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Oto Melara, Bofors and BAE Systems Inc all in Technical Talks with DCNS Regarding FTI Frigates

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Naval Defense News - FTI Main Guns
 
 
 
Oto Melara, Bofors and BAE Systems Inc all in Technical Talks with DCNS Regarding FTI Frigates
 
By Xavier Vavasseur
While attending various defense exhibitions this Fall, it was brought to Navy Recognition's attention that the leading naval gun manufacturers all have started technical talks with DCNS on the future FTI frigates. The FTI will be a 4,000 tons class multi-role frigate developed from the design stage to answer French Navy needs as well as export customer requirements. According to DCNS, the FTI will benefit from the most advanced technology solutions, including planar array radar.
     
Oto Melara 127/64 LW naval gun system onboard Italian Navy FREMM Frigate Oto Melara 127/64 LW naval gun system onboard Italian Navy FREMM Frigate
Picture: Oto Melara
     
Oto Melara 127mm
Talking to Oto Melara representatives, Navy Recognition learned that the Italian company is proposing not only the 76mm gun (probably the most popular mount among European navies and already fitted on all DCNS-built FREMM Frigates) but is also having technical discussions about fitting the larger 127mm gun mount. While the 76mm would be a logical choice for the French Navy as it is already using this gun, Oto Melara believes an FTI with 127mm would be perfect to answer some export (non-French) requirements.

Update 10/11/2015: With a dry weight of 33,000 Kg, Oto Melara's 127/64 LW Vulcano system is the heaviest of all the gun mounts mentioned in this story
     
Oto Melara video on 127/64 LW Vulcano naval gun system
     
According to Oto Melara, the 127/64 LW is a state of art medium caliber gun suitable for installation on large and medium size ships and intended for surface fire and naval gunfire support as main role and anti-aircraft fire as secondary role. The compactness of the gun feeding system makes possible the installation on narrow section crafts. The 127mm VULCANO ammunition family, is composed by Ballistic Extended Range (BER) and Guided Long Range (GLR) ammunition with different multifunctional fuses, sensor and final guidance that extend the range of the gun up to 100km. The 127/64 LW VULCANO System is ITAR free and it has been currently selected by four customers: The Italian Navy (for the FREMM Frigates), the German Navy (for the F125 Frigates), the Algerian Navy (for the MEKO A200 Frigates) and the Indian Navy for the Shivalik class Frigates and the Delhi class Destroyers.
     
57mm MK110 Naval Gun System on BAE Systems booth at Sea Air Space 201557mm MK110 Naval Gun System on BAE Systems booth at Sea Air Space 2015
     
Bofors 57mm Mk3
Talking to BAE Systems Bofors representatives, Navy Recognition learned that the Swedish branch of BAE System is eager to see its 57mm gun fitted on the FTI, no only for the export market but for the French Navy too. While the 57mm Mk3 has shorter range than larger caliber guns, BAE Systems Bofors says the strength of this gun are higher rate of fire, similar class of warhead size (relative to 76mm) and affordability.
     
Video: BAE Systems Bofors 57mm Mk 3 Gun with 3P Ammunition
     
According to BAE Systems, the Bofors 57 mk3 naval gun system fires four rounds per second and can switch immediately between ammo types, including smart 3p all-target ammunition. This delivers seamless targeting of air, land and sea-based threats. The weapon is selected by and in service with a wide range of navies and coastguards, in the US, Canada, Sweden, Finland and Mexico. More recently, the Royal Malaysian Navy selected this gun from its future Gowind frigates (designed by DCNS).

In addition, BAE Systems Inc unveiled at Sea Air Space 2015 it is developing a new "One Shot One Kill" round for the 57mm gun. You can read our story at this link.
     
The BAE Systems Mk45 Mod 4 main gun is being fitted on all new-built (or upgraded) US Navy destroyers and cruisersThe BAE Systems Mk45 Mod 4 main gun is being fitted on all new-built (or upgraded) US Navy destroyers and cruisers
     
BAE Systems Inc Mk45 Mod 4
Finally, BAE Systems Inc also informed Navy Recognition that the US (Minnesota) based naval gun system branch started meeting with DCNS and the DGA (French procurement agency) to study the technical feasibility of fitting the Mark 45 5-inch gun mount on the FTI. Navy Recognition understands the Mark 45 is the heaviest of all the gun mounts mentioned in this story*, but BAE representatives stressed to us that Mark 45 guns have been fitted on smaller vessels in the past (compared to the expected 4,000 tons displacement of the FTI).


*Update 10/11/2015: This original statement was innacurate as BAE Systems' Mk 45 Mod 4 weight is 24,389 Kg, whereas Oto Melara's 127/64 LW Vulcano system dry weight is at 33,000 Kg.
     
Video: BAE Systems Mk45 Mod 4 naval gun system
     
According to the US Navy, the Mark 45 is designed to engage surface and air targets and to provide naval surface fire support for expeditionary operations. The MK 45 Mod 4 gun mount upgrade includes a longer barrel (62 caliber) that improves the gun's effectiveness as a land attack weapon (naval surface fire support). The Mark 45 is the main gun of all major surface combatants in over 10 fleets worldwide including the US Navy and JMSDF (Japan) fleets. It was recently selected as the main gun for the Royal Navy future Type 26 frigate.
     
At PACIFIC 2015, the international maritime exposition held recently in Sydney, DCNS was showcasing for the first time a scale model of its proposal for the Australian SEA1000 submarine design and procurement program. Based on the French Navy Barracuda SSN currently in final stage of construction, the Shorfin Barracuda is 3 meters shorter (93 meters) and 200 tons lighter (4,000 tons).The FTI may look somewhat similar to this computer rendering. (Image source: Thales video on the new Sea Fire 500 AESA radar)
     
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the start of the FTI program in May this year when while disclosing an update to the French Military Planning Law: The French Navy will receive 8 FREMM Frigates in total (while 11 of them were originally planned) and a new generation of frigates: the FTI (Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire or Midsize Frigate) will start being delivered in 2023 for a total of 5 hulls.

The new frigate, developed and built by DCNS, will be a 4,000 tons class front line warship. This frigate will have the advantages of modularity, robustness, ease of use and has an unrivaled operational capability on the market. Adapted to the needs of the French Navy and the navies of many countries, the new DCNS frigate benefit from the most advanced technology solutions, including planar array radar.

Contacted by Navy Recognition to inquire about these various ongoing technical talks, DCNS replied the following:
DCNS has not made a choice yet regarding the artillery of the future FTI. DCNS management (purchase department) develops its portfolio of potential industrial partners and regularly meets with suppliers. We currently are at the stage of "Risk Reduction Studies" and, therefore, it is quite premature to extrapolate on the equipment list of the FTI, given the current reflections between industry, the DGA and the French Navy.