Independence-class frigate

Independence-class Frigate

An Independence-class frigate of the Daoan Navy
Class overview
Builders:	Bao Marine
Operators:	Ankat People's Navy Royal Navy Daoan Navy Kainuinoan Navy Kajeran Navy
Preceded by:	Reform-class frigate
Subclasses:	Protector-class offshore patrol vessel
Cost:	$255 million per ship
Built:	2013 - Present
In commission:	2016 - Present
Planned:	17
On order:	3
Building:	2
Completed:	14
Cancelled:	2
Active:	1 Ankat Navy 7 Royal Navy 6 Daoan Navy X Kainuinoan Navy X Kajeran Navy
General characteristics
Type:	Guided Missile Frigate
Displacement:	Empty load: 2,650 tonnes Full load: 3,190 tonnes
Length:	112 m (367 ft 5 in)
Beam:	15 m (49 ft 3 in)
Draught:	4.38 m (14 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:	CODAD 2 x 16.1 MW (21.6 hp) BSY 9D diesel engines Total output: 32.2 MW (43,180 hp) 2 x propeller shafts, 5-bladed controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	In excess of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range:	6,210 nmi (12,000 km; 7,000 mi)
Endurance:	20 days at sea
Boats & landing craft carried:	2 x RHIB
Complement:	75 Personnel, excluding a 19-person air crew detachment.
Sensors and processing systems:	Combat Management System Bao Marine SMART Mk.30 CMS Radar Primary: RAS30 AESA air & surface radar Secondary: LS-9 SRR Fire Control System TK-4 fire control system Sonar Bao Marine SNR-360 hull mounted active/passive sonar Datalink Bao Marine GSS Datalink System IFF system Bao Marine GSS IFF System
Electronic warfare & decoys:	HSZ-100 radar warning receiver Defender-A radar jamming system Shadow Mk.3 ECM/ELINT Suite Flare FRS-T 130mm 12-tube decoy launcher
Armament:	Guns 1 x KYC 76mm Naval Gun 4 x 12.7mm GS-9 RCWS 1 x Shield 35mm CIWS Missiles & Rockets 1 x 16-cell VLS equipped with: SA-13 surface to air missile AW-10 anti-submarine rocket 2 x 4-barreled AS-19 subsonic cruise missile launchers OR 2 x 4-barreled AS-21 supersonic cruise missile launchers Torpedoes 2 x 3-barrel TP-9 lightweight torpedo launchers
Aircraft carried:	1 x V-11 Pelikan / D-20 Albatross
Aviation facilities:	Helicopter deck & hangar.

The Independence-class frigate (Daoan: Sự độc lập) is a class of stealth guided-missile frigates built for the Daoan Congressional Republic Navy and designed by the Daoan shipbuilder Bao Marine, based around its FSV (Famolavolana Sambo Modular) design family of naval vessels. The Independence-class frigates were designed as multi-mission vessels as its capabilities include anti-aircraft, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare roles and low radar observability. Its armaments include a 75mm rapid fire gun, four remotely operated 12.7mm machine gun platforms, a single 35mm close-in weapon system, surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine rockets & torpedoes launched via a 16-cell vertical launching system. It is also equipped with subsonic or supersonic cruise missiles that are launched via two 4-barreled launch tubes on both the starboard and port sides of the vessel. The ship's design was based around the principle of modular naval vessels which was meant to reduce cost and increase efficiency in construction & assembly. Ships of the class are poised to gradually replace the ageing Freedom-class destroyers that has been in service with the Daoan navy since 1991. The Independence-class is expected to fully replace the Freedom-class and become the mainstay of Daobac's active naval fleet by 2027. The Daoan Navy ordered a total of ten ships with the first ship of the Independence-class, the TCQ ''Trần Việt Thắng'', completed and commissioned in 13 April 2016. A total of six ships have been delivered by Bao Marine with a further four both on order and under construction. The Indepedence-class's modular design meant that it can be modified to fulfill other roles aside as a Frigate, with the Royal Navy of Brumen ordering both the standard Frigate and commissioning the creation of a patrol version of the Independence-class. Aside from the Daoan Navy, the Independence-class and its variants are also in service in the navies of Brumen, Ankat, Kainuinoa and Kajera.

Development

The success of the Unity-class corvettes prompted leadership elements within the Daoan Navy to rethink the type of hardware they should prioritize to procure. Prior to the acquisition of corvettes the Daoan Navy relied solely on the Freedom-class destroyers as the mainstay of its surface combatant force which had been in service since 1991 and required twice the amount of crew to operate it compared to the small but versatile corvettes. Priority shifted from large warships with raw firepower to smaller, lighter, mobile & versatile vessels. Although the Unity-class fulfilled this role the Navy is unable to use the Unity-class to replace the older and more heavily armed destroyers. Therefore in 2010 the Navy commissioned a study to design a multimission vessel that was lighter than a destroyer but more capable than a corvette. The study proposed various types of ships ranging from medium-sized littoral combat ships (LCS) which were essentially oversized corvettes, guided missile frigates and a new type of guided missile destroyers. The procurement of a new destroyer to entirely replace the navy's existing fleet of destroyers was deemed to be not in alignment with the Navy's goal of a surface force that is more mobile and versatile. Furthermore it does not address the requirement of having fewer crew members to operate the ship. This left the LCS and frigates as the two primary design contenders with the frigate option ultimately prevailing over the LCS. The frigates would become the primary surface combatant of the navy, supported by two dedicated anti-air destroyers to be procured at a later date to escort the navy's Dammay-class landing platform docks. A tender process was initiated in 2012 where Bao Marine, Khuat Shipyards alongside XXX from XXX proposed various frigate designs to the Daoan Navy to assess. Ultimately the design from Bao Marine was deemed to fulfill the Navy's requirements of a light, modular & multipurpose vessel. Furthermore Bao Marine, who was partook in the development & construction of the Unity-class corvettes, was able to reduce the estimated construction costs by utilizing or improving existing proven technologies & concepts that were applied to the corvette. The Daoan Ministry of National Security signed a procurement contract with Bao Marine in 2013 for the construction of six initial frigates with an option to increase the number of vessels in the future. Construction of the first vessel, the TCQ ''Trần Việt Thắng'' began in September 2013 at Bao Marine's Congvat-based shipyard. It was launched on 5 July 2015 with sea trials commencing a short time later. Sea trials concluded on February 2016 and the Trần Việt Thắng would be eventually completed and commissioned on 13 April 2016. Further vessels were commissioned on 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 respectively. On March 2021 the Daoan government, through the Ministry of National Security, ordered the procurement of a further four vessels. The Independence-class while initially meant to only augment the Freedom-class destroyers, proved itself to be a more reliable, cost-efficient and versatile vessel compared to the older destroyers. This has resulted in the Freedoms's fate being changed from partial to a full decomissioning of the Freedom-class destroyers.

Design

General Characteristics

The Independence-class is 112 m (367 ft 5 in) long and 15 m (49 ft 3 in) wide, with a displacement of 2,650 tonnes when empty and 3,190 tonnes when fully loaded by both crew and cargo. This places the Independence-class on the lighter scale of displacement of modern frigates, whose counterparts generally have a displacement between 3,200 to 6,000 tonnes. Its speed is in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), has a maximum range of 6,210 nmi (12,000 km; 7,000 mi) and it can operate independently without any logistical support for a period of 20 days before needing to refuel & resupply at a port. The Independence-class was designed as a modular vessel and as such it was built around six major modules which were constructed individually before being assembled together. Some of the key considerations of utilizing a modular design approach was to expadite the overall construction process reducing it from 4 to 3 years, reduce the number of material waste, permit the construction & assembly of modules to take place entirely indoors alllowing work to continue unimpeded regardless of weather conditions and increase the overall quality of the finished product due to the standardization methods required in module construction & assembly. Bao Marine also designed the ship in such a way that it can be repurposed as an entirely different type of vessel, depending on the requirements of the customer. Propulsion is provided by a combined diesel–electric and gas propulsion system. The ship is powered by two BSY 9D diesel engines where each provided 3.7 MW (4,961 hp), two BSY 10F electric motors each providing 2.1 MW (2,816 hp) and two Bao Marine GX-5 gas turbines each providing 10.3 MW (13,812 hp) of power. The ship's stealth characteristics take form the utilization composite materials, radar absorbent coatings in the ship's exterior hull and low-observable/radar transparent technologies. The incorporation of such materials and the reduced number of protroding structures such as antaenas and externally mounted missile/rocket tubes helps the vessel maintain a low radar cross-section, allowing the vessel to be marketed as a frigate with stealth capabilities. Acoustic signature is reduced by utilizing propellers that were designed to reduce hydrodynamic noise and areas with machinery that generate large amount of noise are housed in specialized acoustic enclosures that reduce air-borne noise. Thermal signature of the ship from the ship's exhaust ports is reduced by injecting the engine's exhaust with cold air before expelled into the environment in order to mask it with natural background thermal heat.

Armament

The Independence-class are equipped with a diverse range of weapon systems that allows it to combat threats from all three theaters of war: air, land and sea.

• Guns: ships of the class are equipped with three types of guns. It is equipped with a primary KYC super-rapid fire 76mm naval gun with a rate of fire (RoF) of 120 rounds per minute (RPM). It is manufactured by Khuat Defense Systems and mounted on a stealth copula to help reduce its radar cross section. A 35mm Shield CIWS manufactured by Tran Heavy Industries provides point-defense protection for the frigate against incoming airborne threats, primarily missiles & rockets, that has penetrated the frigates long-range anti-air missiles. It has a maximum effective range of 4,500 meters and if required can also be used against surface targets at close range. The Shield's four-chambered autocannon fires shells that will detonate and expel 170 armor piercing tungsten coated projectiles at pre-set distance from the target. The Shield CIWS has a rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute when firing in burst mode, and a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute when firing in full auotomatic. Additionally, two remote controlled weapon system (RCWS) equipped with 12.7mm machine guns are installed on the port and starboard sides of the ship to engage surface targets. The 12.7mm RCWS platforms are manufactured by Khuat Defense Systems and is used in its V2 Badger IFVs.
• Missiles & Rockets: all Independence-class frigates are equipped with a 16-cell vertical launching system that is capable of launching both surface-to-air missiles and anti-submarine rockets. Anti-surface cruise missiles are launched via two, four barrelled, launch tubes at the center of the center of the ship. With the exception of the cruise missile launch tubes, the adoption of a VLS platform allows the Independence class to reduce the number of externally mounted missile launchers or tubes on the ship's hull which reduces its radar cross section. For anti-aircraft warfare Independence-class ships are outfitted with AS-13 medium-range surface-to-air missiles with an operational range of 70km (43.5 mi). The ship's VLS is also capable of launching AW-10 anti-submarine rockets with a reported maximum range of 30km (18.6 mi). The AW-10 is comprised of two components: the rocket itself and a torpedo payload. When a target submarine is identified via the ship's mounted sonar or through its ASW helicopters, the rocket is launched in the general direction of the target submarine. Upon reaching a certain point the rocket releases its torpedo payload which, upon entry in the water, will activate the torpedo's guidance system using either active or passive sonar. For surface-to-surface combat ships are equipped with the AS-19 "Longbow" subsonic cruise missiles to engage both land and naval based surface targets. The AS-19 has a maximum operational range of up to 1,500km (930 mi) and is launched from two 4-barreled launchers, one from each port and starboard sides of the ship. Alternatively it can also be equipped with AS-21 "Rapier" supersonic cruise missiles. It has a maximum speed of Mach 4 and generally travels at a speed of Mach 1.5 - 2 during its journey towards the target before eventually accelerating to its maximum speed in the terminal flight phase. The missile is equipped with a secured data link system which can be utilized to change the missile's data mid-course. Additionally the Dagger is equiped with a active radar homing system allowing it to track targets auotonomously. The "Dagger" cruise missile is manufactured by Khuat Defense Systems and was originally launched from land-based silos or launchers. A modified naval version of the Dagger was designed for use in the frigates and is capable to be launched from the ship's 16-cell vertical launching system. The naval version of the Dagger has an operational range of 250km - 400km (160–250 mi; 130–220 nmi). By default all Independence-class frigates carry a minimum of eight Dagger cruise missiles.
• Torpedoes: The TP-9 is the standard ASW torpedo of the Daoan Navy and is found onboard all Independence-class frigates. The TP-9 utilizes a pump-jet propulsion method, it is also quieter compared to its predecessor the TP-8 and is able to operate in depths up to 700 meters. The TP-9 is launched from two 3-barreled launchers located on both the starboard and port sides of the ship, providing the ship with a total of six TP-9 ASW torpedoes.

Sensors & Processing Systems

As multirole vessels the Independence-class is equiped with suite of sensors & processing systems that allow them to fulfill a variety of roles. Ships of the class are equipped with RAS30 AESA air & surface radar, originally developed by Mach Aerospace and adapted for use in the Daoan Navy. The RAS30 AESA radar is able of detecting & tracking hundreds of surface & air targets simultaneously with a high refresh rate. It is capable of providing mid course updates to both active and semi active surface-to-air & anti-ship missiles launched from the frigates. The RAS30 AESA radar is composed of a series of computer controlled phased array antenna arrays, with each antenna array having their own solid-state transmit-receive module (TRM). This allows the RAS30 to produce many beams at different radio frequencies simultaneously, a significant improvement over the navy's older passive electronically scanned array (PESA) based radars which is only capable of emitting a single beam of radio frequency. The RAS30 AESA radar has a higher resistance to jamming and low probability of intercept by hostile radar warning receivers (RWRs). Fire control for the ship's suite of weapon systems is provided by the TK-4 fire control system. The frigates are equipped with the LS-9 secondary surveillance radar (SSR) as a backup radar system. For anti-submarine warfare Independence-class frigates are equipped with hull-mounted SNR-360 active/passive sonar array developed by Bao Marine. The SMART Mk.30 Combat Manage System serves as the vessels' primary combat information center.

Electronic Warfare

For electronic warfare the Independence-class frigates are equipped with HSZ-100 radar warning receiver pod and Defender-A radar jamming system. It is also equipped with the Mk.3 Shadow electronic warfare suite which grants the frigate electronic countermeasure and electronic signals intelligence gathering capabilities.

Aviation Facilities

Ships of the class are equipped with a hangar and helicopter deck that is capable of hosting a single V-11 Pelikan} or D-20 Albatross helicopter for both transportation and anti-submarine warfare.

Variants

Offshore Patrol Frigate variant of the FSV design

Comparisons between variants

	FSV 5410	FSV 9914	FSV 11215 FFG	FSV 11215 OPF
User	–	Daoan Navy Kajeran Navy Pulaui Navy	Ankat People's Navy Royal Navy Daobac Kainuinoan Navy Kajeran Navy	Royal Navy Daobac
Type	Fast Attack Craft	ASW Corvette	Guided Missile Frigate	Offshore Patrol Frigate
Length	54 meters	99.56 meters	112 meters	112 meters
Beam	10 meters	14.40 meters	15 meters	15 meters
Draft	3 meters	3.90 meters	4.38 meters	4.38 meters
Displacement	900 tons	2,400 tons	3,190 tons	2,800 tons
Main machinery	TBD	CODAD 2 x 10 MW (26.8 hp) KDS-2 diesel engines	CODAD 2 x 16.1 MW (21.6 hp) BSY 9D diesel engines	CODAD 2 x 16.1 MW (21.6 hp) BSY 9D diesel engines
Speed (cruising)	18 knots	18 knots	22 knots	22 knots
Speed (maximum)	32 knots	34 knots	33 knots	33 knots
Endurance	1,700 nmi	3,500 nmi	6,120 nmi	6,120 mi
Primary sensors	TBD	TBD	Mach RAS30	Mach RAS30
Complement	20	50	75	75
Weapons	TBD	TBD	Guns 1 x KYC 76mm Naval Gun 4 x 12.7mm GS-9 RCWS 1 x Shield 35mm CIWS Missiles & Rockets 1 x 16-cell VLS equipped with: SA-13 surface to air missile AW-10 anti-submarine rocket 2 x 4-barreled AS-19 subsonic cruise missile launchers OR 2 x 4-barreled AS-21 supersonic cruise missile launchers Torpedoes 2 x 3-barrel TP-9 lightweight torpedo launchers	Guns 1 x KYC 57mm Naval Gun 2 x 12.7mm GS-9 RCWS Missiles & Rockets 1 x 8-cell VLS equipped with: SA-13 surface to air missile 2 x 4-barreled AS-19 subsonic cruise missile launchers Torpedoes 2 x 3-barrel TP-9 lightweight torpedo launchers
Helicopter capabilities	None	Deck	Deck & Hangar	Deck & Hangar
Status	Design concept	Operational	Operational	Operational

Ship in class

Pennant number	Name	Variant	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
Ankat People's Navy
FF-058	JN Nishant	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
Royal Navy
FFG-01	IMS Reinhard III	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
FFG-02	IMS Konrad IV	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD			Active
FFG-XX	IMS Hilda II	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
FFG-XX	IMS Niklaus I	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
FFG-XX	IMS TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Cancelled
FFG-XX	IMS TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Cancelled
OPV-XX	IMS Waltraud Grosse	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
OPV-XX	IMS Immanuel Althaus	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
OPV-XX	IMS Melusina Blau	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
OPV-XX	IMS TBD	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Under Construction
OPV-XX	TBD	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Planned
OPV-XX	TBD	Offshore Patrol Vessel	TBD	TBD	TBD	Planned
Daoan Congressional Republic Navy
TKD-331	TCQ Trần Việt Thắng	Guided Missile Frigate	15 September 2013	5 July 2015	13 April 2016	Active
TKD-332	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	12 January 2014	30 December 2016	7 July 2017	Active
TKD-333	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	01 February 2015	13 October 2017	22 June 2018	Active
TKD-334	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
TKD-335	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
TKD-336	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Active
TKD-XXX	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Under Construction
TKD-XXX	TCQ TBD	Guided Missile Frigate	TBD	TBD	TBD	Planned
Kainuinoan Navy
TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
Kajeran Navy
TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

Operators

Current

Ankat

• TBA

Brumen

• The Royal Navy of Brumen originally ordered the procurement of eight frigates and three offshore patrol variants in 2015. However this was eventually downsized to only four frigates and the number of OPVs increased from three to six due to shifting requirements of the Brumenese Armed Forces. The first frigate and OPV were delivered in 2018 with deliveries expected to be completed by 2025. The ships are locally designated as the Reiks and Kanzler-classes for the frigate and OPV versions respectively.

Daobac

• The Daoan Navy operates a total of six frigates of the Independence-class in its inventory. Construction began in 2013 and first delivery was completed in 2015. The Daoan Pioneer Corps, the nation's multi-service law enforcement agency, operates XX of the OPV versions of the Independence-class.

Kainuinoa

• TBA

Kajera

• TBA