On 9 May Colombia received a new 40-meter coastal patrol vessel, the 11 de Noviembre. She carries the hull number 145 and was handed over to the fleet at the Fassmer shipyard in Berne, Germany. Displacing 245 tons, the CPV 40–class vessel completed sea trials in April and is expected to operate with the Colombian fleet in both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Powered by two MTU diesel engines providing a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 2,000 nautical miles while cruising at 12 knots, the craft will be able undertake a wide range of missions, from drug interdiction, surveillance, and intelligence collection to environmental protection, search-and-rescue, and general patrol duties. The 11 de Noviembre has a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure, is armed with a 25-mm Typhoon naval gun system, and is fitted with a stern ramp capable of launching a small fast-interceptor boat.
Australia has selected the MH-60R Seahawk as its next generation of naval-combat helicopter. The aircraft, which already serve in the U.S. Navy, are expected to begin entering Australian service in 2014 with initial operational capability scheduled for around 2015. Australia’s 2009 Defence White Paper called for the acquisition of modern naval helicopters capable of conducting a wide range of maritime operations, including advanced antisubmarine warfare and the ability to launch air-to-surface missiles. The Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin–built MH-60R, which can carry the Mk-54 lightweight torpedo and Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, won a 15-month competitive acquisition process over the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) based largely on the fact that it was deemed a better value and lower risk than the competition. Twenty-four of these new helicopters ultimately will replace the existing Australian naval fleet of 16 S-70B-2 Seahawks, as well as the ill-fated SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite helicopter program, which was canceled in 2008.
Denmark’s new Iver Huitfeldt–class frigate, the Peter Willimoes, was fitted with her active phased-array radar (APAR) system in April. The APAR, also carried on board the Dutch De Zeven Provinciën– and German Sachsen-class frigates, is one of the most advanced air-defense sensors currently fitted on any warship in the world. Following successful installation of the radar at Odense Shipyard in Denmark, the warship underwent sea trials in the Baltic, as pictured here. One of the more notable aspects of the class is the fact that it can carry a number of modular mission payloads, similar in concept to the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship. The modular-payload system has found considerable success in the Danish fleet with modules being fitted on board a number of classes, including the Absalon class of flexible-support ships and the Flyvefisken class of multi-function patrol craft. The Peter Willemoes is the second of three 6,000-ton Iver Huitfeldt–class patrol frigates being built for the Royal Danish Navy, all of which are scheduled to be in service by 2014.