Kingston class patrol vessel

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HMCS Brandon(MM 710)

HMCS Brandon
Class overview
Builders: Halifax Shipyards in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Operators: Canadian Forces Maritime Command
Preceded by: Anticosti class minesweeper
In commission: 21 September 1996
Completed: 12
Active: Kingston, Glace Bay, Nanaimo, Edmonton, Shawinigan, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Goose Bay, Moncton, Saskatoon, Brandon, Summerside
General characteristics
Displacement: 970 tons
Length: 55.3 m
Beam: 11.3 m
Draught: 3.4 m
Propulsion: 2 x Jeumont DC electric motors
4 x 600VAC Wartsila SACM V12 diesel alternators
Speed: 15+ knots
Range: 5,000 nautical miles (9,000 km)
Capacity: 47
Complement: 31 to 47
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Kelvin Hughes navigation radar (I-band)
Kelvin Hughes 6000 surface search radar (E-F band)
Global Positioning System
A towed high-frequency sidescan sonar
Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS)
Armament: 1 x Bofors 40 mm 60 Mk 5C cannon
2 x M2 Machine Guns

The Kingston-class consists of 12 naval patrol vessels of Canadian Forces Maritime Command constructed under the Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel (MCDV) project. The multi-role vessels were built and launched from the mid- to late-1990s and are crewed entirely by members of the Naval Reserve, with the exception of two regular-force technicians.[1] Their main missions are coastal surveillance, sovereignty patrol, route survey and training. They were designed with a minesweeping role in mind and are consequently classified as Mechanical Minesweepers (MM), but this role has been moved away from due to the evolving nature of mine warfare. The possibility of acquiring the gear necessary to undertake a more appropriate mine hunting role continues to be examined.

Contents

[edit] Design

The Kingston-class patrol vessels have many admirable qualities, including crew comfort and ship manoeuvrability, but they represent some design compromises.[1] The program was conceived to advance the use of commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment and construction techniques in a ship designed to military specifications.

While the Z-drive thrusters make the Kingston-class vessels extremely manoeuvrable (able to turn within their own shiplengths) and the engines are quite powerful and fuel-efficient, the hull shape, with a blunt stern designed for minesweeping, prevents the ship from achieving a "sprint" speed and the patrol vessels of other nations are considerably faster. However, the Kingstons' top speed is faster than that of most mine warfare vessels and is comparable to most large non-naval sea-going vessels.

The hull is a longitudinally framed structure and has been designed to minimise steel weight. The design was based on a hard chine hull form. The construction involved initial production of partially outfitted steel modules which were made into sub-assemblies and then integrated into the ship. The decks were assembled upside down with pre-outfitting of the underside of the deck prior to installation on the ship.

[edit] Weapons

The ships are equipped with a Bofors 40 mm Model 60 Mk 5C rapid fire gun, and two 12.7 mm (50 cal) machine guns.[1] The Bofors gun is mounted on the forecastle deck and the arc of fire extends forwards by +/- 120°. The machine guns are mounted on either side at the front of the bridge deck. In a depressed position each machine gun fires in an arc of fire of 118°.

The main armament is a World War 2 design.[2] It is crew-fed, and lacks modern targeting technology.

In October 2006 Maritime Command experimented with mounting a modern remote controlled heavy machine gun in place of HMCS Summerside's 40 mm cannon.[3][4]

[edit] Mine Countermeasures

The ship can be equipped with one of four modular mine countermeasures systems:

  • the deep sea Thales MMS mechanical mine sweeping system;
  • the route survey system;
  • the Sutec remotely operated vehicle (ROV) mine inspection system; or
  • the Remote Minehunting System.[5]

[edit] Sensors

The navigation equipment includes a Kelvin Hughes I-band navigation radar and a Global Positioning System. The surface search radar is the E to F-band Kelvin Hughes 6000. A towed high-frequency sidescan sonar can be fitted for bottom mapping.

[edit] Propulsion

The ship is equipped with four main Wartsila UD 23V12 diesel motors and four alternators and two Jeumont electric motors (600 V DC). The two LIPS Z drive azimuth thrusters are fitted with fixed-pitch reversing propellers. The propulsion system provides 15 knots (28 km/h) maximum continuous speed. The range at the economical cruising speed of 9 knots (17 km/h) using two engines is 5,000 nautical miles (9,000 km) with a 20% margin in tank capacity. Mechanical minesweeping is carried out at 8 knots (15 km/h). The crash stop length is 5 ship lengths from a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h)

[edit] The Future of the class

The navy is discarding its $100M mid-life refit plan for the twelve Kingston class MCDVs.[6] Instead, MCDVs will be replaced by new vessels to enter service in 2020. It had been intended to retain the ‘mid-lifed’ Kingstons until 2045-2055 but, after its review planners concluded that the money would be better spent in acquiring a new platform. Maritime staff listed low speed and small size as reasons for the MCDV being inadequate for patrol duties (both are factors of the original specification). Critics note that patrol and training were tacked onto the mine-countermeasures role and that the platform lacks serious armament for a sovereignty enforcement role.[6] The Kingston Class is armed with twin 12.7 mm (50 cal) M2HB machine guns on either side of the bridge but the main armament is a Bofors 40 mm L/60 Mk 5NC, a significantly refitted version of a gun dating from 1944. A replacement for this gun (the OTO Melara 12.7 mm RCHMG) is being trialed.[4]

[edit] Specifications

  • Propulsion: Dual azimuthing Z-drives with five-bladed propellers ("rudder propellers") driven by two Jeumont DC electric motors powered by four 600VAC Wartsila SACM V12 diesel alternators
  • Length: 55.3 m
  • Beam: 11.3 m
  • Draft: 3.4 m
  • Displacement: 970 tonnes (full load)
  • Speed: 15+ knots
  • Range: 5,000 nmi (9,000 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h), or 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h)
  • Complement: Minimum crew of 31 (peacetime cruising), or up to 47 with the accommodations payload embarked
  • Armament: 40 mm Bofors Mk 1NC Automatic Cannon, 2 x .50 caliber Heavy Machine Guns

[edit] Payloads: Modular payloads fitted according to mission

  • Thales Mechanical Minesweeping System
  • Klein and Macdonald-Dettwiler Route Survey Towfish system
  • DSIS Deep Sea Intervention System (deep water remotely operated vehicle)
  • Phantom Remotely Operated Vehicle
  • SUBSAR Submarine Rescue Package
  • Diving Support
  • Accommodations Payload

Other payloads - including mine hunting gear - are undergoing study and development.

[edit] Ships in class

There are twelve Kingston-class ships in Canadian service:


Image:HMCS Kingston (MM 700).jpg
Kingston

[edit] HMCS Kingston (MM 700)


Image:HMCS Glace Bay (MM 701).jpg
Glace Bay

[edit] HMCS Glace Bay (MM 701)


Image:HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702).jpg
Nanaimo

[edit] HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702)


Image:HMCS Edmonton (MM 703).jpg
Edmonton

[edit] HMCS Edmonton (MM 703)


Image:HMCS Shawinigan (MM 704).jpg
Shawinigan

[edit] HMCS Shawinigan (MM 704)


Image:HMCS Whitehorse (MM 705).jpg
Whitehorse

[edit] HMCS Whitehorse (MM 705)


Image:HMCS Yellowknife (MM 706).jpg
Yellowknife

[edit] HMCS Yellowknife (MM 706)


Image:HMCS Goose Bay (MM 707).jpg
Goose Bay

[edit] HMCS Goose Bay (MM 707)


[edit] HMCS Moncton (MM 708)


Image:HMCS Saskatoon (MM 709).jpg
Saskatoon

[edit] HMCS Saskatoon (MM 709)


Brandon
Brandon

[edit] HMCS Brandon (MM 710)


[edit] HMCS Summerside (MM 711)

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Stephen Priestley. The Kingston Class: Mid-Life or Move Over for the MCDV?. Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
  2. ^ Stephen Priestley. The Kingston Class: 'Mid-Life' or Move Over for the MCDV? Reviewing Navy Plans for the Future of the MCDVs [Part 2]. Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
  3. ^ Background — CF Remote Control Heavy Machine Gun Project. Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
  4. ^ a b Sublieutenant Ryan Bell. "Summerside trials weapons system", Trident News, November 27, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-31. 
  5. ^ "DRDC Remote Minehunting System Joins the Navy", DRDC, August 2005. Retrieved on 2007-10-30. 
  6. ^ a b Stephen Priestley. The Kingston Class: 'Mid-Life' or Move Over for the MCDV? Reviewing Navy Plans for the Future of the MCDVs [Part 1]. Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Kingston-class coastal defence vessel
List of ships of the Canadian Navy