The Danish Navy’s two-ship Absalon class has earned a well-deserved reputation for being among the most flexible designs afloat. As the Danish fleet rebalanced after the end of the Cold War, its leaders anticipated greater participation in international operations. This led to a requirement for warships that were larger, multipurpose, and longer-range to operate far from Danish home waters. The Absalon and her sister Esbern Snare were conceived at the dawn of the 21st century to reflect this thinking.
Production on the two ships began at Odense, Denmark, in 2003. The ships were launched the following year and commissioned in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Displacing 6,300 tons fully loaded, the two warships were built using the “Standard Flex” concept, which enables unique plug-and-play utility. The ships are 449 feet long with a beam of 64 feet and a draft of 21 feet. Each ship incorporates a 9,687-square-feet flex-deck with a 37 TEU-sized cargo hold. Side and stern ramps enable the embarkation of troops, equipment, and heavy vehicles, including main battle tanks. Two nine-passenger SRC-90E assault landing craft and two rigid-hull inflatable boats can be operated from the ships. An operating room and hospital facilities are available and can be expanded.
The Absalon class is powered by two diesels providing a maximum speed of roughly 23 knots, with a range of 9,000 nautical miles at 15 knots. A bow thruster is fitted for enhanced maneuverability. The ships typically operate with a crew of around 100, but they can accommodate up to 300 personnel.
The hull incorporates numerous signature-reduction features to decrease radar, infrared, and acoustic signatures. Primary ship sensors include the SMART-S 3-D radar for air and surface search and the ASO 94 hull-mounted sonar. Air-defense and antiship missile armament is located amidships at five flex positions. Sufficient space exists for up to three Mk 56 12-cell VLS launchers with a total of 36 Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, and 16 Harpoon Block II antiship missiles in four quadruple launchers.
Alternatively, the ships can be configured as minelayers to carry as many as 300 mines each. One multipurpose Mk 45 5-inch gun is fitted forward, and two 35-mm Millennium guns provide close-in weapons support. Two twin torpedo tubes with MU-90 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) torpedoes are carried on each side. Two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters can be housed in the hangar, and the landing deck is able to support large helicopters weighing up to 20 tons.
Previously dubbed flexible support ships, the Absalon and Esbern Snare have played a key role conducting a wide variety of missions in support of NATO and Danish interests, including many high-profile antipiracy operations off the Horn of Africa. In October 2020, the two ships were redesignated as antisubmarine warfare frigates and renumbered F-341 and F-342, respectively. Both frigates will be modernized for their new mission by 2026 with ASW enhancements, including a towed-array sonar.
