In October
2016 it was reported that twelve bidders had been asked to submit their designs
by 27 April 2017. At that time it was announced
that only designs from ships already in service or mature existing designs
would be part of the process.
Since then there have been numerous delays. In
February 2017 a third of the entrants requested more time to compile their
bids. Bids were to be submitted by 22 June with a winner expected to be
declared in fall 2017. Further delay in the bidding process arose due to the
Government of Canada's demand that any intellectual property associated with
the vessel be transferred upon purchase.
Currently there are three confirmed bidders, one
rejected bid and two withdrawn bids. The confirmed bids include the BAE Systems
Type 26 frigate, even though it had not yet been built.
Confirmed contenders:
Alion-JJMA – De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate
BAE Systems – Type 26 frigate
Navantia – F-105 frigate
Rejected bids:
Naval Group/Fincantieri – FREMM-ER multipurpose
frigate
Withdrawn bids:
Odense Maritime Technology – Iver Huitfeldt-class
frigate
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Canada – Baden-Württemberg-class
frigate
A joint bid by Fincantieri and Naval Group (formerly
DCNS) for their FREMM multipurpose frigate was offered informally on 6
November, directly to the National Defence Minister, Harjit Sajjan, which he
did not accept. In the end Fincantieri and Naval Group withdrew from the formal
process by not making a bid by the 30 November 2017 deadline.
In theory that company's fixed price offer of $30.9
billion had the potential to save the Canadian government up to $32 billion
over other bids if it had been selected. The unsolicited bid was rejected
because it came outside of the official bidding process. However, on 8 December
2017, Naval Group/Fincantieri announced they would continue to submit and
support their unsolicited bid, with letters of project endorsement and promised
long term support from French Defense Minister Florence Parly and Italian
Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti. Naval Group and Fincantieri said they could
provide the vessels to the Canadian government for $30.9 billion and begin
construction at Irving as early as 2019.
The FREMM proposal was dismissed in a programme
update released by PSPC on 5
December. PSPC said all bids for the CSC were expected to fall within
established bid and evaluation process guidelines, and suggested the FREMM bid
did not meet those guidelines. No explanation was added to explain why the BAE
Systems Type 26 frigate, even though it is not a “mature existing design in service”,
was able to meet those guidelines.
It is difficult to evaluate the three official
contenders given the wide range of potential equipment it is possible to fit on
any of these platforms. With that caveat
in mind the notional specifications for the frigates currently vying for the
contract are shown in the table below. Some clarification is added on the subject of
ships propulsion and in future posts I will try to do the same for other issues
such as sensors and combat management systems. No doubt the disqualification of
the FREMM design may call for a little comment as well.
De
Zeven Provinciën
|
Type
26 frigate
|
Navantia
– F-105
|
|
Displacement
|
6,050
tonnes
|
6,000
tonnes
|
5,800-6,391
tonnes
|
Length
|
144.24
m
(473.2 ft)
|
149.9
m
(492 ft)
|
146.7
m
(481 ft.)
|
Beam
|
18.8 m (61.7 ft)
|
20.8
m (68 ft)
|
18.6
m (61 ft.)
|
Draught
|
5.18
m (17.0 ft)
|
N.A.
|
4.75
m (15.6 ft.)
|
Speed
|
30
knots
(56
km/h;
35 mph)
|
26
knots +
(48
km/h;
30 mph +)
|
28.5
knots
(52.8
km/h;
32.8 mph)
|
Range
|
4,000
nmi (7,400 km) at 18 knots
|
7,000
nautical miles
|
4,500
nmi (8,300 km) at 18 knots
|
Propulsion
*
|
CODAG
2
× Rolls Royce Spey SM 1C gas turbines,
2
× diesel engines,
|
CODLOG
1
x Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine
4
x diesel generators
|
CODOG
2
× General Electric LM2500 gas turbines
2
× diesel engine
|
Sensors
|
Active
Phased Array Radar & Passive Electronically Scanned Array Radar,
active
and passive sonar
|
Type
997 Artisan 3D radar, towed array sonar, active and passive sonar
|
AN/SPY-1D
3-D multifunction radar,
active
and passive sonar
|
Weapons
|
1
× 5-inch gun
1
× CIWS
40-cell
Mk.41 vertical
8
× Harpoon anti-ship missiles
2
× 324 mm twin Torpedo launchers
|
1
× 5-inch gun
2
× CIWS
2
× 30 mm guns
VLS
canisters for a total of 48 Anti-air missiles
1
x 24 cell Mk 41 VLS
|
1
× 5-inch gun
1
× CIWS
1
× 48 cell Mk 41 VLS
8
× Harpoon anti-ship missile
4
× 324 mm Torpedo launchers
|
Aircraft
|
1
× NH-90 helicopter
|
2
x Wildcat or
1
x Merlin class helicopter
|
1
× Seahawk class helicopter
|
Crew
|
232
(30 officers)
|
118
(capacity for 208)
Note:
Flexible
mission bay
|
250
(48 officers)
|
*
CODOG: Combined Diesel or
Gas
CODAG: Combined Diesel and
Gas
CODLAG: Combined Diesel
Electric and Gas
Gas = Excellent
acceleration, compact
Diesel = Efficient for
cruise (medium-high RPMs), simple intake/exhaust requirements
Electric = Silent,
efficient at low RPMs
IEP = More damage
resistant & more design freedom (can locate diesel/gas generators anywhere)
These days diesel-electric
is almost mandatory for ASW combatants and OPVs. Moreover gas is required for
ASW (for sprints).
In addition, don't forget
the "Or" propulsion variants - COGOG, CODOG, CODLOG. They may appear
less flexible and less capital-efficient, but those disadvantages are often
more than offset by the less complex reduction gear. Reduction gear is often a
weakness of "And" propulsion arrangements.
Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) is a type of
propulsion system for ships that need a maximum speed that is considerably
faster than their cruise speed, particularly warships like modern frigates or
corvettes.
For every propeller shaft there is one diesel engine
for cruising speed and one geared gas turbine for high speed dashes. Both are
connected to the shaft with clutches, only one system is driving the ship in
contrast to CODAG-systems, which can use the combined power output of both. The
advantage of CODOG is a simpler gearing compared to CODAG but it needs either
more powerful or additional gas turbines to achieve the same maximum power
output. The disadvantage of CODOG is that the fuel consumption at high speed is
poor compared to CODAG.
National
Shipbuilding Strategy
BEST
FIGHTER FOR CANADA
Update
on the Canadian Surface Combatant Request for Proposals
