The Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate of the Royal Danish Navy is generally ignored but one of
the most notable surface combatants of our times. Its modular design makes the ship easy
to switch to various roles. This level of versatility is a highly desired feature for
many navies. Still, the Danish frigate has not been able to achieve market success yet.
As the Weapons Detective, we are investigating the Iver Huitfeldt-class, the floating Lego.
Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel before we start, and give us a thumbs up if
you like our video. To be notified of our new video, please click the bell button. Also,
you can now click the join button to support our channel. And as always, we would greatly
appreciate all the likes, comments, and shares. Using the term "the floating Lego" for the
Iver Huitfeldt-class may seem to be a cliche, but how else can we properly define it? The
three frigates of this class have matchless modularity. Still, the Iver Huitfeldt-class
is neither the first nor only ship with this design feature. Since the late 1980s, many
Danish naval vessels have had this level of modularity. But, no other navies have yet
chosen this ship or followed its design criteria. But why? Before seeking the possible answers,
let's briefly look at the history and features of the Iver Huitfeldt-class.
To better understand this frigate, we should comprehend the Danish Standard Flex, shortly
StanFlex, modular mission payload system. In the early 1980s, the Royal Danish Navy
decided to replace its Søløven-class torpedo boats, Sund-class coastal minesweepers, and
Daphne-class patrol boats. Instead of building dedicated ships for each role, the Danish
naval engineers adopted the idea of a single vessel design that could be modified to assume
a particular mission when needed. It was possible thanks to containerised systems
and modern technology. The different types of mission payloads, built into modules, could
be fitted into standardised slots aboard the ship when needed. This system was called StanFelx.
So, the naval Lego design principle came to life with the Flyvefisken-class patrol vessel.
Within a short time, the StanFlex modular mission payloads could be swapped out, which
allowed the ship to switch between roles when needed. The Royal Danish Navy has been satisfied
with the new system and commissioned or modified many other vessels with the same design criteria.
Today, the Royal Danish Navy's Diana and Knud Rasmussen-class patrol vessels and Absalon
and Thetis-class frigates can be fitted with the StanFlex modules.
Even the MSF-class and MRD-class drone minehunters can use them.
Denmark decommissioned the Niels Juel-class corvettes and Flyvefisken-class patrol vessels,
which had StanFlex capability. The Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates are the
last member of this design tradition. In 2000, Denmark decided to replace old fashioned
surface combatants with two new types of ships. The first step was the building of two Absalon-class
flexible support ships. They were a hybrid between a frigate and military transport ship
with multiple role capabilities. The preference for using the term "Flexible support ships"
was to avoid antagonising Russia. Hence, the Royal Danish Navy would redefine the Absalon-class
as an anti-submarine warfare frigate in 2020. The second step, the Iver Huitfeldt-class,
was designed as patrol ships with the ability to participate in NATO's standing naval forces,
including participation in NATO's Response Force. They would mainly be air defence frigates
with command capability. Copenhagen approved the construction of three Iver Huitfeldt-class
vessels in 2004 and signed the contract with Odense Staalskibsværft A / S in 2006.
To reduce the cost, the three frigates' many sub-components, including most of the weapon
systems, were reused from the previous Niels Juel-class corvettes and the Flyvefisken-class
patrol vessels. The Iver Huitfeldt-class ships were constructed
in blocks in Estonia and Lithuania. And then these blocks were then towed to the
Odense Staalskibsværft A / S in Denmark, where they were assembled.
In this way, the simultaneous construction of three frigates was possible, while further
cost reduction was achieved. The cost of the Iver Huitfeldt-class is considerably lower
than the other western navies' modern frigates. The first ship of the class, KDM Iver Huitfeldt,
was laid down on June 2, 2008, launched on March 11, 2010, and commissioned on January
21, 2011. The remaining two frigates, KDM Peter Willemoes
and KDM Niels Juel, were also commissioned in the same year.
The stealthy design of the ship reduces radar, infrared, acoustics and magnetic signatures.
The hull consists of seven layers of the deck and 15 watertight compartments.
The wide hull of the Iver Huitfeldt-class allows for a more suitable space for the installation.
The hull design makes it possible to maintain a high speed at high sea.
The location of the ship's funnels is dissymmetrical to ensure that the exhaust gasses do not damage
the radars. Denmark targeted total life cycle cost and
applied principles from commercial shipping that focus on reducing crew cost, fuel cost
and emissions for the Iver Huitfeldt-class programme. So, the frigate is mainly based
on commercial off-the-shelf equipment. Its propulsion system gives one of the best-in-class
fuel economies. At 18 knots cruising speed, the Iver Huitfeldt-class consumes 31 tons
of fuel per day. The frigate can reach 29.3 knots from the
18 knots cruising speed in less than 120 seconds. The Iver Huitfeldt-class has a bow thruster
with an output of 1,205 horsepower, which provides better manoeuvrability in ports and
shallow waters. A set of active stabilisers provides stability
to the frigate. A 100-person crew can operate the frigate.
The Iver Huitfeldt-class has additional space for 60-person mission-dependent crew members.
The frigate has six slots for the StanFlex modular mission payload system. Each module
is housed in a stainless steel container measuring 3 metres in length, 3.5 metres in width, and
2.5 metres in height. The modules with different types of weapons or equipment can be replaced
within half an hour. After completing system tests, the Iver Huitfeldt-class becomes ready
to deploy within a few hours. Changing the related standardised consoles in the combat
information centre is necessary when replacing modules.
The complement of the Iver Huitfeldt-class is about 117-person. The ship has a length
of 138.7 metres, a beam of 19.8 metres, and a draught of 5.8 metres. Its fully-loaded
displacement is about 6.650 tons. The combined diesel and diesel configuration propulsion
system consists of four 11,000 horsepower MTU 8000 20V M70 diesel engines. The top speed
of the Iver Huitfeldt-class is 29.3 knots. The range is 17,224 kilometres, in other words,
9,300 nautical miles. Depending on the StanFlex modules, the frigate can carry up to 24 RIM-162
ESSM and up to 32 RIM-66L SM-2 IIIA air defence missiles, up to 16 RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship
missiles, two 76mm Super Rapido guns, one 35mm Millennium close-in weapon system, and
two 324mm two-tube torpedo launchers with MU90 Impact torpedoes.
The L-band SMART-L air and surface surveillance radar can detect maritime patrol aircraft
from 400 kilometres and stealthy anti-ship missiles from 65 kilometres. It can track
1,000 airborne and 100 seaborne targets. The I-band APAR 3D radar can simultaneously
track over 200 air targets out to 150 kilometres and over 150 surface targets out to 32 kilometres.
It allows guidance of 32 semi-active radar homing missiles in flight simultaneously,
including 16 in the terminal guidance phase. The APAR also has surface naval gunfire support
capability. The 76mm guns and 35mm CIWS are directed by
the Ku-band CEROS 200 radar and optronic tracking fire control director.
The RGM-84 Harpoon missile with a 222-kilogram semi armour-piercing warhead has 124 kilometres
range. Its maximum speed is Mach 0.86. The RIM-162 ESSM air defence missile, launched
from the Mk 56 vertical launching system, has a range of 50 kilometres and a maximum
speed of Mach 4. The RIM-66L SM-2MR Block IIIA air defence
missile, launched from the Mk 41 vertical launching system, has a range of over 160
kilometres and a maximum speed of Mach 3.5. The 76mm Super Rapido gun is fed by a magazine,
which holds 80 ready to fire ammunition. Its rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. The
Super Rapido is effective against a surface target at 18 kilometres and an air target
at 8 kilometres. Also known as GDM-008, the Millennium takes
its name from its maximum rate of fire which is 1,000 rounds per minute, and muzzle velocity,
which is 1,000 meters per second. It fires the AHEAD programmable ammunition.
Each projectile disperses 152 small tungsten projectiles, which create a lethal cone-shaped
cloud to strike the incoming target in a predesignated area.
The effective range against air targets of the Millennium is 3,500 metres. The gun's
ammunition capacity allows it to engage 10 anti-ship missiles or 20 surface targets.
Thanks to the Mk 41 vertical launching system, the Iver Huitfeldt-class can fire Tomahawk
cruise and RIM-174 SM-6 air defence missiles if demanded. However, Denmark does not currently
have these missiles. The Royal Danish Navy is currently considering
replacing the forward 76mm Super Rapido with a 127mm Mk 45 gun.
The frigate can accommodate a medium-sized helicopter in its hangar, and its aft deck
is suitable to operate 20-ton-class helicopters. The Royal Danish Navy operates the ships with
the MH-60Rs. The Iver Huitfeldt-class lost the tender in
Australia, Canada and England. These countries have chosen the Type 26-class frigate.
But, this Danish surface combatant is close to winning in Indonesia. The Indonesian Navy
intends to have two locally-built Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates to replace its Leander-class vessels.
They would be modified variants. As you can see, the Iver Huitfeldt-class has
clear advantages, like flexibility and low cost. But why has this ship not achieved commercial
success in the international market yet? Or why have other countries not preferred the
floating Lego concept? At first, having modular surface combatants
may seem like the best way to have an effective fleet at a low cost for the major navies.
But it is not. A country should well define the mission areas
of its navy to keep the defence budget low. And it has a minimum number of warships specifically
designed according to the requirements in these mission areas and imminent threat scenarios.
The multi-mission surface combatants are suitable for urgent deployments in case of crisis or
reinforcement. For this reason, many major-league navies
do not need warships that can be rapidly modified depending on the mission definition.
Yet, the main task of the Royal Danish Navy is to patrol between Denmark, Greenland and
the Faroe Islands, which is a mission with low-intensity conflict risk.
NATO is already keeping a large force ready against the Russian Navy threat in this area.
In a possible war, the Iver Huitfeldt-class can significantly contribute to the NATO joint
fleet in just not the North Atlantic but also in other regions. Therefore, the easily reconfigurable
naval ships according to the risk level are a viable solution for Denmark.
However, many other navies prefer directly well-armed ships rather than those that can
be well-armed when necessary, as they constantly operate in risky areas.
The international arms market is traditional and always holds psychological barriers. A
country does not easily change its main supplier. Denmark has not been a classic supplier in
the naval ship market. Also, the Danish-designed surface combatants are good on paper, but
they have yet to prove themselves in combat. Therefore, many countries rely more on the
products of the suppliers that design warships based on their operational experiences, such
as France, the UK, and the USA. For this reason, we can assume that the Iver
Huitfeldt-class and the floating Lego concept have not yet received the expected attention,
despite their apparent advantages. The success in Indonesia has the potential to create a
significant breakthrough. The Iver Huitfeldt-class is currently one of the best modern western
frigates and certainly the most cost-effective. If the psychological barrier is overcome,
we can predict that this warship and the floating Lego concept will attract more attention in
the future. Thanks for watching our video. And, please
don't forget to subscribe to our channel and click the bell button to be notified of our
new videos. Also, you can now click the join button to support our channel. And as always,
we would greatly appreciate all the likes, comments, and shares.