Trident-class Frigate
.jpg) Iverican Test Model FFX-222 Atgeir in Súbic, 2019
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Argis-Marenesia Maritime Industries |
| Operators: | |
| Preceded by: | Súbic-class frigate |
| Cost: | ca. $850 million-$960 billion depending on variant (2021) |
| Built: | 2018–present |
| In commission: | 2019-present |
| Planned: | 50 |
| Building: | 8 |
| Completed: | 12 |
| Active: | 12 |
| General characteristics (Note that the final design may differ) | |
| Type: | Frigate |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 151.18 m (496 ft 0 in) |
| Beam: | 19.80 m (65 ft 0 in) |
| Draft: | 5 m (16 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 24 kn (44 km/h) on dielsel-electric, in excess of 29 kn (54 km/h) max. |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) on diesel-electric. Approx. 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) using gas turbine. |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | |
| Capacity: | Space for two 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in) containers |
| Complement: | 190 (standard crew: 110) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
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| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: |
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| Aviation facilities: | 2 × hangars |
The Trident-class frigate refers to a multi-mission configurable frigate hull designed and constructed by the Argis-Marenesia Maritime Industries, a joint Iverican-Gallambrian and consortium for naval technology developers and shipbuilding services; The project, was known inside AMMI as AMMI PROJ. FF-71918; and known as the Future-Frigate Program by the Gallambrian and Iverican governments. Member states of the TRIDENT also committed varying amounts of financial assistance to the project via pre-order.
Though the Trident-class refers specifically to a base frigate design which can be mounted with differing mission configurations, 3 different pre-configured variants were stipulated as an additional objective of the Future-Frigate programme. All variants contracted had a baseline capability to conduct Air-Defence and Anti-Submarine Warfare with the potential for ship-to-ship engagement depending on what missiles were loaded in the vertica-launch and amidships hardpoints. Flight I-A features surface combat systems and anti-submarine equipment. Flight I-B is specialised towards mine-laying, mine-countermeasures, in-land fire support, and anti-submarine warfare. Flight I-C is a command ship equipped with enough instrumentation, processing, and intelligence suites to serve as a small flagship; Flight I-C also features several Electronic Warfare systems like radar jammers and electro-optical jammers.
Currently three variants are designated Flights: I-A, I-B, and I-C. All three passed trials and are in production in the Súbic Naval Yards with production licenses granted to Gallambrian builder Mainwaring Trent.
Design
_System_sits_on_the_flight_line_as_a_static_display_at_the_2004_Naval_Air_Station_Oceana_Air_S.jpg)
The Trident-class was initially designed with the goal of providing TRIDENT nations with a flexible, configurable, and affordable hull design. In 2014, Iverican naval shipbuilder Manille Consolidated Maritime and Gallambrian equivalent Mainwaring Trent began a project to design a large frigate hull that was compatible with the existing Iverican MIMiK. The design parameters also called for the use of newer 17-7PH stainless steel for the cast parts of the hull, with light-weight cupro-nickel fittings required for internals. Both companies joint-project delivered a successful test model in 2016. The hull design received remarks for its relative mass to size ratio—largely thanks to Manille Consolidated use of its new stainless steel and cupro-nickel alloys.
In June of 2016, both companies created Argis-Marenesia Maritime Industries in response to an identical Request for Proposal by both Gallambrian and Iverican governments[1]; the RFP outlined the requirement of a flexible Future-Frigate design that could be equipped for Anti-Submarine warfare, Mine Warfare, and Command roles. In 2017, AMMI was announced as the contracted party for the Future-Frigate Programme.
Beginning as the AMMI PROJ. FF-71918, the Trident-class went through a number of delays and re-designs for 2 successive years until finally entering trial and pre-production in 2018. Initial requirements placed on the project by the Iverican Armada were far too ambitious; total vertical launching cells had to be reduced, along with the total cancellation of the proposed collapsing helicopter pad for the AMMI Snow Cub unmanned rotor craft. The keels for three test units were layed in the Subic Naval Yard, Dock Complexes C, D, and E[2]
Nevertheless, three hull configurations passed Armada Iverica review. In mid-2018, one functional test unit per configuration was delivered to the Súbic Naval Proving Zone. These were: Test Unit variants I-A, I-B, and I-C; dedicated surface combatant, shore-warfare ship, and command ship respectively. All variants had a baseline capability to conduct Air-Defence and Anti-Submarine Warfare; though each of the variants also possessed specialised modules or equipment that others did not. All flights passed a shakedown series of manoeuvres and live-fire exercises conducted over the course of 3-days. 1 month following the Iverican admiralty submitted a request to have several allegely "redundant" test modules removed from the final pre-production models. As a result, the Trident-class carries a number of empty mounting points which were to carry modules classifed to be "Fitted-For But Not With" (FFBNW).
Variants
According to Armada Iverica ship classification conventions, ship "flight" alphanumeric designations are set by one aroman numeral (e.g. I, II, III, IV) denoting the series of the hull and its major physical features; and one letter (A, B, C, D) denoting a configuration of equipment. All variants contracted had a baseline capability to conduct Air-Defence and Anti-Submarine Warfare with the potential for ship-to-ship engagement depending on what missiles were loaded in the vertica-launch and amidships hardpoints.
Thanks the the MIMiK system, all variants have the ability to be quickly refitted to fulfill some degree of another variant's role.
Flight I-A
A dedicated surface combatant with air-defence and anti-submarine capabilities. Flight I-A was conceptualised as a cost-effective solution to fielding destroyers. Much of its armaments and systems are comparable to that of a very small destroyer. Given that a the Flight I-A production cost is approximately half of a Ancile Combat System General Luna-class destroyer, it is argued that the Flight I-A provides the quanitity of ships needed for comparable roles while also being much less of a financial loss if damaged or destroyed.
Flight I-A carries all baseline modules that her sister ships carry. Though it is equipped with considerably more anti-ship missiles and missile interceptors.
Notable Electronics