weaponry and electronic warfare situation. The OR/HOR are conceived to accomodate an allied staff, with a room
to monitor and control the situation by following, in real-time, the development of the tactical situation. The same applies to the bridge,
where another console is installed to display the
recognised matitime picture. One military
requirement for the class was that the ship must
be able to defend itsself and to sail into a safe
harbour with only three consoles available. The
CMS was developed by Eurosysnav, a joint ven-
ture of ARMARIS and Finmeccanica and in an
evolution of the SENIT 8 combat data system
already used in the French Navy aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”. Alenia Marconi Systems, now SELEX Sistemi Integrati, supplied
the Data Transfer System (DTS), and NICCO
Communications SAS, a joint venture of
THALES Communications and Marconi Mobile
SpA, developed the fully integrated communications system.
The large round radome of the SELEX
EMPAR multi-function phased array radar (primary sensor for PAAMS), operating at G-band
(4GHz to 6GHz), is mounted at the top of the
forward mast. The THALES/SELEX S1850M
air and surface search radar, operating at D-band
(1GHz to 2GHz) is mounted at the top of the aft
mast. The SELEX RASS surface search radar,
covering E- and F-bands (2GHz to 3GHz, and
3GHz to 4GHz), is mounted on the forward face
of the mast. With their radar and missile configuration the OR/HOR can provide an anti-missile umbrella for the protection of valuable units,
e.g. aircraft carriers, BPC or formations of small
or light armed vessels. Hence the designation
of the HORIZON as air defence destroyers.
The communications suite includes two Link
11 and one Link 16 high-capacity digital information distribution system. SELEX and
SAGEM are supplying the integrated navigation system. The SELEX SPN 753(V) navigation radar operates at I-band (8GHz to 10GHz).
SELEX also provides the SIR-R/S Interrogation Friend or Foe (IFF) system. The SELEX
NA 25 will provide fire control for the 76mm
guns. The ships are also equipped with the
SAGEM VAMPIRE MB Infrared Search and
Track system (IRST), which operates in both 35 and 8-12 micron wavebands.
MISSILES
The EMPAR, main sensor for PAAMS,
is on the fore mast,
seen here on “Andrea Doria”.
(Photo: Courtesy of RID)
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TYPE DESTROYERS
OR/HOR destroyers are armed with the
PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System),
a tri-national programme of France, Italy and
the UK with prime contractor Europaams SAS,
a joint venture, with two-thirds by EUROSAM
(MBDA and THALES) and one-third by the
UK/AMS subsidiary of MBDA. The system is
also being fitted – as Sea Viper – on the new
RN Type 45 destroyers. PAAMS (E) equips the
OR/HOR units, and is a 360º omni-directional
system providing multi-layer air defence to
armed fleets or groups of unarmed support and
merchant ships and incorporates three separate
mission capabilities in a single naval air defence
system:
• ship self-defence for protection of the
PAAMS warship,
• local area defence for nearby ship defence
and
• medium and long-range air defence.
It was designed to provide optimum protection
against omni-directional and co-ordinated
attacks from sub- or supersonic missiles, air-
craft and UAV and comprises a Multi-Function
Radar (MFR), a sophisticated C2 sub-system,
and a dual missile Vertical Launch System
(VLS) containing a combination of 48 readyto-fire ASTER 15 and ASTER 30 missiles.
PAAMS is supported by a Long Range Radar
(LRR) for long range surveillance. A reserve
space, located in front of the silos, will allow
storing 16 additional missiles if necessary.
Depending on the threat, the combination of
ASTER 15 and ASTER 30 missiles enables the
PAAMS system to fire in any configuration from
INTERVIEW WITH CO FS “FORBIN”
NAVAL FORCES: What are the
roots of your unit’s name “Forbin”
and what does it stand for and mean
to you?
CAPTAIN REY: The name of the
destroyer comes from Knight
Claude de Forbin (1656 – 1733),
an admiral of Louis XIV’s Navy.
The most noticeable event of his
career was during his mission to
Siam: Forbin was invited to stay at
the service of the Siamese King and
was appointed as Great Admiral
and Governor of Bangkok. Then he
greatly distinguished himself during the naval battles of Barfleur and
Beveziers. Five ships bore the name
“Forbin” before the HORIZON destroyer. During the 1944 operations
the destroyer “Forbin” participated in the 8th Franco-American fleet.
Today it is of course a great honour to keep the traditions linked to such
a great name whose history began 350 years ago and to achieve the
commissioning of a ship that will last for the next decades!
NAVAL FORCES: What time frame is/was planned to bring your unit
from commissioning to operational standard and what do you envisage as toughest challenge and why, and what are your unit’s next mission milestones?
CAPTAIN REY: As you know the process for the official commissioning of the ship in the the French Navy is underway. We are still
working with industry to fix some issues. But right now “Forbin” and
her crew have been qualified at the operational level in October 2009
by the French Navy training center after the standard qualification process which started in February 2009. Once commissioned, the biggest
challenge for the ship will be to deploy along the carrier “Charles de
Gaulle” for the first time over a long period in a real world operational environment.
NAVAL FORCES: Considering ship’s handling and sea-keeping performance, what is different onboard the “Forbin” compared to other
units in your naval career? Did you require a special training and/or
familiarisation?
CAPTAIN REY: The pride to manoeuvre the HORIZON destroyer
has primarily to be shared with interrogations concerning her handling.
88
CV CO “Forbin” Captain (FN) J-Mathieu REY
Born September 1964 in Munich, he joined the French Naval Academy
in 1984 and embarked on the training ship “Jeanne d’Arc” during the
1986-1987 training deployment. First appointment on the frigate “Henry” in French Polynesia, served until 2000 in surface forces, mainly as
quailfied gunnery and/or operations officer on board corvette “L’Her”,
destroyer “Montcalm” and frigate “La Fayette”, and as CO of patrol boat
“La Glorieuse”. 2001 graduation at the War College. 2001/2002 billets
on board “Jean Bart”, then “Cassard” as Operations Officer (ENDURING
FREEDOM). 2003 CO frigate “Nivôse” in the Indian Ocean, later detached
to the Foreign Affairs Secretary. 2006 Deputy, then Head of Training
Department of the Naval Action Force in Toulon, promoted to captain in
October 2007. 2008 Chief of Staff function within the “Charles de Gaulle”
Carrier Strike Group acting as FRMARFOR COS. Since July 2008 CO
HORIZON destroyer “Forbin”.
If a short period is necessary to manage the numerous and modern computerised navigation gears, “Forbin” appears as easy to handle as ships
of lower class. Due to a wider beam than any other French Navy warship, and with two pairs of stabilisers, stability is remarkable, allowing
it to endure rough seas without major operational risks. It is only when
entering harbour that you realise the effective size of your vessel. You
have to consider all elements including tonnage, length and draught to
prepare berthing. Even though, after a short training and taking its air
resistance into account, getting alongside remains a fabulous experience, often a bit disconcerting because easier than expected.
NAVAL FORCES: What are your experiences with the Combat Management System (CMS) and the integration of the sensors and effectors? Do you consider its handling a challenge and how is the conversion of the technical possibilities into ship’s internal operational handling developing?
CAPTAIN REY: The CMS represents the state of art in the field of
systems integration. Thanks to the lessons learned on combat systems
in the French Navy for 40 years and after industrial and military trials,
the CMS has now reached an operational level: all sensors and weapons systems are fully integrated and the tactical situation provided can
be shared through the three Tactical Data Links (two Link 11 and one
Link 16). With respect to the number of systems connected and the
functions allowed in all warfare areas, this system requires in fact a significant training period for operators to take advantage of all the capabilities offered. This will be in fact the main challenge for the first crews.
NAVAL FORCES: What are your experiences with the HORIZON’s
EMPAR and the whole radar configuration so far?
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
Before installation onboard, PAAMS
was fully tested at a land test site,
including life firing of missiles as seen here.
(Photo: Courtesy of MBDA)
the PAAMS SYLVER A50 launcher, providing a near-impenetrable defence envelope day
or night even in cases of extreme electronic counter-measures and in all weather conditions.
The OR/HOR programme is characterised by
a significant number of new weapons installed
on the destroyers. The HORIZON will operate
CAPTAIN REY: In order to be able to protect the CVN group, French
and Italian HORIZON destroyers are fitted with complementary radars:
the long range radar S1850 M and EMPAR MFR. Those radars are fully integrated in the combat system. Other systems like IFF, IR or EW
contribute to an accurate situation picture. The long range radar has
shown high performances to detect air tracks out to 250nm. The EMPAR
multi-function radar has proved to be both an excellent fire control radar
for the PAAMS (E) weapon system and a very efficient air and surface
search radar, enabling “Forbin” to achieve a high degree of awareness
against any inbound targets within 50nm around the ship. Its ability to
search and track many targets, even in a jammed environment and close
to the coast, provides “Forbin” with a very sharp sensor as complement
to the LRR.
NAVAL FORCES: Have you tested the automated Platform Management System (PMS) to the limit? Are you happy with the composition
and functions of the features and the presentation of the data?
CAPTAIN REY: Numerous trials of the PMS have been realised since
2006 when “Forbin” was launched, and this new system has been upgraded during these three years. This year “Forbin” achieved her first ‘long
cruise’ mostly dedicated to military trials. From the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf, through different environments of sea and atmosphere, the
PMS was particularly tested and gave a global satisfaction to the crew.
Thanks to this system all platform equipments can be implemented and
driven easily from only one console. All data and parameters about propulsion, electrical power, auxiliaries and damage control are available
and very well displayed on the two screens of the console. By giving a
complete view of the ship at any time through linked panels and short-
the new MBDA EXOCET version MM40
Block3 of MBDA with 5.8m length, a diameter of 35cm and a weight of 740kg, operating
up to a range of 160km. Equipped with turbojet propulsion, a GPS navigation system and a
capacity against terrestrial targets it reaches highsubsonic 900km/h. The ORIZZONTE destroyers will be fitted with two quadruple launchers
for the MBDA TESEO (OTOMAT) Mk 3 surface-to-surface missile with a range of up to
55km. Two quadruple launchers are installed,
one aiming to port and one to starboard on the
cuts, the damage control mode is a tremendous example of the improvements performed with this new system.
NAVAL FORCES: What are the strengths of the HORIZON concerning communications and C2 in leading combined/joint operations?
CAPTAIN REY: HORIZON destroyers are fitted with C4 capabilities
allowing them to assume the duties of air defence commander and force
marshaller. It includes several UHF transmitters for radio communications (especially with Navy, Air Force and Army aircraft), and a capability to use both L16 (with modern ships and aircraft) and L11 (with
ships of older generations) data links to exchange tactical information.
Military SATCOM, also allowing the extensive use of dedicated IPbased information systems and phone, are another key element in the
command capability of these destroyers.
NAVAL FORCES: Do you consider the living/recreation/accommodation conditions for your crew and embarked personal adequate regarding the units mission times?
CAPTAIN REY: Due to her extended automation, “Forbin” can navigate everywhere with a crew of 195 personnel only including helo team
(26 officers; 48 senior petty officers; 75 petty officers and 46 leading
rates and seamen), while “Suffren” destroyer (decommissioned in 2001)
needed 350 seamen to operate without a helo. The main consequence is
the improvement of comfort: sailors are accommodated in cabins of 1,
2 and 4. Each room is fitted with its own sanitary appliance, including
a shower. This is a huge difference to the 60 or 80 seamen decks we had
on aircraft carrier “Clémenceau”. Thanks to modern communications
systems, sailors can also keep in touch with their family at any time:
Internet, television and telephone are available
at sea. As the ship is intended to be deployed
for a long period at sea, mainly with the aircraft carrier for example, these improvements
in comfort standards are very much appreciated by the crew and help to keep a better level
of readiness and individual performance. ■
Due to a wider beam than any other
French Navy warship, and with two pairs
of stabilisers, stability of HORIZON is
remarkable, allowing her to endure rough
seas without major operational risks.
“Chevalier Paul” is seen here staying stable
at high speed in rough seas.
(Photo: Internet / Philip Plisson)
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
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missile deck between the ship’s two masts. The
missiles use command-update inertial guidance
and also reach high-subsonic speed of Mach 0.9.
The DCNS SYLVER A50 vertical launch
system, installed forward of the guns, has 48
cells for both the ASTER 15 and ASTER 30
missiles ensuring that each round is aligned to
within 1mrad. The maximum rate of fire is up
to six rounds per second. The ASTER missile
carries an inertial computer with datalink and
an active J-band Doppler radar seeker. ASTER
30 range is 100km, ASTER 15 30km, both missiles feature manoeuvrability of up to 62-G
through the use of a PIF/PAF guidance system.
GUNS
In the history of anti-airc warfare the gun
always played a prominent role, so both
OR/HOR Navies wished to preserve this selfdefence tool for safety reasons and also because
it can constitute an effective reponse to attacking missiles. To build up a ‘wall of’ steel’ in
front of an attacking missile through a multisensor fire control system (RTN-30 X) is still
an effective measure. In addition to air defence,
guns are useful to support maritime surveillance
operations, for example to enforce investigations of illicit traffic or illegal fishing vessels or
for self-defence against attacking suicidal boats.
Where necessary, the 76mm will deliver warning or direct shots, which constitutes a cheaper
and more practical solution than a missile. In
this framework, the HORIZON main gun is supplemented by two 20mm guns and/or 12.7mm
machine-guns. For the first time in forty years,
the FN has given up their 100mm naval calibre
by adopting the 76mm Oto Melara for their
HORIZONs. With a rate of approximately 100
rounds per minute, this gun features a range of
8km against air targets. Two Oto Melara Mod
503 25mm/80 guns are installed on the ORIZZONTE, one to port and one to starboard, and
a third gun on the roof of the hangar helicopter
with a second fire control system as back up.
INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF OF ITALIAN NAVY, ADMIRAL PAOLO LA ROSA
NAVAL FORCES: The ITN is in
the middle of a radical reorganisation and modernisation process.
What are the effects on the destroyer component?
ADMIRAL LA ROSA: We built
two ORIZZONTE-type ships in
cooperation with the French Navy
and their technical and operational
features are typical of destroyers, as
this type of ship was conceptually
developed in the last half century.
After WW2, thanks to an increasingly effective integration of shipborne
sensors, weapon systems and C4I,
destroyers in fact evolved into area
Air Defence Ships (ADS). Since the
60’s, the ITN avails itself of four destroyers, with the primary task to
provide area air-defence to naval groups and secondary to extend the
national air defence coverage in cooperation with the Air Force. These
capabilities are essential to meet the military standards of Italy’s national commitments in the NATO and European frameworks.
The two ORIZZONTE will join our “Ammiragli” class destroyers, in
service since the mid 90’s, thus filling the gap left with the 2005 decommissioning of the two early 70’s “Audace” class destroyers. Capable of
operating both as single units and within larger naval groups, the ORIZZONTEs are going to be Italy’s largest surface combatants, besides the
carriers, for the next decades. In this light, they are perfectly suited for
out of area deployments, providing a significant boost to the execution
of our vision, based on the strategic concepts of Integrated maritime surveillance and projection of capabilities, at sea and from the sea and on
the horizontal concept of Dialogue & Cooperation. With this respect, I
am keen to recall the Presence and Cooperation campaign to the Atlantic Ocean that ITS “Andrea Doria” will conduct in early 2010, visiting
Northern Africa and Brazil.
NAVAL FORCES: What are the ORIZZONTE-assigned tasks within
the overall realm of naval operations both national, in the Alliance or
multi-national environment and for ‘out of area’ operations?
90
ADMIRAL LA ROSA: These new ships will
be playing a wider portfolio of roles compared
to their predecessors. As a matter of fact, they
not only are suitable Air Defence Ships but also
excellent C2 platforms, for the direction of naval
groups in sea control, maritime interdiction and
maritime security operations. The ORIZZONTE’s operational requirement is based on
the experience derived from participating and
leading several out of area operations, in the past
decades, in different NATO, European and coalition contexts. Among others, I am happy to recall the Italian Navy’s
mid 90’s involvement within several embargo operations in the Adriatic – such as SHARP FENCE, MARITIME GUARD, SHARP GUARD
and the following activation of IFOR and SFOR – and the more recent
operations ENDURING FREEDOM and ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR.
Although the destroyers perfectly suit our requirements for ADS and
flagships specifically at the ‘naval task group’ level, they do not rule
out the need for less sophisticated ships to sustain the numerous patrol
tasks required by modern scenarios. Indeed, when it comes to the maritime security spectrum, you not only need ships with extended endurance, sustainable logistics and all-weather capabilities. You also need
ships with reduced complexity and lower operating costs. To this extent,
destroyers look perfect and we therefore plan to replace our entire line
of frigates (with a total of 12 units, eight “Maestrale” and four “Soldati” class) by 10 new FREMM type frigates, developed in cooperation
with France. The first FREMM, “Carlo Bergamini”, is currently under
construction with delivery due by 2013. These ships will be capable of
performing local air defence thanks to the recent upgrades of the EMPAR
radar, from passive to active, and of the missile system, from SAAMIT to SAAM ESD, dramatically increasing the overall flexibility of our
fleet.
NAVAL FORCES: What is the rationale for defining the ORIZZONTE
an air defence ship? Would her significant extra capabilities also allow
tasking her as a multi-mission surface combatant?
ADMIRAL LA ROSA: ORIZZONTE class destroyers were purposely conceived, designed and built, to fulfil the Italian defence operational requirement for a sea-based air defence capability. This capability is
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
TORPEDOES/
ASW COMPONENT
Although designed mainly for air defence,
these units are actually general-purpose or multimission combatants, also equipped with the latest ASW sensors and effectors which represent
a solid anti-submarine protection. Basic lay-out
consists of a hull mounted low frequency sonar,
the THALES 4110 CL which operates at medium frequency in active search and attack mode;
it uses a cylindrical array and advanced processing and a vertical wire aerial towed with a torpedo detector (Viola). Effectors against submarines consist of two twin tubes for EURO-
TORP’s (DCNS, THALES and WASS) MU90
lightweight torpedoes with onboard storage of
19 weapons. Each of these torpedoes features a
maximum speed exceeding 50 knots and attacks
a located submarine up to a depth of 1,000m
with a directed energy warhead. The max. range
of MU90 is 12,000m at maximum speed and
25,000m at minimum speed. The MU90 can
also be dropped from ASW MPA and/or helicopters, e.g. the NH90.
COUNTERMEASURES
The electronic warfare suite was developed
and constructed by the Sigen Consortium
provided by ORIZZONTE’s primary weapon, the PAAMS medium
range missile system, supported by the EMPAR phased-array and the
1850S long-range radar. Combined with other shipborne weapons and
sensors – especially SSM’s, torpedoes and MF sonar – these systems
allow the ships to also perform ASW and ASuW missions. By adding
this wide set of capabilities to the embarked C4I suite, these ships may
well be viewed as a modern example of multi-mission surface combatants.
NAVAL FORCES: How and to what extend will the ORIZZONTE be
able to participate in defence against ballistic missiles? Are they capable and foreseen for BMD?
ADMIRAL LA ROSA: The Italian Navy is particularly active in the
conduct of studies and research on Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence
(THALES Systèmes Aéroportés SA and Elettronica SpA), and includes the latest generation
of radar ESM and ECM architectures and implementation of new digital and microwave technologies. The radar ESM component features
high sensitivity and accuracy direction finding
and broadband digital receivers. The radar ECM
component is based on phased array solid state
technology and features high transmitted power, fast reaction, multi-threat engagement capability and complete programmability of coherent and non-coherent jamming techniques, due
to the implementation of multiple broadband
digital radio frequency memory (DRFM).
(TBMD). Our intent is clearly demonstrated by out participation in the
respective fora, such as the Navy TBMD Forum, which we led till last
May, and the NATO Active Layered TBMD. Although ORIZZONTE’s
features do not yet encompass anti-ballistic missile defence, we are
assessing with our national industry a possible future upgrade of the
ships, to include this critical capability. To this aim, some advancement
would be required to the entire radar suite, including the already budgeted EMPAR active phased array and the improvement of the ASTER
30 missile. Anyhow, the current architecture of the Combat Management System (CMS) provides the two ships with some capacity to cope
with ballistic missile threats, exploiting the existing EMPAR’s anti-ballistic tracking capabilities.
NAVAL FORCES: ORIZZONTE and their new capabilities – how will
they concern the operational doctrines and tactical procedures?
ADMIRAL LA ROSA: Operational doctrines and tactical procedures
evolve in conjunction with the development of assets and scenarios. Following the introduction of these new destroyers into our fleet, we are
already considering possible doctrinal and procedural adjustments, some
of which will also derive from the ORIZZONTE’s increased level of
automation, with reduced crew and integrated logistics. In an effort to
keep our doctrines and procedures up to date, we are following a holistic approach to encompass the entire renewal of our fleet in a comprehensive perspective. Starting with the new aircraft carrier, the “Cavour”,
we need to meet and exploit several innovations introduced by all our
newest assets, such as 212A submarines and EH-101 helicopters – as
well as by several ‘early to come’ new vessels, aircraft and capabilities,
including the FREMM, the new logistic and auxiliary ships, the Joint
Strike Fighter, the NH-90, and a ‘soon to be enhanced’ landing force.
The entire process unfolds in a joint and combined perspective, constantly considering the primary need to maintain the highest possible
level of interoperability with our allies and military partners.
■
The ORIZZONTE destroyers are conceived as air defence ships due
to PAAMS. But they are equally suited for ASW and ASuW missions,
and with their C4I capabilities they can be used as command platforms.
Therefore these ships may well be viewed as a modern example
of multi-mission surface combatants.
(Photo: Courtesy of RID)
NAVAL FORCES I/2010
91
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
The HORIZON destroyers have the SAGEM
Défense Sécurité (formerly EADS Defence &
Electronics) New Generation DAGAIE System
(NGDS). Each system consists of a pair of twoaxis launchers with 12 infrared, radar or acoustic decoys. The ORIZZONTE have Oto Melara/SELEX SCLAR-H decoy launchers for chaff
and infrared flares. An innovation on the
OR/HOR is its anti-torpedo system SLAT (Systeme de Lutte Anti-Torpille) that allows surface
warships to detect and classify incoming torpedoes through two underwater antennas and then
perform threat evaluation. The system’s software displays the optimal response, including
softkill effectors through decoy launchers. The
system uses the ALERTO acoustic sensor which
is also installed on FN and ITN aircraft carriers,
the “Charles de Gaulle” and the “Garibaldi”.
SLAT was developed by EUROSLAT (WASS,
DCNS and Thales Underwater Systems).
HELICOPTERS
The helicopter deck at the rear of the ship has
a single landing spot for a 10t helicopter, e.g. the
NH90 or EH101 MERLIN. The stabilisation system allows the ship’s helicopter to be deployed
up to sea state 5 and above. It is intended to
replace the SUPER FRELON (version transport)
and the LYNX (anti-submarine version) by 27
NH90 to be delivered to the FN as from 2009.
AMBITIOUS PROJECT –
WITH FOUR UNITS
FINISHED?
If one considers the Tripartite Frigate Progamme a success, having resulted in the German F124, the Dutch LCF and the Spanish F100
(modified for AEGIS) after all, then this assessment is equally true for the OR/HOR project.
The problem with the latter project was that the
partners could not agree on a common platform
specification. But now we have also three types,
INTERVIEW WITH CO ITS “ANDREA DORIA”
NAVAL FORCES: What are the
roots of your unit’s name “Andrea
Doria” and what does it stand for
and mean to you?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: Andrea Doria was born in Oneglia
November 30th, 1466 from an
ancient Genoese family. Orphaned
at an early age, he became a soldier
of fortune, serving first in the Papal
Guard and then under various Italian princes. He became famous in
command of the Genoese fleet in
the golden era of the city as a naval
power. For several years he scoured
the Mediterranean, waging war on
the Turks and the Barbary pirates.
He died in Genova at the age of 93. “Andrea Doria” is the fourth ITN
ship named after Admiral Andrea Doria, built in a bi-national programme involving the Italian and French Navy.
NAVAL FORCES: What time frame is/was planned to bring your unit
from commissioning to operational standard and what do you envisage as toughest challenge and why and what are your units next mission milestones?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: The ship is to be commissioned yet, because
the complexity of the new generation, fully integrated combat system
architecture is requiring a rather delicate and complicated integration
and acceptance procedure which is planned to be completed by the end
of the year. The next upcoming phase is probably going to be the toughest challenge, not just for “Andrea Doria” but for the whole Navy, as
this new generation, high-tech warship will have to became fully operational, including intensive training for the crew which is highly reduced
compared to a typical destroyer but is expected to manage state of the
art technology and a really complex operational requirement.
CV CO “Andrea Doria”, Captain (ITN) Giacinto Ottaviani
Born in July 1964 in Saint Benedict of Tronto; 1983-1987 Naval Academy; 1987 - 89 billets on board ITS “Vittorio Veneto” and ITS “Euro” as
Navigation and Communications Officer (Operation PERSIAN GULF JulyDecember 1988); 1989-1990 Naval Academy specialisation in Communications and Combat Information; 1991 billet onboard ITS “Dared” as
Communications Officer; 1994-1995 CO ITS “Cassiopea”; 1995-1998
shore billets at the Communications Office Telecommunications of the
Unit Studies and Material Plans; 1998-2000 Communications Department at the Navy General Staff; 2001-2002 Master in Business Administration at Boston University (USA); 2002-2003 Advanced Institute of
Armed Forces General Staff; 2003- 2004 First Officer ITS “Airman” (ACTIVE
ENDEAVOUR); 2004-2005 CO ITS “Espero” (ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR);
2005-2009 Personnel Department of the Navy General Staff with promotion to Captain in 2007; since October 2009 CO ITS “Andrea Doria”.
NAVAL FORCES: Considering ships handling and sea-keeping performance, what is different onboard the “Andrea Doria”/”Caio Duilio” compared to other units in your naval career? Did you require a
special training and/or familiarisation?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: What first pops up to your eyes on this class
of ships is the crew size which is almost half of the crew that you will
find on another destroyer and even less than in a smaller frigate. Secondly the combat system, but in many ways the platform system too,
is completely new, not just because of the up to date technology it is
made of, but for the ‘philosophy’ itself. As I am firmly convinced that
even the most technological ship is eventually brought to ‘life’ by its
crew, this requires a great effort and in-depth training for the crew and
every officer, including myself of course, to fill the gap between this
reality and what we were used to deal with.
NAVAL FORCES: What are your experiences with the Combat Management System (CMS), and the integration of the sensors and effectors? Do you consider its handling a challenge and how is the conversion of the technical possibilities into ship’s internal operational handling developing?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: The CMS represents the most significant
innovation in the whole ship. It completely renews the philosophy of
The extremely complex CMS with a federative architecture with lots of innovations
is a challenge to be managed by the crew. But due to long training the crew will translate
the new technical solutions into operational cpabilities.
(Photo: Courtesy of SELEX Sistemi Integrati)
92
HORIZON / ORIZZONTE
TYPE DESTROYERS
The HORIZON / ORIZZONTE is planned to take the NH90 helicopter onboard;
the “Cailo Duilio” is seen here with a Bell AB 212 on the landing deck.
(Photo: Courtesy of Italian Navy)
the Type 45 and the two HORIZON variants,
which embark similar sensor suites and nearly
identical missile systems. Various difficulties
arose in the development of the complex systems; the PAAMS programme was readjusted
according to the various constraints and large
difficulties have been overcome. Today’s perception is characterised by pride to have met
such a challenge, pointing out that “Forbin” and
her sisters constitute Europe’s most powerful
combatants of frigate/destroyer size and a superb
technological advertisement for European industry. Based on this experience France and Italy
have launched a new generation of multi-mission ships, the FREMM multi-purpose frigates,
using the same company structure as for the
OR/HOR project.
NAFO
Three of the four sister ships
were together in La Spezia,
f.l.t.r.: “Chevalier Paul”,
“Forbin”, “Andrea Doria”.
(Photo: Courtesy of RID)
asset, like a naval base or even a city, against
multiple airborne threats, fast aircraft or missiles, in an ECM environment. The AAW suite
of the ship is designed specifically to manage
and react against this kind of scenario that would
end up saturating AAW capabilities of any of
the previous generation AAW systems.
the previous SADOC 2-based Combat System architecture thanks to
the ‘federative’ concept which allows every sensor and effector to be
completely integrated and managed by the CMS. Because of the extreme
complexity of the system and the huge number of functions it is required
to perform, the integration process of CMS is proving to be very challenging but, as I said before, it is finally entering the final phase and it
is expected to be fully qualified the next year. The handling of such an
innovative system is going to be a big challenge for the crew but they
have undergone long training in order to translate the new technical
solutions into operational capabilities.
NAVAL FORCES: Have you tested the automated Platform Management System (PMS) to the limit? Are you happy with the composition
and functions of the features and the presentation of the data?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: The PMS represents the most significant
innovation of the platform. Automation makes it possible to manage a
ship of this dimension with such a small crew.
NAVAL FORCES: Which overall (operational/tactical) situation is
anticipated to fully exploit the ORIZZONTE’s capability? Could you
describe such a scenario?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: Given the AAW capabilities in terms of
both ‘hard’ and ‘soft kill’ weapons, you might think of an area defence
scenario, for instance the protection of a carrier strike group or a shore
NAVAL FORCES: What are the strengths of
the ORIZZONTE concerning communications
and C2 in leading combined/joint operations?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: The AAW role I described before is definitely indicative of the ORIZZONTE destroyers’ capabilities. In fact,
the ship is equipped with multiple sensors for three dimensional detection, including a multi-frequency sonar, a torpedo alerting system and
an infra red alerting system. In particular the Long Range Radar, which
is capable of detecting targets out to 200km, and with tactical data link
networks including Link 16, this allows “Andrea Doria” to ensure complete tactical situation awareness and local picture compilation over a
wide area and to forward it to other ships, airborne platforms and even
ground bases via satellite link. Furthermore, the fully integrated communications systems gives “Andrea Doria” capabilities to communicate
over the entire spectrum of frequencies, including broad-band SHF satellite access to Command Support System WANs, making the ship perfectly suitable to perform C2 roles.
NAVAL FORCES: Do you consider the living/recreation/accommodation conditions for your crew and embarked personal adequate regarding the unit’s mission times?
CAPTAIN OTTAVIANI: The improvement of living conditions on
board is probably one of the most significant achievements of this class
from the personnel point of view. Only such a significant enhancement
in the living and recreation conditions could make possible to accomplish the mission of staying underway up to 45 days, which is the logistic requirement for this class of ships.
■
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NAVAL FORCES I/2010
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