A good look at a Maestrale Frigate. Note the location of the guns and missile launchers. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
The Philippine Navy's (PhN) purchase of 2 2nd hand Maestale Frigates is of course passe' by now, with PNoy shooting down the government-to-government purchase of these ships,[1] and the Department of National Defense (DND) deciding to buy only brand new Frigates thru its upcoming bidding,[2] but I decided to take a look again at this ship for the "fun" of it, and see how it compares with the other ships that has been in the news lately with the possibility of being acquired or provided to the PhN.
Just a quick look at the other candidates:
- Avante 1800 (A1800), which Navantia told the press as the model they intend to submit in the coming Frigate bidding;[3]
A Mk 13 Launcher with a Harpoon missile on its rail. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
In researching about these Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) Frigates, one question that came to my mind was, "Is it possible to upgrade the OHP's Mk13 launcher to the Mk41 Vertical Launch System (VLS)?" Much of the OHP's firepower comes from its Mk13 launcher and ability to carry 40 medium-sized missiles, but the launchers have been deactivated by the United States Navy (USN) on all its ships due to obsolescence of the SM-1 missiles and to save on operating cost. The Mk13 is VERY cool to watch due to its fully-automated firing and loading system as can be seen by the video below, but it did have its share of disdvantages also.
USS Gary FFG-51 1995 Missile Shot by Tom Burgdorf
'Mk13 Launcher vs. Mk41 Comparisons' First disadvantage with the Mk13 launcher is that it is NON-REDUNDANT, you only have that single launcher to launch all 40 missiles. If something happens to that launcher, whether due to battle damage, or whether it malfunctions on its own due to some reason, then you lose ALL of your missile capability. Hence you need to take very good care of that launcher, frequently conducting tests and preventive maintenance to ensure that it is working and that it will be working when you need it. It also has a lot of moving parts, all the worsened by the fact that it is moving heavy, 700 kg missiles at a fast rate in various directions. It also has to withstand high temperatures and shock during firing, hence the parts are subjected to large amounts of physical stress, making frequent maintenance necessary.
Second is that it launches missiles at a fairly slow rate, only 1 missile every 8 seconds,[1] or a maximum of 7 missiles per minute. This is not very ideal against saturation missile attacks, and even more so against saturation attacks by SUPERSONIC Anti Ship Missiles (AShM)s, which are slowly going into service in various major navies around the world. Because of their speed, these supersonic missiles will cut down even more on a ship's available reaction time, increasing their chances of scoring a direct hit. Third, it can only launch one type of missile at a time, meaning it has to wait every 8 seconds to switch from firing a Harpoon AShM to a SM1/2 Surface to Air Missile (SAM), for example, which could be detrimental under some combat conditions.
The Philippine Navy (PN) is set to open the bidding of 2 brand new Frigates worth P18 Billion (USD 418 million), and although no specific timeline has been put forward, it is hoped that it will happen within the year.[1] So far only Spain's Navantia has publicly stated that they intend to join the bidding to offer their Avante 1800 (A1800) Corvette.[2] Also, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) of South Korea as early as last year had talks with the Department of National Defense (DND) on the possibility of them joining any new Frigate bidding thru their Incheon-class Frigates.[3]
I have prepared a table below comparing some of the important statisctics regarding these 2 candidates, and comparing them also to the BRP Ramon Alcaraz we have right now. Sources of these statistics can be seen at the "Sources" section at the end of the page.[4] [5] [6]
One of the biggest questions in the minds of Filipinos the last couple of months has been, "Why is China so Aggressive?" Some say it is because they wanted our natural resources, while other say they needed a distraction due to their contracting economy. However, one possible answer that came to me one day out of nowhere when I was pondering the very same question above might be that its just a question of GEOPOLITICS.[1]
"Geopolitics" is the study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations, and this best describes what is happening right now with China and its relationship with most of the countries around its access to the sea.
'East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean' First of all, let us take a closer look at China's geography. If you look at a map of China, you will notice that it is mainly landlocked on 3 sides: In the North, West and South. The only area it has access to the sea is on the East, specifically on the East China and South China Seas:
Revised January 24, 2014. See bottom of the page for the complete revision history
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As of this writing, the 2nd Hamilton-class Cutter (the BRP Ramon Alcaraz) acquired by the Philippine Navy (PhN) has finally arrived on Philippine shores, with the first one having arrived in 2011 (the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar). They are capable ships, the largest and heaviest armed ships in the history of the PhN, but for me they will still need to be upgraded by acquiring new equipment and weapons for them to be able to serve well in defending the Philippines' territories at sea.
'USCGC Mellon as Blueprint'
The USCGC Mellon with full weapons. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
I think the PN will have to look at the USCGC Mellon as guide or blueprint for upgrading these ships. What happened was that starting in the 1980s, all Hamilton-class ships underwent a "Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization (FRAM)" programme, and initially the programme sought to include better capabilities for these ships like Anti-Submarine and Anti-Ship warfare, and also Air-Defense.
This was at the height of the Cold War with Russia, and the US Navy (USN) felt that these ships needed these capabilities for them to better protect against sea-borne attacks on US soil. The Mellon was the first ship to get the FRAM upgrade, and ended up with the following capabilities and equipment:[1] - Air Defense: Air Search Radar, Close In Weapons System (CIWS) - Anti-Ship Capability: Surface Search and Navigation Radar, 25mm and 76mm Autocannons, 8 Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles (AShMs) - Anti-Submarine Warfare: Hull-mounted Sonar, 6 Torpedo Tubes
