RN weapons

[ABBAFAN]

for those in the know a curiosity

are royal navy weapons such as sea wolf and sea dart still competetive in modern naval warfare as they are both fairly old now?

have they been upgraded since their inception?

how will the new type 45 destroyer compare to other navies?

[Deathblow]

The type 45 is probably one of the most advanced, if not the most advanced destroyers in the world. Proabably as capable a AAW platform as anyone would need except its overall missile capacity is not the best. Has onboard helo iirc so is probably as good a ASW platform as any, IMHO. Not sure how fast it is.

[TLAM Strike]

Well the Type 45 is a huge improvement over the Type 42 I don't think it beats the Flight II Arleigh Burke AEGIS Destroyers in some areas. The ASTER 30 isn't quite up to capabilities of the SM-2 and is nowhere near the SM-3. The 45 has 8 fewer VLS cells and no ESSM capablity, no ASROCs or torpedo launchers and has space for only one Lynx compared to the two Seahawks on the Burke.

Of course the RN doesn’t have the huge budget to build the overwhelming ships like we do.

Still a damn fine warship. I wouldn’t mind having it in my task force.

[TteFAboB]

As long as all the enemy has is a suicidal raft, all you need are 50 cals!

[TLAM Strike]

I thought RN ships mount M61 cannons? :hmm:

At least that’s what I saw in that “Bohemian Rhapsody� vid the crew of that Type 22 filmed.

[lesrae]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

I thought RN ships mount M61 cannons? :hmm:

At least that’s what I saw in that “Bohemian Rhapsody� vid the crew of that Type 22 filmed.

Do you mean the Phalanx - it uses the M61?
For general self-defence use the 7.62 GPMG would probably be mounted on the railings. I'll have to take a look at the video again.

Edit: I see what you mean, the RN must have bought them from the US for self defence.

[ABBAFAN]

suppose the uk had to rely on the old 22 and 42 how threatening are they to other modern navies?are they still sort of top end?

[Kapitan]

Type 22 Frigate is acctualy larger than the type 42 destroyers, they are very powerful units even though old the type 22 is an excelent vessel they can double up as destroyers because of thier sheer fire power and size.

Type 42's are old but still very very effective, back in the 1991 gulf war it was a type 42 who fired and shot down two missiles fired from the iranians i believe directly at the US battle ship iowa, the most modern US navy ships failed to detect or engauge this threat.

Type 23's again are heavily armed infact they are over armed for what we need sea wolf harpoon's they make a perfect small frigate / escort ship (which is why they seen as over armed).

Both type 23 and 42's are routinely deployed to escort american warships the ones in the gulf right now are probably escorting american carriers, so they are not past it just yet.

Also did you know british SSN's can carry Exocet missiles?

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by ABBAFAN

suppose the uk had to rely on the old 22 and 42 how threatening are they to other modern navies?are they still sort of top end?

I would say that the Batch 3 Type 22s are still a fairly good ship as the British design philosophy goes. They can carry two Lynx helos and have 8 harpoons but their air defense is mostly aimed at self-defense unlike USN Frigates which were (until recently) designed to be intergraded in to a battle group’s air defense system. Still a handy ship but I'm not sure how far upgrades could make them last.

The Type 42 Batch 3s might still be a good ship if they were outfitted with the Seawolf missiles that was planed. As you might remember in the Falklands war other than their Sea Darts they hand no other air defenses besides than some old WWII AA guns so the Seawolf SAMs would have made a good addition to its air defenses, which now included 2 CIWS. Although I doubt even with a few upgrades they could last much longer, they are already a cramped ship and adding more gear will just exacerbate that. I think its time to let them go.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Kapitan

Type 42's are old but still very very effective, back in the 1991 gulf war it was a type 42 who fired and shot down two missiles fired from the iranians i believe directly at the US battle ship iowa, the most modern US navy ships failed to detect or engauge this threat.

Acutely the US ships detected them and deployed countermeasures.

And our FFG successfully engaged the countermeasures with its CIWS...

… Hay we all have bad days…

[Deathblow]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Acutely the US ships detected them and deployed countermeasures.

And our FFG successfully engaged the countermeasures with its CIWS...

Isn't this one of the reaons that some of the latter model burkes and the DDX don't have CIWS equipped? The effectiveness and reliability of the system pretty much sank after such an obvious botched performance.

[lesrae]

Originally Posted by Kapitan

Also did you know british SSN's can carry Exocet missiles?

Where did you get that one from mate?

[Kapitan]

In time of war the exocet can be can launched the british have fired exocets seeing as the british contractor BAe makes them or part of them and part own the company that manafactures them it means the royal navy do have an option to build them into new submarines.

Exocet is also mounted on type 22 frigates or did do.

I have a good friend who builds the exocet at BAe basildon.

[ABBAFAN]

I thought exocet was obsolecent.

[Abraham]

I think the same...