Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for their considered feedback and comments on the Security, Interdiction and Maritime Support System (SIMSS) concept I described recently.
For what is a hair brain scheme by some random chap off the internet for it to have gathered over 400 comments is a sign of just how engaged the Think Defence readers are, I don’t know of any other defence blog that has such a dedicated, diverse and well clever following, hats off chaps.
Since I started Think Defence I have been calling for innovation tinged with a healthy dose of financial reality. I might sometimes go off the reservation with the odd flight of fancy or wistful glance at metal boxes but generally, although I get accused of being too realistic sometimes, feet are firmly on terra firma.
I also try and counter the notion, a notion promulgated by various lobby groups, that it would all be fine if only those bigger boys in the MoD and Treasury would give the defence community just an odd billion or more extra.
This is so far from reality I don’t know they have the brass neck to even suggest it and is simply lazy thinking.
First off, there is no separate MoD and RN/RAF/Army, projects are bought into being by integrated projects team, the clue is in the name. Both service personnel and civil servants are involved. Main Building and Abbey Wood have as many service personnel as they do those famous pens pushing civil servants.
Decisions are made on a joint basis.
It is not the Treasury that determines how the MoD allocates the defence vote, it is clearly the MoD that sets its own priorities so when ex-service chiefs start moaning about a lack of x or y they should look in the mirror first. It is their major projects that suck the life out of the lower echelons of equipment, the enablers, the foundations of a flexible and capable force. So whilst they insist on CVF, Typhoon or FRES but complain about a lack of body armour or training time or spares or almost anything else that actually matters I am never convinced by the protestations of innocence.
I am even less convinced and unlikely to even consider giving them the benefit of the doubt when they join the revolving door club, the easy slide into the weapon manufacturer’s boardrooms and insidious and subtle corruption that goes with it.
Lobbying for more defence spending from within the expense account laden comfort of a directorship is hardly credible.
So whilst I do not excuse politicians or MoD civil servants I absolutely fail to accept that is all their fault either.
Successive limp-wristed Prime Ministers and Secretary’s of State have never found the moral authority to force difficult decisions on the MoD, instead they are dazzled by the gold braid and chest baubles and seduced by the cock stiffening allure of a quick victory over some third rate opponent in far-away places.
Politicians, civil servants and the Service Chiefs need to assume a modicum of backbone and start thinking about the real defence needs of this fine country instead of treating it like some big game of cock measuring or a route to a comfortable retirement.
If the wholly inadequate SDSR did one thing right it was to mark the cards of the defence establishment.
No more wishful thinking, no more voodoo economics, no more punting decisions over the fence to the next post holder.
MoD, you are going to have to live within your means.
Where it all went wrong of course is the hollow promise of an end to salami slicing defence reviews or the matching of strategic objectives to the means of their execution but that is because of moral weakness at all levels, no change there then.
The services have been bought off with a promise of jam tomorrow, what is it called, ah yes, ‘a real term increase post 2015 to enable the vision of Future Force 2020 to be realised’
What a fucking sad joke, still let’s all carry on spending hundreds of millions on Type 26 or billions on CVF whilst cutting back on essential capabilities to save a few million here or there whilst pretending the land of milk and honey, commonly known as Future Force 2020 is.
The same applies for all the services by the way.
If it is possible for anything good to spring forth from the loins of SDSR it is a healthy dose of wake-up guys, time for a spot of reality, but I don’t think many of the service chiefs actually get it.
Anyway, rant over, back to SIMSS.
Eating into the Surface Fleet
I deliberately suggested that we might trade a few Type 26 for a lot of SIMSS vessels to test the water.
Most people thought the design and concept was OK, but no bloody way should we trade proper warships.
In the land of financial fairy tales I would agree, but we do not inhabit such a place and so these hard trade-offs have to be made. It’s not easy for the Navy to accept reality, the global combat ship is a comfort blanket. Those chaps in green can get rid of those famous Cold War relics likes tanks and self-propelled guns, despite them being repeatedly used in all manner of recent conflicts but suggest such an equivalent for the world’s finest naval force and anyone would think I was suggesting clubbing half a million baby seals to death, painting HMS Victory in a nice pastel shade of salmon and calling one of the CVF’s HMS Paris (this will probably happen anyway, but you get the picture)
But the surface fleet is already stretched beyond breaking point, we are at an absolute minimum and beyond the point of no return you hear the cry. We have been hearing that since Suez, it happens every defence review, but I genuinely think we are pretty close to that point of reality, despite the regular trip to the theatre to watch the boy who cried wolf.
One of the reasons the surface fleet is thus stretched is because we insist on using them to cover tasks to which they are wholly unsuited and not available in enough quantities. We have tacitly recognised this by sending RFA vessels to cover some of the less combat oriented standing tasks like APT(N) in the Caribbean.
The notion of keeping a large combat vessel fleet and despatching them, chock to the gunnels with advanced sonars, weapons and their attendant crews is that they can easily step down and carry out these security roles but equally easily, step back up to the major combat roles that they are actually designed for.
In a land of zero financial constraint this is a sensible strategy, but we are not, are we?
It also spreads our jam thinly, whilst a frigates crew is rounding up pirates in £$100 skiffs they are not practising with their hundred million pound anti-submarine sensors, for example. We might not have much notice of the next proper stand up knock down naval conflict, the very last thing I want matelots doing is building schools in Monserat. An extreme example but the point I am trying to make is that combat systems (crew and kit) should be at the top of their combat game, not arsing around being a force for good.
Again, this equally applies to the other services.
This needs continual, high intensity training as a group. When single frigates and destroyers are strung out across the four corners of the globe these training opportunities are reduced.
Of course any sea time is training time, and it’s all good, but the key question for me is this.
With fewer commitments, or where those commitments where a proper warship is not the optimal tool and was therefore replaced with something else, would the decrease in stretch provide for an improvement in warlike training, particularly as task groups rather than singles?
You could argue that not only would the pressure on the training schedule be reduced, providing greater space for more realistic training, but qualitative improvements would also be seen.
It does not mean that the core of combat vessels would spend all their time training off Cornwall, as someone put it, they would still be available for cooperative training exercises with other partner nations, they would still carry out defence diplomacy missions as singles, and they would still be available for any other tasking, but the crucial difference would be, availability to do so properly.
If we want this then something has to give, develop protect a hard core but recognise that one might not need a one for one replacement for Type 23.
This does two things, first, it frees up funding, even in fiscal constraint and second, opens up an opportunity for something else to do those myriad of non-war roles that we press frigates and destroyers onto, the kind of things that characterise the overwhelming vast majority of Royal Navy tasks.
That extra funding might even be pushed onto the combat vessels so they are actually fitted with not for.
People might read interpret this questioning about using some of the funding for conventional surface combatants as somehow being anti-Navy but I get tired of that, it’s not the case at all. In fact, I see it as a means of preserving the combat ability of the Royal Navy and where a situation calls for a conventional warship I am in no way advocating sending SIMSS instead.
Re-read the proposal and look again at the title.
What is Something Else
Most naval forces have reacted to this need for something else by creating slightly modified frigates or corvettes.
The comfort blanket of the anti-ship missile, CIC and 3D radar is difficult to let go and so designs have evolved that still keep these vestiges of being a proper naval ship but throw a bone to the crowd by fitting them with a multi mission deck or other such grandiose bollocks that means a small RHIB hangar and a spot of open deck space with a crane.
The problem with this approach it is still means those costly (in fact, even more expensive now because those small boat handling davits don’t come cheap you know) frigates are still tearing around chasing fifteenth rate opponents waiting for the day when they will actually need their variable depth sonar.
Still, they don’t half look good on the PowerPoint and Navy Days.
Net result, fewer hulls in the water and fitted for but not with.
Cue more complaints from ex 1SL’s now working in the defence industry, sea blindness, Falklands, trade routes, shipping lanes, imports, and we are an island you know.
SIMSS takes a fundamental leap; you don’t need a frigate to carry out the majority of tasks of the Royal Navy. Yes, we need frigates for when we need frigates and I want them to have the full on fighty capabilities, but I see the continual reductions, spreading them too thinly and reduced combat effectiveness as a result of an unwillingness to recognise things have changed.
The second issue with the ‘mission deck’ frigate is they are not that effective at those secondary roles (the ones that generally are primary roles most of the time) because space is limited.
Is SIMSS the right thing for this something else role, should it be slightly more fighty, slightly faster, slightly smaller?
These are all valid discussions to have but something else, whatever it is, has to be from Poundland not Harrods.
Survivability and Fightiness
One of the commenters said that SIMSS should have a major war role, and then we all piled in with suggestions of how we could add this sensor or that weapon system neatly demonstrating how easy it is to be seduced the little hussy named ‘specification creep’
Of course SIMSS would be vulnerable to a high speed anti-ship missile, its massive, but do we not accept the vulnerability of Jackals to Kornet anti-tank missiles or an A400 to an SU-30?
We have to accept differing scales of protection and approach the deployment of SIMSS exactly like we do an A400 or Jackal. The use of Intelligence, intelligent doctrine, appropriate countermeasures and where necessary, a protective big brother, all compensating for a lack of being a fully tooled up combat ship.
Using simple and relatively cheap countermeasures, whilst simultaneously being realistic about deployments is reasonable defence for a SIMSS.
That said, there should be no reason why self-defence capabilities could not be increased with the addition of a modular weapon fit, but we have to resist the urge to specify one from day one, build the space and connectivity yes, but do not allow this to delay or introduce too much additional cost.
With cautious design and deployment, there might even be potential to equip SIMSS with a couple of niche weapons beyond those needed for self-defence.
One commenter attested that all RN vessels should be able to fend of midget submarine launched torpedo attacks.
Sorry, that’s not the case now, that’s never been the case (in a comparative sense) and is just not possible within a fixed cost envelope.
The HMS Cornwall Example
This was bought up as an example of a rapidly escalating situation where a more combat oriented vessel with a shallower draught might and therefore able to be closer to the boarding party. The suggestion was that something like a Khareef would have been far better than either a SIMSS or Type 22.
Arguably this is correct; it’s an excellent point.
However, one could equally argue that the flexibility and space afforded by SIMSS could equally have made a difference. Instead of a poorly armed RHIB, operating with no air cover and unable to notice the arrival of the Iranians, an orbiting UAV like the cheap as chips Scan Eagle would have allowed the boarding party to withdraw in good order. Compliment the inflatables with a CB90 or similar and the Mexican stand-off would have been over very shortly. SIMSS has the space to operate multiple UAV’s, multiple Wildcat’s and multiple powerful craft like CB90’s.
So there are a number of ways to look at this.
Svelte Supermodel or Curvy Fat Lass
Going large has disadvantages and these were highlighted by commenters, operating in shallow littoral environments would be off the menu, and it must be recognised that many of the SIMSS roles require a close to shore capability.
I think this could be compensated by its ability to operate a decent number of small craft. Small craft in the SIMSS world does not be an 8m RHIB either, 20m patrol craft, landing craft, mexeflotes, USV’s and work boats are all within its ability.
The low maximum speed of 15 knots was highlighted by many people with some practical examples of where even a modest increase to 18 or 20 knots would make a big difference.
This is another trade off, installed power costs but perhaps an increase to 18 knots would not create that much of a price increase, it would come down to detailed design calculation but in general, the lack of speed is compensated by the fast craft and helicopters it carries and in some circumstances, increased hull numbers.
A two size class was also raised, the large SIMSS and a smaller type that used most of the subsystems, a mini SIMSS.
I like this idea, where’s that piggy bank?
Ready Made or Off the Peg
If we are proposing a new kind of vessel then surely it should be a custom design?
Yes and no.
The reason for only a modest set of modifications to an existing design is to cut down on cost and leverage the expertise, construction experience and supplier ecosystem that has developed in the offshore market.
A lower cost basic design means more hulls in the water and things to carry on them, simple as that.
The Holy Grail of Modularity
Another commenter made the accusation of SIMSS being in thrall to the notion of modularity, pointing to the LCS and STANFLEX realities.
Fair point, but if you actually look at the issues of STANFLEX and LCS you will see that modularity is not actually the root cause of their problems.
A commenter mentioned the complexity of modular systems, highlighting the need for self testing systems and connectivity issues.
All good stuff but look at the modules in the proposal.
Small Boats and UAV’s, already available from a number of vendors, straight off the shelf and fully mature
Containerised MCM, already available from a number of vendors, straight off the shelf and fully mature
Dive Support Systems, already in service
Storage for dry stores, fuel and ammunition, already available and basic
Data Centres, already available from a number of vendors, straight off the shelf and fully mature
Living accommodation, office space, command space, workshops, kitchens etc, do I really need to go on?
Weapons and Countermeasures, you should note that I deliberately left discussions on weapons quite light. As long as we can fit a selection of automatic weapons and perhaps something like the SIGMA mount with LMM then this should be sufficient. Are we really saying this is a significant engineering challenge?
Countermeasures likewise, there are many systems available off the shelf that provide decent levels of protection. It’s not overly complex
In general, I fail to see the problems with payload modularity on SIMSS because I have cautiously limited the scope, fully aligned with the roles and likely operational context.
Summary
So I hope these words have explained further or addressed some of the doubts.
SIMSS might not be the solution, but neither is the status quo of demanding for more money whilst pissing it up the wall.
If there is one thing I do know, carry on normal jogging should not be the default stance.
@Mark: I think that the “delusion of grandeur” is limited to a few people nowdays; probably the upper echelons of the RN and political class, along with a few nationalists. However, as I see it, the real problem is a lack of clear vision or desire to accept that we are still one of the richest countries in the world with one of the largest budgets and world wide commitments and responsibilities.
This does not mean sending the the navy in to give Johnny foreigner a good kicking. What it does mean, is defending our overseas territories in a world of dwindling resources and to help other friendly nations protect theirs and their way of life. To me this requires a three tier navy: a high end core of ‘world beaters’, a medium tier that can act as a deterrent against most (non tier 1 / 2) aggressors and a low end for EEZ policing / disaster relief / anti drugs and piracy etc.
A SIMSS type vessel falls into either (or both) of the last two scenarios. I think this is the root of the disagreement here. I see the RFA as delivering the low end bit (most of it’s vessels can already do this) and the need for a new “warlike” class for the middle bit.
BTW: Off topic, but I would not replace the current nuclear deterrent like for like either. I would go for more SSNs which could fire nuclear tipped missiles. Let’s face it, you need the nuclear badge to get to the top table, but if the balloon went up we are all screwed and having Trident will not change that.
If its delusion of grandeur we want rid off then Id start with the nuclear deterrent that would save a whole lot of cash we even have some left over for a few type 26s.
Ixion
Just because we dont want an off shore oil industry vessel doesnt mean there isnt an option off cheaper ships on the table they arent right for every task and a balance has to be struck its not quite right at the minute. There are other vessels out there already developed with the military in mind we may have to go two classes but theres little point buying vessels that cant do the job just because there cheap.
Hi AAC
Indeed, automated systems have revolutionised mine-hunting, but to me – this ship is still one big metal potential target, our current mine-hunters are very expensive but it pays off well. Perhaps certain mine-hunting duties can be taken over, but I’d rather be on a smaller plastic specialist boat that doesnt have all its purpose/quality kit in a couple of containers when clearing a bay/port than the larger TD proposeal.
I’m not Navy minded, but a visit to HMS Banger gave me a whole heap of respect for those guys, I dont think a multi-purpose ship would cut-it (though the space would be welcomed!)…its just like the war-ships the TD ship is to relieve, its too vital/dedicated a role.
Then again, in a cash strapped Navy and MoD, it may be a choice we’ll have to make regardless, would mean learning a different route of going about the mission.
@ACC 9:40, thanks for the info on the additional fuel tank in the Floreal design. Very interesting, reminds me of buddy tanker concept on the Bucaneers. Put on all OPVs / light frigates / SIMSS could be very useful with limited tanker availability.
Hi McZ,
” I get 98% of the folks here straight up the wall with” re:illusions
“Apache while it’s a fine bird, in UK context it means 4 helos aboard Ocean instead of 10 or 12 AH-1”
– if we could always go back to the decision point, and knew that we would be substituting AH for GR flying off ships, I would take the AH-1s any time
– only that the remanufactured Zulus that finally match Apaches have only just coming off the production line
– “or Tigers” I would take them, too. Just that they didn’t exist at the time (Australia chose it in preference over either of the two).
“All depends context”; and time: you can always choose a paper design, or buy off-the-shelf (in most situations the latter will do fine, and save money – also you can be sure to get it)
” No reflection whether the hi-end-ASW-frigate has it’s role. The USN says no”
– we don’t have any $1.8bn (AB)multi-purpose ships; We do have Astutes for roughly that kind of price per piece ( a must) and then we have Trident and CVF (no comment, so that we don’t go too far off the turf of a ship that is not-quite-a- frigate and whether getting them would be good value or not needed)
@IXION
The sad thing with illusions is, they are hard to tackle.
For example, I constantly keep saying that the AH-64 in UK service is crap. I’m quite sure, I get 98% of the folks here straight up the wall with that.
The illusion behind having Apache is, that while it’s a fine bird, in UK context it means 4 helos aboard Ocean instead of 10 or 12 AH-1 or Tigers.
All depends on context.
The illusion T26 sells is, that we may get a 300m surface combatant. No reflection whether the hi-end-ASW-frigate has it’s role. The USN says no.
But the worst is the illusion that the MoD has the expertise left to guide a definition process. I think it was Gabriele who stated, that the RN got its requirements right. T26 and T45 as well are signs, they don’t. I bet my mortgage loan that we end up with between 6 and 8 for 500m+ apiece.
mcz
Yes it is about illusions. In the case of the RN’s view of itself and the world, it’s more about dellusions.
This vessel will no more stop piracy and drug smuggling.
Just as all our warships have never stopped war.
As for the rest I would agree about the international companies I would like to see an RN insurance scheme, – pay the fee we will will protect you and if we fail pay the ransome. Don’t pay the fee and you can F off.
Mark
Fine if we need to keep current vessels then they stay until the capability of the container kit is proved then it stays.
In general there is clealry a view held by some thta the Rn’s job:-
1) Is to fight wars period.
2) To fight peer enemies
3) And to be world class in doing do
4) All the peace and anti piracy and rescue stuff
Is all very nice, but not something the RN should waste its rescources on.
Thats fine but what happens is that we we spend more and more on less and less ships.
When our citizens want rescued from being butchered in some third world toilet.
When the crew of the container ship are lined up on the rail and shot.
Cries from the RN of
‘Oh don’t worry about that, we have a handfull of ‘THE MOST POWERFUL SHIS IN THE WORLD’. (Followed by maniacle laughter); ready at Portsmouth for the Red Banner Northern Fleet when it sneaks up us; oh and by the world we have a world beating Minewarfare division… ‘
That will be greated by incredulity, and the fast cutting of funding by our political masters.
One analogy that sticks in my mind was British Rail in the 60’s
Faced with the threat from BUS and Truck transport, industry and the expanding motorway network; it defined itself as being in the rail industry not the transport industry. The result was the destruction of rail freight and decades of stagnation.
Define the RN as ‘break glass in the event of fleet to fleet conflict’ that is a way to see the RN’s funding being decemated.
Ixion
I have to disagree until very long range mcm capability is proven to the same world class capabilty we currently have and we may be able to do that on current vessels it changes the nature and size of the simss and in my view is should be a top design driver of this vessel.
@IXION
Like I said, OXFAM-combatant.
It’s all about illusions, isn’t it?
IMO, no amount or type of vessel will stop piracy or drug trafficking. Because the forces behind that make $8-9b profit per annum. Maybe boycot of Dubai and Saudi banks may help, but who will buy our consols then?
To the civilians: I’m tired of bailing out compatriots, making a quick buck abroad and paying no taxes, but expecting full security from the mothercountry.
Same goes for some special FTSE-ranked companies, currently paying triple the bonuses than taxes, but if the sealanes are not held open, they cry like kids.
@TD
First, I didn’t want to offend you, please accept my apologies if I did.
To your answer.
Using civilian components is OK, no agument here. Building a completely civilian system which would make up 50% of the surface fleet is totally different, especially if using the single vessel-design most unsuited to military use.
I struggle to get the logic. If we can put MIW-modules on SIMSS, we can pack them onto any other vessel, too. We can pack boats including CB 90 on any other vessel, too. No, not mexeflotes, but we have amphibs for that. From this I deduce, there is no need for SIMSS in this regards.
Anyway, the tasks mentioned requires SIMSS to either carry boats, UAVs or containers. This is widely known as mothership, why then don’t you say it’s a mothership? Instead you define a ‘blank sheet of paper’ against which nobody can be. Is there a problem, anything can be fixed, which is still a strong statement for something absolutely unproven. It may be true, but then it will depend heavily on the effort we put into. The fact that the MoD has not the expertise to manage such an effort is the way into desaster.
One word to the term ‘ecosystem’ here: all over europe, there are around 20 or so yards building war vessels. Worldwide, there are 50+. Any of those yards can design a vessel to requirement. If we want it cheap at any price, we should ask STX (Korea).
Building T26s or T45s is not the way forward, we cannot afford to proceed as we do. But the SIMSS is simply the next Bay-class (which BTW is far better suited as a mothership), to be sacrificed on the altar of hi-end units, if the thing go wrong, which they inevitably will. We need a plan to change the whole process, we need to harden surface ship procurement.
Finally, in short questions regarding disaster relief: Where is the vessel stationed? Where are the ISO-containers (bottling plant etc.)? How do they come together and when? Is SIMSS always carriing them? If yes, isn’t the individual unit a one trick pony? If no, when do you know you need disaster relief equipment? What is the advantge using SIMSS instead of another vessel sitting on it’s arse instead? You would also need other types of boats, where are they? What is the difference to today’s situation? Isn’t the main difference the containers you mention?
Mark
US coast guard has done it and anti submarine in WW2, but I do not believe they do either at the moment. The fact that Simms would, does not elevate it above that sort of vessel.
ACC
If and when I suggest (to refer to the maritime world but keep the football analogy) that there are teams now we cannot beat on their home pitch. And to maintain a squad that looks great on paper but cannot play away effectivly against certain squads; the Square jawed sons of Nelson go ape.
Dunservin
Do you believe the current idea of a response task force at a 2 to 1 ratio that works up and deploys in a similar way to the us carrier groups is workable in the long term with the high end ships only used like that. Or do we need to be more fluid and send individual ships on patrol as well.
Ixion where does the us coast guard do mine clearance and do u consider this a front line warfighting role.
Hi Ixion,
There is no such thing as “full spectrum” as it is always to be judged proportionate to threats
– in foot ball, ban all the teams from the West of the Atlantic, all the way to the East of Malacca Strait, and we would look full spectrum footballers (no guarantee of winning, still)
That ” the idea that we can ‘send the fleet’ to beat up …” is hardly the same as doing our fair share in securing SLOCs (I won’t say in addition to the defence of the realm, because it is part of it)
The crack about the England team was not just a crack.
We are just as delusional about our footballing prowess, as we are about our full spectrum millitary capability.
Dunservin
‘Such a policy as yours would be akin to reducing the England football team to a couple of training sessions each month, playing the odd friendly twice a year and then expecting it to win the World Cup’.
As opposed to the bang up job they have done winning every world cup since 82….
The way things stand, I believe it is only a matter of time before we see the newsworthy occurrence of a truly catastrophic incident instead of one that’s simply embarrassing.
Absolutely the point.
I make it all the time, encapsulated by TD’s famous remark about us being an
‘All furcoat and no knickers power’
We actualy need to knock of the idea that we can ‘send the fleet’ to beat up on johny forigner its been a fiction since the 90’s
Good post, Dunservin
As we have an experiment in this “You can not turn such organisms off periodically, introduce untried and untested components and then expect them to leap into life and function correctly immediately after resuscitation even if (repeat) if they are sufficiently motivated to do so” on the go (CVF), how do you judge the chances of it working?
– prior to SDSR there was a meticulous plan how to shift ship’s companies around and through refits even keep the hulls in working order, but has the gap now stretched to be too big to manage (even not mentioning the lack of planes for 4 or so years)?
MCz
As I see it (And schip in TD if you have it wrong).
Simms is essentially a coast guard vessel (like US coast guard not our buch of civil servents in blue/black). Only It’s of someone elses coast.
It is more akin to a pointy ended mobile floating Police (with SWAT sqaud)/ emergency medical aid station, with some useful emergancy support capability.
In short rather that a war ship for time of war it is apeace ship for times of ‘Peace’. Peace in the sence of entering touchy areas to get civilians out, or beat up on pirates etc.
In short. (And this is the bit that the ‘Square jawed heirs of Nelson’ hate)..
It is what the vast majority of UK warships have done for the last 25 years.
The only difference is that SMMs starts from th eproposition that a suare hole is best filled by a square peg.
@FBOT
“Too many seem to join the navy to live in Hampshire rather than to see the world, any thoughts?”
– Like many others, I ended up living in Hampshire because I joined the Royal Navy, not vice-versa.
@DominicJ
“Repulse – It may not be a popular view, or sensible for that matter, but I really think we need to at least consider the possibility that the “war” fleet, so carrier, and destroyers, should have returned to port in 82, gone for a training cruise around the north sea a couple of times a year (a few days once a month?) and done little else till 91.”
– I’ve already mentioned the ‘use them or lose them’ truism and I regret that your statement epitomises the naivety of so many views expressed in this forum. Such a policy as yours would be akin to reducing the England football team to a couple of training sessions each month, playing the odd friendly twice a year and then expecting it to win the World Cup.
The ships’ companies of major warships (and to a certain extent any embarked units) are not like boxes of toy soldiers. They are complex living and breathing organisms in which the individual cells perform specific but overlapping functions. These ‘cells’ are constantly changing as officers and sailors are promoted out of their roles, undergo professional training and promotion courses, broaden their skills in different units or are drafted to apply their knowledge (everything from the safe maintenance and operation of nuclear reactors and gas turbines to detecting and dealing with a supersonic ASM threat) with battlestaffs, training establishments, procurement teams and upkeep authorities. You can not turn such organisms off periodically, introduce untried and untested components and then expect them to leap into life and function correctly immediately after resuscitation even if (repeat) if they are sufficiently motivated to do so.
The same principle applies to ships’ mechanical, electrical and electronic systems. Like diesel engines, they run most efficiently when kept on load. Any sailor will tell you that a new ship/submarine, one just out of refit or one that has been alongside, even for a few days, will accumulate a catalogue of problems that are only detected and resolved once at sea. Moreover, any non-operational ship instantly becomes vulnerable to cannibalisation, not just for its hardware but also for its liveware (personnel).
There is a deluded philosophy these days that not exposing youngsters to risks somehow makes their lives ‘safer’ whereas it actually breeds complacency. I submit that not keeping warships and their personnel up to speed by deploying them in all manner of challenging roles courts danger too. As it is, the Royal Navy’s number of commitments, paucity of warships and submarines to fulfill them, reductions in number of courses and their length, dilution of training staffs, shortcuts in system trials and weapons training and lack of sufficient realism have resulted in several embarrassing incidents of late.
Take, for example, the proposal to curtail HMS Illustrious’s acceptance trials and training by several months so she could relieve HMS Ocean off Libya this Autumn instead of re-entering service next Spring. I’m sure the penalties were considered very seriously but to me it smacked of desperation. The way things are heading, I believe it is only a matter of time before we see the newsworthy occurrence of a truly catastrophic incident instead of one that’s simply embarrassing.
Unreasonable assumption/ question “Is the common politician capable to handle this?”
– most Parliaments have Defence Committees; look at the US House & Senate, they may have members/Chairmen sitting over many decades
@TD
Using civilian components or building a completely civilian system which would make up 50% of the surfae fleet are totally different. The former is not part of my criticism, but the latter.
Still, it’s not clear what SIMSS is. Is it a warship? If not, what else? Where is the line to draw? Is the common politician capable to handle this?
Also, why are you keeping the MIW-part at any price? The logic I don’t understand. If we can put MIW-modules on SIMSS, we can pack them on any other vessel, too. From this one can deduce, there is no need for SIMSS in this regards.
The rest makes use of SIMSS as a boat and container carrier aka mothership. Why don’t you say then, it’s a mothership? I guess, because this would add a definitive warfighting role and would cripple the platform, which in itself is simply not war capable.
Re. disaster relief: Where is the vessel stationed? Where are the ISO-containers (bottling plant etc.)? How do they come together and when? Is SIMSS always carriing them? If yes, isn’t the individual unit a one trick pony? If no, when do you know you need disaster relief equipment? What is the advantge using SIMSS instead of another vessel sitting on it’s arse instead? You would also need other types of boats, where are they? What is the real difference to today’s situation? Isn’t the main difference the containers you mention?
Hi DJ, I agree with those (revised) ratios at the end of your contribution (as a planning basis)
Hi Repulse, v sensible , if the internal volume permits. The French found space in the Floreal patrol frigate design for another 100 ft long fuel tank (so you can use it for a 10k nm range, or refuelling others).And at 93.5m and 2.950 t it is not a very big ship!
I found a superb source on BAM
http://www.fotosdebarcos.com/viewtopic.php?t=798
in Spanish, though. There is the mystical K-130 version (already costed) which must correspond to the much bigger arctic/antarctic version shown at the end
This source also has BAMs next to “proper” warships and “mere” patrol vessels for nice&easy comparisons.
Despite being a brilliant design, in my books BAM is for NATO waters and not a presence solution. I am all for the SIMMS with the innovative & voluminous hull form, but on the conventional hulls side of things I would maintain the Hollands as a benchmark. Just to tick more of TD’s boxes:
– there are two containers (spaces) under the flight deck. These can
– with use of the slipway launch MCM gear, and operate the on-board part of the overall system from that mission space
– again, using the slipway, add a towed sonar (and the helo can do the torpedoes bit of the ASW job, should such a threat exist; in normal operation there would be no”overheads” from this capability)
– the specialists/ Marines contingent of 40 is big enough (did not realise before: the helo operators are counted into this number)
– even though the sick bay is only for ten, should the need arise, the mission bay can be converted – with a containerised solution, of course
Repulse
It may not be a popular view, or sensible for that matter, but I really think we need to at least consider the possibility that the “war” fleet, so carrier, and destroyers, should have returned to port in 82, gone for a training cruise around the north sea a couple of times a year (a few days once a month?) and done little else till 91.
3:1 is only required if you insist on deploying ships constantly, for little prtactical benefit, thats easy top cut to 2:1 for big stuff, and 3:2 for escorts if ships are not sent on world tours, or even just constantly cruising the Irish Sea.
The following has probably been shown before, but this would get my vote for a new Clyde 2 OPV:
http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Alternate%20Universe/GB%20OPV%20C3%20Son%20of%20a%20River%201b%20AU.gif
@ACC: probably asking for the “moon on a stick” with the refueling bit I admit, but a SIMSS type vessel could easily offer the rest. Would mean we would need a few additional “small” fast fleet tankers.
McZ,
If you really want to be pedantic, the bits where I mentioned leveraging the ecosystem of the civilian supply chain is already happening in the land domain with increasing use of civilian technology and systems. Look at the civilian derived vehicles, look how they can use the design and support infrastuctures already in place. Not sure whats not to like
As for the big truck with quads, I think you need to calm down a bit :)
Its nothing like the same thing is it and I think everyone else would agree
Remind me of the question on disaster relief
@fbot
Those questions have been answered in part 5, I don’t want to repeat again. The point is not the status quo, the point is that I refuse the SIMSS as the solution. I have made other proposals and will keep doing so.
In short: drop T26 ALLTOGETHER, introduce a light frigate as MHPC (we are heading that size anyway), have her equipped with a mission bay. After 8 or 10 vessels out of MHPC, simply keep building.
I will detail this later, but if we keep T26, we overspend our budget by 20%, even if it only costs 300m. if the price tag grows to 500m, we will reach that mark after 8 vessels. There is no way out. We must drop T26. We need a much cheaper design, but certainly not an OXFAM-combatant.
@TD
SIMSS is a truck, as you wrote, so I used the truck-analogy.
I just invented the SIMSV for the lads in green, as yu braught them on the table. Todays armies bread- and butter tasks are peacekeeping, civil assistance, mine sweeping, a.s.o. The ecosystem for trucks is even larger, with a large supplier base for special equipment. It’s the same as in the maritime domain. So it’s an valid argument.
Do you refuse it? Makes it a bad feeling in the stomach?
An answer to the practical example (disaster relief) will be appreciated.
Further, I don’t mock the pirates, I mock the idea to operate warvessels like somalian pirates. To think, that the ‘pirates’ (and by this, I don’t mean the poor soil on the boats) are amateurs at any rank may be one of our problems chasing them down. The idea to kill Mafia by military force is, well, obviously not working.
Hi Mike,
Yes, the Kockums SAM3 remote & reprogrammable solution “literature” gives an example, where the areas (or also passages of a different form) are 15-20 km long, but of course passes required are many (so are those robo-vessels doing the work).
So that is sweeping, and mine field breaching. No reason why the various Seafoxes already used could not do the hunting, or more or less the demolition, following the sweep and spotted locations.
The thing is that even if the areas are extensive, it is not OTH. I guess only the USN with their helo methods are, as of today?
http://www.kockums.se/en/products-services/naval-surface-ships/mine-countermeasures/sam-3/
Still very much doubt its use on the mine hunting – it’d have to counter them at distance :/
Big, those then
“(capable of amphibious lift, hospital, refueling / replenishing OPVs and MHMVs plus carrying flexible modules) gets my vote!
I still go for “JBT’s slightly smaller faster platform” and available numbers
FBOT @ 10ish: “The rule of 3 has to go. It is wasteful, self indulgent and plays straight into the hands of the Treasury.
Too many seem to join the navy to live in Hampshire rather than to see the world, any thoughts?”
For the high end core which we expect to readily available for high intensity warfare I disagree. We are just kidding ourselves if we think otherwise in my view. This means CVF, destroyers, frigates and probably amphibs / fleet tankers. I know we’ve only got (hopefully) two CVFs coming, but I think we all would like to rewrite history and get three smaller ones. We also need contingency for accidents, losses etc. We can pretend we don’t but be found badly wanting when needed.
However, for the rest of the navy I totally agree. Love it or hate the vessel, but HMS Clyde has proved this; ratios of less than 2:1 are workable.
Don’t know if people join the RN to live in Hampshire, but I don’t think sailors will spend anymore time at home with what I’m saying.
I also like the Endurance class… I think we’ve agreed on this a few times now.
@TD, I like your revision. In the future the RFA having 3-5 fleet tankers / store ships, plus a dozen SIMSS (capable of amphibious lift, hospital, refueling / replenishing OPVs and MHMVs plus carrying flexible modules) gets my vote!
Well TD when you consider the US MCMV module is at $70m per unit it may start to get expensive if your packing 2-3 in 1 vessel. And that only includes a hand full of remote vehicles.
Gabby
I ask because the US is using this AN/SLQ-48 Mine Neutralisation Vehicle and has a quoted operational range of a 1000 yards from the ship.
I didnt think Id say this but I agree with Ixion we cant have every thing. I think a couple of type 26s will have to go. I would look for RFA more like the Fort2/Dilgence type vessel as sort of sea based logistic command and resupply vessel then instead of it supporting a frigate on station multiple (insert as your choice) vessels operating over a wide local area.
Hi Jed, something like that
“SIMMS – based on JBT’s slightly smaller faster platform
6 with the RFA for MSO – replacement for River class
6 with RN for global MCM deployment
2 with ? for Survey (could break the mold and put them RFA too)”
And the last two bigger and ice strengthened
Sorry TD I think I part company with you over Jss style stuff, becuase it beocms little more that a depot ship for exiaiting style MCMV, patrol boats etc does it not? (that is if i have you right).
Then we are keeping a dog and barking ourselves.. paying for simms and other craft as well.
As for extra t45/26 thats fantasy isn’t it?
Away from the mine effects (magnetic,pressure, sound or otherwise triggered) is one thing, and remote/ automated/ preprogrammed operation holds great promise
– OTH is (?): can’t be visually targeted, within range of normal ATGWs or conventional medium artillery; here we are talking about launching smaller units to take and deploy ROVs etc (and recover them)
“So will that allow operational at 1-2+ miles ranges for example.”
Much further away than that.
Mark, the modules will cost what they cost but if you look at my list the vast majority of them are pretty simple. Lets not over complicate things.
I agree with FBOT re “Surely for MARS these are going to have to be much much bigger” even though looking at all those task areas (and replacements) together is a must.
Now, why should our horse trading be about x or y fewer T26’s? I agree with TD that this capability
“The whole point of SIMSS is that it is big enough to embark a range of small craft and workboats, swarms of them if needed. So where the MCM work needs to be close in to the littoral for say an amphib route then not even a Hunt can do that. That is why the world and hi dog are developing a range of surface and sub surface unmanned systems, all of them being small enough to operate tight inshore. In this scenario, SIMSS becomes the truck and it carries 3 or 4 20m workboats which would be able to carry their own unmanned systems and venture inshore” is a MUST if SIMMS, one or two sizes, is to earn its way
– so why are we not substituting with and between the units of the £1.4 bn MSP- programme, rather than numbers of T26s?
Gabby
So will that allow operational at 1-2+ miles ranges for example. Are current mcmvs have a draft of about 7ft and were proposing replacing it with one of nearly 3 times that. Is this not the area were the US is having so much trouble with there lcs mcmv module.
Its not just mcmv its austere port entry for disaster relief work ect also.
TD how much do you intend to spend on the modules boat unmanned bits ect and how many data-links ect will be needed.
I think the rfa should have a much bigger role to play and the current 4 mcmv, bay class model in the gulf is a gd starting point. But in my mind were looking at that number of these vessels in each presence squadron.
“no over the horizon mcmv capabilty has been so far developed.”
This October ATLAS (maker of Seafox) will have a 1 week campaign of demonstrations to the MOD and other customers (France surely among them) the concept of a system of systems, AKA a family of remotely-operated assets for MCM ops.
Almost certainly, it will involve the FAST, which is planned to be ready to go onto the Hunt class minesweepers in 2 years time and has already been trialed several times.
The Seafox I + COBRA clip will also feature if it is ready in time.
It promises to end the need for Seafox C (The I is the Search drone, re-usable. The C is the disposal drone, which is a one-shot kamikaze). The Cobra kit is a stand-off EOD kit working at depths of up to 300 meters, that can be clipped onto the Seafox I, making it a reusable Hunter-Killer.
Should make the whole process a lot cheaper… and require far less Seafox drones to be carried, as no C will be needed anymore.
TD
MARS is MARS, and might be a should in my opinion by Dutch JSS – but because I mentioned RFA don’t accidentally conflate the two.
SIMMS – based on JBT’s slightly smaller faster platform
6 with the RFA for MSO – replacement for River class
6 with RN for global MCM deployment
2 with ? for Survey (could break the mold and put them RFA too)
All with identical base equipment fit for “whole fleet management” approach – shifting bits around as vessels go into refit NOT flying modules out to some god forsaken port in Africa !
Retain 6 Sandown class single role Minehunter.
DomJ – you truly must be drinking in the Pub. The CVR(T) is a unstabilised turret, welding or strapping down a Scimitar on deck would mean your not going to hit anything at any range if the sea is anything other than mirror like, and the ship is stopped. Bless you for thinking outside of the box as the saying goes……
Surely for MARS these are going to have to be much much bigger?
A thought regarding arming them.
The UK purchased 777 “gunned” CVR(T)s, some with high velocity 30mm cannons, some with low velocity 76mm cannons.
To what extent are the turrets wrecked or unsuitable for use at sea?
Not ideal, but half a dozen turrets, or even the vehicles, strategicaly placed, rather makes light of any threat from a pirate and an RPG.
Probably impossible, but who knows.
OK then guys, how about this as a concept for SIMSS
1. Mainly RFA manned with embarked mission crews taken from all corners
2. Combine with MARS for replen/repair
3. Provides a base platform for MCM and Survey
4. Provides a base platform for presence/patrol with suitable extra fighty stuff, either fixed or via boats/UAV’s etc
5. More Type 45 and 26
It still creates a two tier force but we have that already do we not, all this means is that an RFA manned SIMSS provides board and lodging for MCM and counter smuggling/piracy teams in medium threat areas alone (i.e. exactly like now) or under the wings of a big brother if things are a bit sporty
Does that make it a more palatable concept
Haven’t we just talked outselves into the Dutch/Canadian Bay class style Joint Support Ship
On the whole over the horizon MCM thing
The whole point of SIMSS is that it is big enough to embark a range of small craft and workboats, swarms of them if needed. So where the MCM work needs to be close in to the littoral for say an amphib route then not even a Hunt can do that. That is why the world and hi dog are developing a range of surface and sub surface unmanned systems, all of them being small enough to operate tight inshore. In this scenario, SIMSS becomes the truck and it carries 3 or 4 20m workboats which would be able to carry their own unmanned systems and venture inshore.
Its the size of SIMSS that give it this versatility, if stuff needs to go fast or shallow, it’s not SIMSS but the kit it carries that does this
McZ, come on, what are you on about with trucks and Afghanistan. You know its not the point of this. Of course small craft and UAV’s would be part of the cost equation, I never said they wouldn’t.
You might mock those pirate skiff motherships but as yourself this, with several billion in naval hardware in the area who is talking the piss out of who?
The combined naval forces of the world are being made to look like rank amatuers by a bunch of amateurs who understand perfectly their logistics and operating constraints, maybe we should be learning from them a few lessons in sea control.
You can take the piss all you like but whats the alternative
FBOT, those Endurance vessels look great. In fact when you look back at the vast majority of naval operations of recent times the basic amphib has been bar far and away the most useful yet attract the least investment. Its part of the underlying issue that drives my thinking on SIMSS, preparing for the fight that never comes which buggers up everything you do in the meantime
ACC – Independence copies have not yet “sold” into the gulf, I believe Saudi and Israel have openly discussed a more well armed variant.
As for LCS1 range being almost that of an OHP, yes perhaps at 18kts cruising speed, BUT as soon as you wind up those massive RR gas turbines on your beautifully looking but frankly frakkin useless ‘seaframe” with no production “mission modules” in it, to reach this nirvana of 40 kts plus, where apparently the wake becomes its primary weapon de jeur against the small boat swarm, it soon runs out of gas ….. :-)
We have hijacked this simss thread enough but I will add this your figures
T23 – 16th unit – Built 99 / 2002- £105mill
Absalon – 1st unit – Built 2002 / 04 – £165mill
T26 – unit cost – Built 2016 / 20? – £260mill
You do get that with the cost of inflation the buying power of money roughly speaking halfs in a decade so to buy your 165m absalon in 2016 would cost 320m roughly so t26 at 260m is value for money in my book
I have to say im with mcz on this the simss is required to replace the hunt class and the patrol vessels draft 2-3m. They are the vessels that currently operate in the shallow as acc has pointed out in the other thread no over the horizon mcmv capabilty has been so far developed. If we cant do that then the vessel will have to get into shallow water.
As I tried to ask at the start we have 7b surface fleet rfa replacement budget and most likely 6 task areas to equip for along with the carrier/amphip group. We need to ask how much is required to buy asw and stores vessels for the carrier group after that we have a pot off money for the 6 presence squadron areas.
For me thats 6-700m per area and as I like the austral mrv-80 or jhsv vessel that gives 3-4 of those + an rfa AOR vessel or possibly a type 26 + an AOR + a fast boat squadron (cb90/ hovercraft). The 6 tasking areas are very different and I think if we can allocate a block of money per area and the requirement off that area we may end up with a better equipment plan that just saying it has to be this ship and everywhere will be the same.
McZ @ 2.48
The questions still stand –
What is our present green water capability?
Do we have enough hulls in the water?
What jobs need doing?
The SIMSS / Colonial Sloop family offers an answer to some of the RN’s current issues, how would you do it?
The MHPC budget appears to be available.
Is the current plan for 8 hulls at 2,500 tons each acceptable, affordable, achievable?
@fbot
“I fear you are becoming an uber rationalist and letting your desire for the perfect to blind you to the productive solutions that regularly pass you by.”
Ah, yes, productive!
What a term.
I though, we seek a solution for the RN to execute it’s task primarily as effective and secondarily as efficient as possible.
Building vessels for vessels sake or for sake to get tonnage into the water has nothing to do with any of those principles.
“If you want to get up close and personal then you use a SIMSS – Level 2 – Colonial Sloop and stuff it’s well deck with all the fast floating kit you need.”
Oh, we are already at squadron level? How many vessels will we have to add to the concept to make it work?
According to TD, that ‘floating kit’ is presumed to do defence, influence, with one boat playing guard for other boats. SIMSS and actually your colonial sloop as well are in a sense the skiff-motherships of the RN.
How futile is that!? A squadron of SIMSS has 10, 20 or even 40 boats and a few ScanEagles, maybe a helo or two. There are basically around 30,000 skiffs on the coast of Somalia. The south china seas has around 50,000 fishery vessels, smaller boats excluded. The Straits of Malakka are passed by over 90,000 large vessels a year.
TD says, SIMSS is something like a blank sheet of paper. In itself, it is a vessel without value – IXION called it ‘expendable’ – having cargo space nobody needs. As such, we have to be honest: you have to add the cost for the boats, as they are part of the requirement, as much as a gun on a frigate.
“Green-water is only part of the forward presence equation.”
What else? To attract blue water mermaids to matelots?
“The issues can be solved”
A bold statement for yet non-existing vessels out of a not-yet tested concept.
How about this:
Hell, we should take those large 50ts trucks and make overland patrols in Afghanistan. The capability to pack motorcycles and quads in the well deck will make do for our low numbers of helos and armed recon vehicles. We can pack a 76 on the top of the roof. A yes, and a ScanEagle, we need to know where the bad guys are. Well, if we finally sort out, how exactly the bad guys are clothed. If we manage to do this, we mup them up with our high-speed fighting assets (mabye they will survive). The rest of the time we carry on constructing schools and providing mobile internet cafes to Kandahar.
@ArmChairCivvy
“Independence … actually I think she is a beauty”
Yes, she is.
The last order is $460m per copy, as I remember correctly. A fact that people constantly refuse to accept, that in current $ any LCS comes in $410m cheaper than a OHP, lower manning cost excluded. And compared to OHP, LCS-2 has according to it’s docs only 100nm fewer range than an OHP. This was before she went to sea. NAVSEA recorded a better economy than advertized.
TD
To get back to SIMSS, any thoughts on the Endurance class?
I have asked before just a case of detail and how it fits with your thoughts?
From memory you mentioned crew but I think that it would be one of the easier issues to solve.
The ship seems to come with quite a troop of other transport assets –
4 x LCVP.
2 x LCU.
2 x Helos.
Big numbers to feed, crew and look after these assets?
McZ x 2
What is the current depth limit for a T23?
What green-water presence do we have at the moment?
What percentage of coastline requires sitting 20 miles off- shore in a frigate at the moment?
I fear you are becoming an uber rationalist and letting your desire for the perfect to blind you to the productive solutions that regularly pass you by.
If you want to get up close and personal then you use a SIMSS – Level 2 – Colonial Sloop and stuff it’s well deck with all the fast floating kit you need.
40m x 15m x 10 m air clearance will carry a lot of stuff.
Green-water is only part of the forward presence equation.
The issues can be solved,
The only issue is what do we do today?
What can we do better, what can we do cheaper?
@TD
First, thanks for once again clarifying your thoughts.
One can get the impression, we are really talking about a naval Jackal here. We can loose a Jackal, sorry’bout the lads, but it doesn’t has any symbolism. Loosing the third largest vessel in the fleet is a whole different matter. For most foreigners, RN = UK.
Apart from this, when I played with some scenarios, SIMSS failed to do the job on any task. Let’s make it easy, it’s peace, and the SIMSS is tasked with disaster relief. How? IMO, we have three choices:
(1) always have the equipment aboard; some sort of 24/7 solution; this means, the individual vessel is not multirole; as it cannot be everywhere on the globe, it has to be stationed somewhere near to possible disaster areas; the Atlantic vessel is clearly outperformed by current practive, Indian Ocean is would need an own vessel, Pacific also, but could more efficiently done by NZ or Oz
(2) bring in stuff from mainland UK; this is our current model, and we require no specialist vessel for this
(3) bring in stuff from a given overseas dependency; this is the french model, and SIMSS is the BATRAL; actually not very compelling
We can agree to disagree here, but IMO this circle cannot be made square.
“One commenter attested that all RN vessels should be able to fend off midget submarine lauched torpedo attacks.”
No, I stated that this is one of the possible threats. At least this should be the lesson from the Cheonan-sinking. Nowhere I said it must be able to do ASW. At least a vessel having a sonar can outmaneuvre the sub, which is the cheapest countermeasure.
“SIMSS has the space to operate multiple UAV’s, multiple Wildcat’s and multiple powerful craft like CB90’s.”
This is a battlestar, not a cheap presence vessel. The equipment costs £60+ and has higher operating cost as a light frigate sitting on it’s arse. The immediate deterrence factor is zero.