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Combat Fleets

By Eric Wertheim
September 2016
Proceedings
Vol. 142/9/1,363
Article
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In late April the Algerian National Navy commissioned the newly built frigate Erradii, the first of at least two German-designed and -constructed MEKO A-200-class warships planned for the North African nation. The MEKO A-200s are similar to the 3,600-ton (full load) Amatola (Valour) class built in the early 2000s for the South African Navy. The Algerian variants reportedly will carry a diverse mix of advanced international weapons, including Swedish RBS-15 Mk-3 antiship missiles, Franco-Italian MU-90 antisubmarine-warfare torpedoes, South African Umkhonto-IR surface-to-air missiles, an Italian 5-inch gun, and the German MASS soft-kill decoy launcher. The warships also will be fitted with the Sea Giraffe AMB 3-D surveillance radar and Kingklip hull-mounted sonar. Algeria recently ordered six Super Lynx 300 naval helicopters for use on board the Erradii and her sister, which is expected to enter service in 2017. Two additional units may be ordered in the near future.


In August the Bangladesh Coast Guard took delivery of its first two refurbished Minerva-class corvettes transferred from the Italian Navy. The Syed Nazrul (ex-Minerva), pictured here, and Tajuddin (ex-Sibilla) were retired from the Marina Militare in May 2015 after more than 25 years of service. These 284-foot corvettes originally were built between 1985 and 1991 by Fincantieri at the Riva Trigoso shipyard. While in Italian service the Minervas displaced 1,285 tons fully loaded and each was armed with a 3-inch gun forward, although the weapons appear to have been removed prior to transfer. The class was designed to conduct surveillance, coastal escort, fisheries patrol and Exclusive Economic Zone protection, training, search-and-rescue duties, and humanitarian-assistance operations along the Italian coastline. They can be expected to conduct similar missions for the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The corvettes will be joined in 2017 by two sister ships, the ex-Danaide and ex-Urania, which were retired from the Italian fleet in May 2016.


This past spring France received the first of four new 2,000-ton multi-mission ships built for overseas patrol and support operations. The D’Entrecasteaux, pictured here, namesake of the class, arrived at her new home port of Nouméa, New Caledonia, in late July. Sister ships the Bougainville and Champlain are expected to enter service by 2017 and will be based respectively in French Polynesia and La Réunion. The first batch of three vessels was ordered in December 2013. A contract for the fourth ship of the class, to be based at Martinique, is expected by late 2017. With a crew of 20, the 213-foot D’Entrecasteaux and her sisters are expected to operate at sea for a minimum of 200 days per year. Known by the abbreviation B2M (Bâtiment Multi-Mission) in French service, the class has a top speed of 15 knots and endurance of 30 days. Each will carry two .50-caliber guns.


Mr. Wertheim, a defense consultant in the Washington, D.C., area, is author of the 16th edition of The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, available from the Naval Institute Press (see www.usni.org).

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