This html article is produced from an uncorrected text file through optical character recognition. Prior to 1940 articles all text has been corrected, but from 1940 to the present most still remain uncorrected. Artifacts of the scans are misspellings, out-of-context footnotes and sidebars, and other inconsistencies. Adjacent to each text file is a PDF of the article, which accurately and fully conveys the content as it appeared in the issue. The uncorrected text files have been included to enhance the searchability of our content, on our site and in search engines, for our membership, the research community and media organizations. We are working now to provide clean text files for the entire collection.
By joining together on the Project Horizon frigate program, Italy, France, and Great Britain have ensured themselves a place on the seas of the 21st century.
At the end of 1992, the Italian. British, and French navies signed a Tripartite Staff Requirement for the joint development of a naval vessel chiefly committed with air defense. The project—officially termed Common New Generation Frigate, but commonly known as “Project Horizon”—will allow the European navies to replace aging cruisers and destroyers in the early 2000s. Since the 1970s, these ships have constituted the main core of embarked air defense in the Marina Militare (Italian Navy), Marine Nationale (French Navy), and Royal Navy.
After cancellation of the international program for a common NATO frigate— known as NATO Frigate Replacement for the Nineties—France and Great Britain began talks toward a common solution for a future antiaircraft warfare escort. In October 1990, the Ministers of Defense of the two nations officially announced their willingness to develop a common project. After its presentation, Italy entered the program, sending a number of representatives to the London-based Joint Project office.
In the general timeframe of the program, a trinational consortium has to carry out project definition, detailed design, and building of three first-of-class units (one for each nation). The project definition of the platform should be completed within 1995, together with the command-and-control system design. The three first-of-class vessels should be built between 1997 and 2000. After sea trials and combat-system integration, they should enter service in the first years of the 21st century.
The United Kingdom's national requirement envisioned an antiaircraft-warfare unit with local area-defense capabilities for supporting parent vessels without antiair weapons. France and Italy required a ship capable of area defense, supporting a naval group, and for self-defense. Project Horizon will meet a number of common operational requirements, but some level of national variation is inevitable, as each navy looks to standardize with its own existing equipments. In such a context, building a common naval vessel fully satisfies the criteria for interoperability among naval forces. This is important, in light of recent and future naval multinational operations in the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf, and the Adriatic Sea.
The Italian Navy must replace the main component of its antiaircraft warfare escorts, currently consisting of two Luigi Durand de la Penne-class and two Audace-class destroyers and the cruiser Vittorio Veneto. In 2000, the cruiser and the Audace-class destroyer will reach 30 years of service life. Italy also remains committed with France to develop the Future Surface-to-Air Family missile system, the maritime component of which will be the main weapon system of the future Project Horizon’s frigates.
In the late 1980s, the Marine Nationale required a warship for escort and defense of blue-water naval groups operating in the Atlantic and other maritime areas. Thus, the new French vessels are due to replace the cruiser Colbert and the two Suffren-dass missile destroyers and complement the two existing CasranZ-class air-defense frigates to strengthen the escort screen for the newly built, nuclear- powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and, as proposed, a sister ship.
The Royal Navy plans to replace 12 Sheffield- and Manchester-class units that have entered service since 1976. The new British warships will be devoted primarily to close defense against advanced aircraft and missiles.
The general lines of the French original design were affected by the La Fayette-dass light frigates (“fregates leg- eres”), which are currently being built for the Marine Nationale and Taiwan, and whose design displays a special attention to the abatement of the radar and infrared signatures. The initial French design for a new antiaircraft-warfare ship included a flush deck hull and single superstructure block. The vertical missile launchers for the Sol Air Moyenne Portee /Naval, surface-to-air, medium-range, naval missile were placed forward and formed by six blocks of eight cells each, totalling 48 weapons. At the after end of the flight deck at the stern, eight con- tainer/launchers for surface-to-surface missiles were placed. An NH-90-type shipborne helicopter was also planned. The combat system’s main sensors (a long-range air-search radar and a multifunctional radar) were to be placed on a forward mast and on top of the hangar.
The British variant of the design was initially named Anti-Air Anglo French. Its superstructure was divided into two blocks and was structurally more resistant than its French counterpart. The surface-to-surface missiles had been installed in a space between the superstructure blocks, while the surface-to-air missile system had to meet the Local Area Missile System requirement. Other minor changes were in the electronic suite and the point missile-defense system.
Italy’s entrance into the program established a convergence between the dissimilar requirements established by France and Great Britain. In addition to the Luigi Durand de la Penne-class and Audace-class destroyers and the cruiser Vittorio Veneto, the Italian Navy has to replace the two missile cruisers Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio, which were built in the early 1960s and decommissioned some years ago.
The Tripartite Staff Requirements signed in London represent the beginning of design activity aimed toward achieving the greatest commonality among the vessels to be procured by the three naval forces. The major element of the design effort is the Principal Anti Air Missile System, which was developed to meet simultaneously the requirements from Italian, French, and British counterparts. The Principal Anti Air Missile System is formed by two main subsystems: the Aster 15/30 vertically-launched missiles (for short- and medium-range area defense) and the electronic sensors. The first elements of the initial operational system are slated to be installed on the French carrier Charles De Gaulle in 1998. The first launch of an Aster 30 missile took place in December 1993 from a land- based test center. Each frigate will be equipped with six Sylver octuple vertical-launch modules, for a total of 48 Astor 30 weapons. A three-dimensional radar will be employed for long-range air and naval surveillance and will be associated to an Empar multifunctional radar for medium-range detection, tracking, and missile guidance. However, the Royal Navy prefers the nationally produced Sampson multifunctional radar. The employment of the new warships in an antitactical ballistic-missile role could be attained by improving the performance of the planned sensors and surface-to- air missiles.
The weapons component of the new warships will consist of a surface-to- surface missile system, based on eight
63
Proceedings / March 1995
The Project Horizon frigate—shown here in a British concept rendering—is slated for delivery in 2002 to the British, French, and Italian navies.
container-launchers placed amidships. However, opposing points of view have kept the missile type from being defined. The operational requirement for a close- in defense system paved the way for an Inner Layer Missile System. It would be developed from a new design, possibly by taking into account multinational programs already under way, or produced by adaptation of existing systems. Moreover, the requirements could be modified to include Gatling-gun type systems.
Project Horizon’s gun component is planned around a medium-caliber gun placed forward the superstructure block.
The Italian Navy and the Marine Nationale are inclined to choose the 127mm Oto Melara dual-purpose single mount, but the Royal Navy has expressed some reservations. Two 30-mm light guns will be employed for maritime police and surface-craft duties.
The helicopter component is tailored to meet many requirements, especially those of antisubmarine and antisurface warfare; therefore, the shipborne helicopters—the EH-101 Merlin for Britain and possibly the NH-90 for France and Italy—will be equipped with either sonobuoys, antisubmarine-warfare dipping sonar and lightweight torpedoes, or with antiship missiles.
Project Horizon’s ships will be designed for an antiair-warfare role but also will have significant antisurface and antisubmarine capabilities. The preliminary design envisions a vessel with a flush deck and two blocks of superstructure separated by an amidship bay; this leads to a 6,300-ton full-load displacement, a 150-meter overall length, a 20-meter maximum beam, and a 5.5-meter draft. The after section is occupied by aviation facilities; the flight deck is equipped with a recovery, assist, secure, and traverse system for the shipborne helicopters. The Aster 30 missile octuple modules are placed between the forward superstructure and the medium-caliber gun. To reduce the ship’s radar signature, the superstructure will have sloped sides, many radar echo generators will be covered, and radar-absorbing materials will be used extensively. Configuration of the propulsion machinery probably will be based on a conventional combined diesel- electric and gas system, including electrical motors, diesel engines, and gas turbines. This system drives two shafts and is already employed in the Royal Navy Norfolk-class frigates. Concerning the choice of gas turbines, configurations based on Rolls Royce Spey and General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines have been studied, and the possible adoption of the new WR 21 regenerative-cycle gas turbine is under consideration. This type of turbine will provide both fuel consumption reduction and specific power increase.
The division of the hull into four autonomous sections, a general strengthening of hull and superstructures, and the placement of main operational spaces inside the hull enhance the survivability of the vessels. Another crucial issue is reduction of the complement. Following general European defense policies that call for reorganization of military forces and defense structures, new warships and other vessels must be operated and maintained by fewer people than in the past. This aim can be achieved with extensive automation and by reviewing technical and logistical support structures. Therefore, Project Horizon’s frigates will have a complement of around 220, a figure significantly lower than that of existing warships of similar size.
Project Horizon is the most important naval cooperative program in Europe. Three NATO navies have agreed to build a significant number of naval platforms, with up to 24 ships required by Italy, France, and Great Britain. In another naval European cooperative program, which also involves three NATO naval forces—Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain—construction includes only ten ships.
Replacement of Italian, French, and British warships—already decommissioned or to be decommissioned within this decade—cannot be further delayed. The Italian Navy and its European neighbors must face up to this challenge of adapting to meet regional and global requirements for the protection of national, strategic, and economic interests.
Commander Consentino graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974. He is assigned at NATO Headquarters as the Italian military representative, dealing with plans and policies.
All Boats Need Plugs
In February 1970, the good ship Golden Bear, training ship of the California Maritime Academy, lay quietly at anchor in the harbor of Suva, Fiji Islands. She was homeward bound from her annual training cruise, which had taken her to Tahiti, Sydney, and Auckland. Always a good port, Suva was particularly interesting this time because Queen Elizabeth and Philip were scheduled to arrive on board the Royal Yacht Britannia to participate in the impressive ceremonies that were to mark the granting of independence to the new Republic of Fiji.
The Britannia arrived precisely on schedule and anchored near the Golden Bear. The midshipmen were fascinated as the Queen’s barge was swung out and made ready for Her Majesty to embark. Suddenly they noticed that there was consternation on the quarterdeck just as the Queen appeared. Her barge was riding progressively lower and lower in the water. The Queen was seen to be distressed and escorted back to her quarters. The barge was hurriedly hooked back on and raised until the water could drain out and a hasty investigation could determine which crew member had forgotten to put in the plug!
Captain W. B. Hayler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
64
Proceedings / March 1995