Oto Melara 127/64 LW naval gun system onboard Italian Navy FREMM FrigatePicture: Oto Melara |
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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 |
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Oto
Melara video on 127/64 LW Vulcano naval gun system |
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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.
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 57mm
MK110 Naval Gun System on BAE Systems booth at Sea Air Space 2015 |
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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. |
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Video:
BAE Systems Bofors 57mm Mk 3 Gun with 3P Ammunition |
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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. |
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 The
BAE Systems Mk45 Mod 4 main gun is being fitted on all new-built (or upgraded)
US Navy destroyers and cruisers |
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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. |
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Video:
BAE Systems Mk45 Mod 4 naval gun system |
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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.
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 The
FTI may look somewhat similar to this computer rendering. (Image source:
Thales video on the new Sea
Fire 500 AESA radar) |
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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. |
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Oto Melara, Bofors and BAE Systems Inc all in Technical Talks with DCNS Regarding FTI Frigates
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