Armée danoise/Danish Defence(Forsvaret)

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LOCKHEED MARTIN AND TERMA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE MARITIME HELICOPTER OPPORTUNITY IN DENMARK

LONDON, September 8th, 2009 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and Danish aerospace and defense company Terma A/S today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities associated with the potential sale of the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R multimission helicopter to the Danish Government.

The agreement, announced at the Defence Systems & Equipment International exhibition, follows the Danish Government’s June 2009 authorization to procure new ship-based helicopters to support Royal Danish Navy vessels operating in the North Atlantic and internationally. The U.S. Navy’s MH-60R multimission helicopter is a candidate solution for these maritime operations.

“Lockheed Martin and Terma will combine our complementary experience and skills sets should the Danish Government procure the U.S. Navy’s most advanced maritime helicopter,” said Marillyn Hewson, president of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY. “Together, we can offer the Danish Armed Forces high quality technological and support services required to ensure mission and flight readiness of the MH-60R across the 30-year life of the aircraft.”

“Lockheed Martin and Terma share a long and beneficial history of working together in a close partnership, which includes the F-16, C-130 and F-35 programs," said Terma President and CEO Jens Maaløe. "We are therefore very happy and proud, that today with this MOU we extend this cooperation to also include Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego. We very much look forward to combining both companies’ core capabilities on the Danish Maritime Helicopter program, and to investigating a number of other exciting business opportunities.”

Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego is the rotary wing center of excellence for Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company has more than 35 years of experience as a leading mission systems integrator of maritime helicopters, including the British Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk 1 helicopter fleet, and two generations of U.S. Navy helicopters, the SH-60B and the MH-60R.

The MH-60R airframe is designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, with mission systems integration by Lockheed Martin. To date, the two companies have delivered 36 MH-60R aircraft to the U.S. Navy. In July, 2009, a U.S. Navy squadron of 11 MH-60R aircraft completed its first at-sea deployment during six months in the western Pacific with the USS John C. Stennis carrier strike group.

The U.S. Navy has established four of ten planned MH-60R squadrons, and intends to purchase 300 MH-60R aircraft over the next decade. Production plans include capacity for concurrent international sales.

The MH-60R replaces the U.S. Navy’s current fleet of SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters as part of the U.S. Navy’s strategy to reduce different type, model and series maritime helicopters with multi-mission platforms. The MH-60R can perform a wide range of missions from its primary missions of anti-submarine and surface warfare to secondary missions such as search and rescue, vertical replenishment, naval surface fire support, medical evacuation and communications and data relay.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/0909si_terma.html

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Denmark orders third Knud Rasmussen Artic OPV

http://soldaternyt.dk/2013/12/04/for....4kn2LVuH.dpbs

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Le Danemark fournira ses navires et aéronefs pour faire sortir des armes de Syrie  

Le gouvernement danois a soumis à l'examen un projet de résolution au Parlement demandant la participation à la sortie des armes chimiques de Syrie.

Il s’agit d’une opération dano-norvégienne visant à aider l'Organisation pour l’interdiction des armes chimiques (OIAC) et l’ONU, dirigée par le Danemark.

Ce pays a l'intention de fournir 1-2 navires cargos pour faire sortir des armes, notamment la frégate Esbern Snare, l’avion C- 130 Hercules, les forces spéciales et 20 soldats danois.

Le Danemark tente d’allouer 10,9-12,7 millions de dollars de fonds budgétaires.

Il est prévu que l'opération se poursuivra 75 jours.


HDMS Esbern Snare (L17) wikipedia.org  

http://opexnews.over-blog.com/2013/12/le-danemark-fournira-ses-navires-et-a%C3%A9ronefs-pour-faire-sortir-des-armes-de-syrie.html  

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Danish Leopard II tanks provided a good deterrent; Crown copyright  

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Thales Active Phased Array Radar excels in ESSM firings from new Danish Frigate

The trial, executed on 21 November 2013, consisted of four Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) being directed by APAR to four targets. The trial was successful: all launched missiles performed a successful intercept. In the first part of the trial, a Banshee drone was eliminated by a missile launched by the new Royal Danish Navy Frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (Iver Huitfeldt-class).
With pinpoint accuracy APAR guided the missile to the target, resulting in a successful threat elimination. Subsequently, three Banshee drones were launched simultaneously, necessitating the launch and guidance of three missiles. Thanks to APAR’s unique Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination technology, enabling the simultaneous guidance of multiple missiles to various targets; this part of the trial was also successful.

The trials were performed at the Missile Test Range off the Scottish coast in the Atlantic Ocean. HDMS Peter Willemoes was escorted by HDMS Niels Juel.

Gerben Edelijn, Thales Nederland’s CEO says: “This excellent result proves that Thales’ APAR and the unique technology are the standard in missile guidance.”

HDMS Peter Willemoes is one of the three Iver Huitfeldt class air defence frigates of the Royal Danish Navy. The other two ships are HDMS Iver Huitfeldt and HDMS Niels Juel. These ships share their Anti-Warfare suite with the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provincien-class frigates and the German Navy’s Sachsen-class frigates. The Thales sensors of this suite include the long range surveillance radar SMART-L and the multi-function radar APAR.

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Denmark selects M60E6 as new LMG  


Denmark has selected the US Ordnance M60E6 as the Royal Danish Army's new light machine gun. Source: Royal Danish Army


The Danish Defence Forces (Forsvaret) have selected the US Ordnance M60E6 machine gun (MG) to replace its ageing LMG m/62 (Rheinmetall MG3) 7.62 mm squad support weapons, it was announced on 7 March.

The M60E6 is the latest generation of the M60, first adopted by the US Army in 1957. The US weapon was selected over the Heckler & Koch HK121 I ('Infanterie'), a squad support variant of the German HK121 general purpose machine gun, following a trial programme.

The delivery of the first M60E6 MGs, to be called LMG m/14 in Danish service, is expected by the end of 2014.

The price of the contract and the exact number of MG's to be purchase was not disclosed by the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistic Agency (Forsvarets Materieltjeneste - FMT). However, the original December 2012 tender called for approximately 700 MGs, plus accessories, spare parts and initial training. The selection provides a framing agreement, plus an option for the purchase of additional MGs. The estimated cost of programme is EUR12 million (USD16.6 million) for weapons, spare parts, accessories, and training.

The Royal Danish Army's experiences in Afghanistan made reduced weight and high mobility key factors for a new squad MG, with the replacement programme's four main requirements being weight, ergonomics, firepower and accuracy. Integration with the Royal Danish Army's current equipment, including the m/12 ballistic protection vest, was also included in the evaluation process.

The M60E6 is 2.25 kg lighter than the m/62 (9.35 kg, compared to 11.6 kg), while that weight is better distributed. The 500-650 round per minute (RPM) cyclic rate is also half the 1200-1300 RPM of the m/62. This allows for the firing of single rounds, with trigger discipline, greater accuracy and better weapon control in all shooting positions (including kneeling or standing), which is of increased importance in modern combat scenarios.

The M60E6 can be equipped with different barrel lengths and a sound suppressor. The MG is equipped with several standard 1913 NATO Accessory Rails for additional equipment.

The new MG will be used as a squad support weapon, with the older LMG m/62 remain in service with second-line units and as a vehicle-mounted machine gun, where weapon weight is not important.

Denmark is also in the process of selecting additional equipment for the new MG, including: daylight optics; night thermal sight; red dot; laser designator; laser rangefinder; and laser boresight. The selection is expected this year, with first additional equipment to be delivered in 2015.

http://www.janes.com/article/35157/denmark-selects-m60e6-as-new-lmg  

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DALO completes C-Guard sea acceptance trials onboard HDMS Niels Juel


The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) has successfully completed the sea acceptance test for the Terma-built C-Guard decoy launching system onboard Ivar Huitfeldt-class vessel HDMS Niels Juel (F363).

Designed for naval platforms to defeat stream attack with multiple missiles and torpedoes from multiple directions, the C-Guard system can effectively counter advanced threats such as small-range gate radio frequency (RF) missiles, imaging InfraRed (IR) seeker missiles, and advanced next-generation torpedoes.

The trials involved a full functional and operational system test including a full integration test with a Terma C-Flex combat management system.

A live firing exercise with an Mk214 Seagnat 130mm chaff seduction round as well as Mk 216 advanced chaff distraction round decoy ammunition was also conducted as part of the test.

Originally developed to protect naval platforms against airborne threats, C-Guard is currently operational with more than 15 navies around the world.

The Ivar Huitfeldt-class vessels are powered by four main MTU 20V 8000 M70 diesel engines and are armed with a Lockheed Martin mk41 multimissile vertical launch system (VLS) for the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) and SM-2 IIIA missile.

Built by Odense Steel Shipyard for the Royal Danish Navy, the ships are equipped with separate filters to protect the crew against chemical, radioactive or biological weapon attacks and airlocks are provided between them.

With the completion of SAT, C-Guard is now operational on the two Royal Danish Navy's Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates HDMS Peter Willemoes and HDMS Niels Juel. The Danish Navy is planning to conduct a similar test later this year for HDMS Iver Huitfeldt.

http://www.naval-technology.com

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Denmark to send six fighter jets to Baltics in May


(Reuters) - Denmark is to send six F16 fighter jets to the Baltic countries Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to help patrol their airspace, Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard said.

Patrols will begin on May 1 and will be part of an expanded NATO air policing mission to reassure eastern members of the alliance following Moscow's annexation of Crimea after a referendum in the peninsula on joining Russia from Ukraine.

"This is a signal especially to the Baltic countries that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them and of course also a signal to Russia that we take NATO seriously," Lidegaard said after a meeting of parliament's foreign policy committee on Thursday.

Since the Baltic states joined NATO in 2004 several members of the alliance have made ​​aircraft and personnel available to monitor and enforce sovereignty of their air space.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that NATO needed to boost its presence in eastern European countries that feel vulnerable to Russia after the Crimea annexation.

Moscow says the people of Crimea exercised their right to self determination.

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Denmark Kicks Off Fighter Contest

Denmark has fired the starting pistol in its contest for a new fighter aircraft, sending out requests for information to four manufacturers.

Officials from the New Combat Aircraft Program have sent what they call Requests for Binding Information (RBI) to Boeing for the F/A-18F Super Hornet, to Eurofighter for the Typhoon, to Lockheed Martin for the F-35A and to Saab for the Gripen E, as the country looks to replace its aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons. Dassault and its Rafale have not been invited.

Candidates are expected to return the information in July, with officials due to make a selection on the aircraft in mid-2015 based on the platform’s ability to be updated during its operational life, its operations and maintenance costs, and also a willingness by the companies to develop industrial relationships with Danish industry.

The new aircraft are likely to enter service between 2020-2024, by which time the Danish F-16s will be up to 45 years old.

“This is a comprehensive and detailed information gathering to help provide the New Combat Aircraft Program with the best possible data base to analyze and evaluate the candidate aircraft on the various assessment areas,” Danish officials say.

Copenhagen announced in March last year that as part of its defense plan 2013-2017, it would embark on a search for a new fighter aircraft, an initiative originally started in 2005 but shelved in 2010.

Denmark is already a Level 3 signatory to the Joint Strike Fighter program, having signed up in 2002. Indeed, one of its F-16Bs is stationed at Edwards AFB, Calif., to support the aircraft’s flight test program. But being a signatory to the program does not oblige it to purchase the aircraft, and Danish industry has reportedly expressed disappointment about the amount of business won from the F-35 program.

Meanwhile, Boeing is planning to send the Super Hornet to the Royal Danish Air Force’s main airshow at Karup, Denmark on June 22.

http://www.aviationweek.com

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Gripen : Saab renonce au Danemark

Le 22/07/2014 à 18h59, par François Julian


Le démonstrateur Gripen NG, précurseur des Gripen E et F. © SAAB

L'agence suédoise en charge des exportations d'armements (FXM, ou Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency) a annoncé hier, 21 juillet, que Saab ne participerait pas à l'appel d'offres du Danemark pour l'acquisition d'un nouvel avion de combat.

Il était prévu que la Suède propose à son voisin scandinave d'acquérir des Gripen E, les mêmes que ceux que le Brésil a prévu d'acheter.

Trois autres constructeurs ont répondu à cet appel d'offres : Lockheed Martin avec le F-35, Boeing avec le F/A-18E/F Super Hornet et Airbus Defence & Space avec l'Eurofighter.

Il est prévu que le Copenhague fasse son choix l'an prochain, pour ce futur avion qui doit remplacer le F-16 dans la force aérienne danoise.

Si l'agence FXM ne le précise pas, il semble pour autant que ce soit la présence du F-35 sur cette même compétition qui pousse Saab à se retirer du jeu. Le Danemark est en effet un partenaire industriel du programme F-35, ce qui place ce dernier comme grand favori. Il en allait de même en Norvège et aux Pays-Bas où le Gripen fut proposé, et le F-35 sorti victorieux.

Si Saab renonce à ce prospect, le constructeur sudéois peut toujours compter sur la signature prochaine du contrat pour la vente de 36 Gripen E au Brésil, ainsi que la livraison de 60 avions du même type à la force aérienne suédoise.

Si le Gripen essuie quelques revers sur les marchés export, il n'en reste pas moins qu'il sera le premier avion de combat moderne sur lequel le missile Meteor de MBDA sera intégré.

La production en série de ce dernier a officiellement commencée le 10 juillet dernier. Il sera déclaré opérationnel sur le Gripen suédois entre 2014 et 2015, par l'intermédiaire du standard MS20 (Material Standard 20). Deux tirs d'essais eurent lieu en mars, dans le polygone de Vidsel en Suède.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/2014/07/22/24047-gripen-saab-renonce-au-danemark

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Typhoon fighter proposed to replace F-16 fleet

Airbus Defence and Space has submitted its bid in response to the Danish Ministry of Defence´s tender for the replacement of Denmark´s fleet of F-16 fighters. On behalf of Eurofighter it confirms that the Eurofighter Typhoon meets all of Denmark´s requirements for its future fighter.

Eurofighter Typhoon is combat proven and 100 percent-integrated within NATO. A partnership within the Eurofighter community exists for the entire life of the aircraft, which will be the next 40-50 years. This would allow Denmark to have a modern well-equipped combat aircraft that can perform all necessary tasks and missions. The many Typhoon aircraft in the neighbouring area also means that the cost of spare parts, operation and maintenance as well as development and upgrade will be kept to a minimum - and that Denmark's participation in international missions will take place together with Typhoons from other European NATO member countries. After the delivery to the Ministry on Monday 21 July, Uli Fingerle, Eurofighter campaign director said: “It gives us great pleasure to offer Denmark our proposal for the most advanced multi-role/swing-role aircraft currently available. We are convinced that, with its strong partnership between European nations and more than 400 aircraft already in service, Eurofighter is the rational choice for Denmark.”

http://www.airbusgroup.com

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 Danish F-16 pilot makes the high-level demo flight

One of the two Danish F-16 show pilots make the high-level demo flight. High-Level
used when the weather is clear, while a Low-Level variant used if the weather is not
so good. During the show comes plane lash up the speed of sound, pulling 9g and ends
to rise almost vertically to 10 km altitude. Fireballs as the pilot shoots of the flares, which
are usually used to divert heat-seeking missiles.


Danish F-16 pilot makes the high-level demo flight par WorldsArmedForces

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Denmark says to send seven F-16s to Iraq: PM

(Reuters) - Denmark will send seven F-16 fighter jets to Iraq as part of the U.S. coalition to dislodge Islamic State extremists, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said on Friday.

She told a news conference she received an official request for assistance from the United States on Thursday evening.

"The government is therefore ready to quickly send seven F-16 fighter jets to the operation," Thorning-Schmidt said.

She said she expected the Danish parliament to approve the country's participation next week, and the planes would start operating right away. The planes will serve only over Iraqi airspace, and not over Syria, she said.

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Danish AW101 damaged in Afghan mishap


One of Denmark’s AgustaWestland AW101 transport helicopters has been damaged in a landing incident in Afghanistan, the nation’s defence ministry has confirmed.

An aircraft operating from Mazar-e-Sharif air base ended up on its side after a landing incident away from the site, the defence ministry said in a 12 October statement. The crew and personnel aboard the aircraft escaped without suffering serious injury, but the aircraft was seriously damaged, it adds.

Germany’s defence ministry says the incident occurred at around 22:00h local time on 11 October, with one of its soldiers having been among those injured. The incident happened around 13km east of Mazar-e-Sharif during a landing exercise, it says, with six personnel having been onboard.



AgustaWestland

Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets database records the Royal Danish Air Force as having 14 AW101s, which it records as having been built between 2005 and 2009. Its aircraft are each powered by three Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 turboshaft engines, and have a maximum take-off weight of around 14.6t.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Ajoutée le 25 nov. 2014

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index....
TenCate Advanced Armour has secured an order from the Danish Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) for
ballistic protection of the Iver Huitfeldt class frigates and Absalon class support ships of the Royal Danish Navy. The
armour systems to be supplied will provide a fully engineered, lightweight solution for the protection of mission-critica
l areas of the Navy ships. The modular armour kits will be supplied and installed on the ships over the next months.

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Danish army operates Puma UAV in civilian overland exercise

The Danish army has flown its combat-proven AeroVironment RQ-20A Puma AE unmanned air vehicle in overland civilian airspace for the first time, during a domestic multinational exercise with the UK and USA.

Exercise White Sword began in early December, and saw the Danish 2 Brigade use the surveillance UAV for the first time overland outside of Afghanistan.

The UAV was flown over southern Zealand, Denmark’s largest island. It had previously been flown over water near Bornholm – another Danish island – although the risks associated with flying the UAV in non-military airspace overland are far greater.

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Danish defence ministry

According to the Danish army, frequency challenges previously prevented civilian overland flights with the UAV, limiting it to operations in military flight zones only/ However, the go-ahead was given for the White Sword exercise.

"We have good experience from both Afghanistan and here at home,” Sgt Panikovski, group leader of the Danish army’s human intelligence and UAS company, says. “It's an easy drone to fly and we can switch between normal camera and thermal without having to take the drone down. We are working to support the units in various fields.”

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Danish defence ministry

White Sword sought to test the interoperability between NATO and allied nations, and included military exercises in mainland Denmark followed by interaction of the three forces with civilian role-players, in order to gain situational awareness in Zealand.

The exercise will run from 1-10 December, having started at Oksbol in mainland Denmark, and will end at Vordingborg in Zealand.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Qui succédera aux M113 danois? Nexter s'allie avec Hydrema pour la production du VBCI



Dans un post de lundi, je faisais part du projet australien de remplacement des M113 de l'armée de terre. Les forces armées danoises ont lancé un programme similaire pour la fourniture de blindés de combat pour l'infanterie. Les besoins sont estimés à près de 400 unités dans des versions chenillées et à roues (8x8).

DALO_1.jpgSont actuellement dans la course le CV90 Armadilllo de BAE Systems, l'ASCOD de General Dynamics European Land Systems et le G5 de FFG Flensburger pour les chenillés. Du côté des véhicules à roues, deux ont été retenus: le Piranha V de General Dynamics et le VBCI de Nexter. Tous ces engins ont été soumis à une batterie de 375 test en 2013.

L'entreprise française vient d'annoncer un accord de partenariat avec Hydrema.

Dans un communiqué de ce mardi, Nexter explique qu'il "assistera Hydrema dans la mise en place et l'exploitation d'une ligne de production ultramoderne dans son usine de Støvring, qui assurera l'assemblage final et l'intégration du VBCI (Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie) danois, si ce dernier venait à être sélectionné par l'organisation d'acquisition et de logistique de la Défense du Danemark (DALO)".

Par ailleurs, "Hydrema assurera également le support logistique au niveau national du canon automoteur CAESAR® de Nexter dans l'éventualité où il serait sélectionné par l'organisation DALO dans le cadre de son processus de mise en concurrence des fabricants de systèmes d'artillerie."


http://lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr/archive/2014/12/16/qui-succedera-aux-m113-danois-nexter-s-allie-avec-hydrema-13123.html

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Tir à Copenhague: trois policiers blessés.

Trois policiers qui gardaient la sécurité sur le débat sur le blasphème et la liberté d'expression à Copenhague, ont été blessées, lorsque deux hommes armés inconnus ont tenté de percer à l'événement. En ce moment, les attaquants retrouvent. Au cours de tir les pirates ont publié pas moins de 40 balles. Lors de l'événement, a prononcé l'artiste suédois Lars Vilks, célèbre pour ses caricatures du prophète Mahomet.

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La police danoise a jailli d'un suspect

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La police danoise a indiqué les données tué un suspect.

La police danoise a rapporté quelques données à propos d'un homme qui est soupçonné, a organisé samedi une fusillade dans un centre culturel et de la synagogue de la capitale du pays. Le suspect, qui a été tué dimanche dans une fusillade avec la police, a été de 22 ans, originaire de Copenhague. Comme il est rapporté, il était connu de la police dans le cadre de sa participation aux groupes criminels. Il avait été condamné pour des faits illicites, liés à la violence, ainsi que pour des opérations illégales d'armes.

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LCS Versus the Danish Strawman

Many critics have assailed the Littoral Combatant Ship (LCS) program for its high cost in comparison with foreign, supposedly better armed and equipped equivalents. The Danish Iver Huitfeldt and Absalon class frigates are often cited as examples of cheaper, more capable small combatants in comparison with LCS. These claims are not well researched and are based on isolated points of data rather than any systemic analysis. Other nations may be able to build relatively cheap warships, but hidden factors not discussed by critics, rather than U.S. shipbuilding and general acquisition deficiencies make this possible. The Danish Navy, in conjunction with corporate giant A.P. Moeller have produced an outstanding series of warships, but a direct comparison between them with the LCS is one of apples verses oranges. It’s time to stop using this inaccurate strawman argument against LCS.

The direct comparison of the Danish frigates to LCS is highly misleading due to significant differences in Danish shipbuilding practice and financial accounting. The Danish “StanFlex” system of “plug and play” weapons, sensors and equipment (including cranes!) officially separates these components from the advertised cost of the ship. A 2006 RAND report on the rise in warship costs specifically identified such systems as the principal drivers of warship cost inflation. The Danish concept of separating these more costly systems from their hull gives the appearance of a much less expensive warship. The ships were often accepted by the Danish Navy in an incomplete condition. The Danish Nils Juel, for example, was delivered in 2014 with 76mm guns scavenged from decommissioned ships. Danish figures suggest that the Iver Huitfeldt program used $209 million in reused equipment from scrapped vessels. Reuse, however, could not meet all system requirements. The planned 127mm (5 inch) gun system was deemed too expensive at $50 million a copy. The ship’s close-in weapon system mount was actually a dummy, wooden weapon due to a lack of certification. While equipped with a MK 41 vertical launch missile system (VLS), the ship deployed to the fall 2014 U.S. Bold Alligator exercise without the system certified for use or weapons purchased for eventual outfitting. That same reporting indicated that the ship was delivered with its damage control system incomplete and lacking a secondary steering control center. Much of the ship is built to merchant ship standards which are not as robust as those traditionally provided to warships. In addition, the Danish ship was forced to take on nearly 20 extra crew members when the lean 100 person complement was found insufficient for operational needs.

The Absalon class is more akin to a heavily armed, limited load amphibious ship rather than a surface combatant. It combines a number of warfare and expeditionary capabilities on a single hull, but excels at none of them. It is also significantly slower (at 24 knots maximum speed) than most other surface combatants. Both Absalon and her sister Esbern Snare were also delivered without their full installation of weapons and sensors. In the case of Absalon, this process took over three years. The Danish Navy has been open in regards to these conditions. U.S. advocates of adopting the Absalon or Iver Huitfeldt classes almost always overlook them.

The LCS, by contrast is delivered with significant systems such as its 57mm gun and point defense missile system incorporated into the overall cost. Scavenging of weapons from previous U.S. ships is extremely difficult due to a constant process of upgrades over time. Weapon systems, like ships also have service lives and U.S. ships being decommissioned often have equally aged weapons and supporting electrical, hydraulic and mechanical systems that make a re-installation not cost effective. Unlike the Absalon class which is not equipped to master any one warfare area in any of its configurations, the LCS can be exclusively equipped to master one such discipline. It is purposely designed to operate in tailored flotillas designed to mitigate the risks incurred by one ship like Absalon. Critics often fail to note that both Iver Huitfeldt and Absalon are nearly twice the size of LCS. Neither has the speed requirements that drove initial LCS design considerations. The size difference alone may explain the Danish ships’ much longer endurance. These differences in Danish and U.S. practices make comparisons difficult at best.

Finally, the Danish Navy contracted the building of both the Iver Huitfeldt and Absalon classes to a single firm, the A.P. Moeller Corporation. This multinational giant derives the vast bulk of its earnings from the more stable commercial market and its warship business is not dependent on government orders, which causes instability and cost overruns in its production process. By contrast, U.S. LCS shipbuilders Lockheed Martin and Austal serve government interests much more than private ones and are more dependent on government contracts to maintain stability in their operations. The 2006 RAND report also identified this process of divided warship construction as another factor in the increased cost of surface combatants.

The LCS program has been beset with a number of technological and systemic problems since its inception that have slowed the program’s progress and likely contributed to some cost overruns. On the surface, the Iver Huitfeldt and Absalon class frigates would appear to be cost effective alternatives to the LCS. Deeper investigation, however, reveals how the Danes achieved these substantially lower figures by separating higher cost equipment from that of the platform, scavenging weapons from decommissioned ships, accepting incomplete warships for service, and purchasing these vessels from a single, robust commercial shipbuilder not dependent on or affected by unstable government ship acquisition processes. In summary, these classes meet Denmark’s needs, but are an unsuitable substitute for U.S. Navy small combatants. LCS critics, however, should not use the Danish ships as strawman LCS substitutes. It is a most unequal comparison.

Steve Wills is a retired surface warfare officer and a PhD student in military history at Ohio University. His focus areas are modern U.S. naval and military reorganization efforts and British naval strategy and policy from 1889-1941.
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