At the beginning of the 21st century, european and American navies bid farewell to the Cold War mentality and began to tailor new ships to meet diversified needs. Among them, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, which are relatively small in size, have taken the lead in this round of innovation.
2 Absalon-class frigates moored side by side in port
In the past, it was easy to be drawn to the first two and ignore the great innovations of the Danes. In fact, the advanced design concept of the Absalon-class frigates alone is enough to make them occupy a place in the history of human navy.
During the Cold War, the Danish Navy relied entirely on small ships to survive
As early as the long Cold War, small European countries, including Denmark, were under the pressure of the huge Soviet fleet. Although the main battlefield between NATO's main force and the red sworn enemy must be the Norwegian-Icelandic defense line further north, the Baltic Sea on the southern flank is also full of dangers. So much so that Denmark at that time was keen to equip a large number of small warships, responsible for cooperating with the Air Force and shore-based missiles to block the westward advance of the Warsaw Pact Group.
Denmark's special terrain puts it on the task of sealing off the Baltic Sea
But after the collapse of Soviet hegemony, defense pressure on Europe itself plummeted. Both the traditional NATO bloc and the newly built EU Rapid Reaction Force are gradually realizing that the burden on their shoulders is heavier. They had to contend with tight budgets and ensure that the Navy could travel to more places and carry out a more varied variety of tasks. As a result, the prescient Absalon class was born, and was even once titled a flexible support ship because it was too fully functional.
The basic structure of the Absalon-class frigate
From a more traditional point of view, the Absalon Class, built in 2003, is undoubtedly very decent. The standard displacement of only 4500 tons has long been the lower standard for the new generation of frigates in the world. As for the full load displacement of up to 6600 tons, there are no additional highlights.
MK57 vertical hair module mounted in the middle of the hull
Secondly, the Absalon-class weapon system is also relatively moderate, and is not prepared to act as a regional air defense force like Spain and the Netherlands in the same period. Therefore, the choice was to use the SMART-S Mk2 3D search radar produced by Thales, supplemented by the 6002 surface search radar developed by the domestic company.
16 Harpoon missile modules mounted in the middle of the hull
Therefore, the ship can only launch the RIM-162 improved Sea Sparrow missile for point air defense through a 36-unit MK57 vertical launch device installed in the middle of the hull. However, anti-ship firepower is more abundant, and a total of 16 Harpoon missiles can be added according to the situation. If you count the 127mm main gun and 2 35mm close-in guns in the bow, the overall combat effectiveness is at most only the general anti-submarine configuration under the NATO alliance standard.
The bow's 127mm main gun and 35mm close-in gun
The Absalon class was not equipped with towed sonar, and had to rely on atlas ASO 94 sonar and two MH-60 helicopters in the hull to explore underwater targets. Therefore, for a long time after service, it was not an excellent and very competent fleet anti-submarine platform. However, the composite diversity of this class of Danish new ships is unmatched by other contemporaries.
The Absalon class can carry 2 medium helicopters at the same time
It turned out that at the beginning of the design, the Danish Navy had made enough space for the Absalon class. This would accommodate 75 staff officers, serve as the command center of the fleet, and carry an additional 200 company-sized marine units. With 2 Saab 90 speedboats, 2 rigid inflatable boats or 2 EH101 medium helicopters on board, it is enough to quickly carry out a three-dimensional landing on the target coast. If you go to your own control port, these spaces can be used to transport 7 main battle tanks and 48 military vehicles. Simply open the telescopic gantry at the stern and go straight ashore along the ramp.
The Absalon class has a strong transport capacity
Even more valuable is that the Absalon class can replace the tactical modules of certain parts, allowing itself to perform mine-laying or medical rescue missions. In the former mode, the cabin located on the lower deck can accommodate about 300 mines. It also relies on the gantry at the tail and is launched in batches by speedboats. Of course, it is also possible to switch on the air mode synchronously, and 2 helicopters will assist in the operation. This mechanism can also be used for mine clearance operations. As for the latter model, specialized medical containers need to be installed to provide the necessary equipment for field surgery.
Saab 90 speedboat placed from the tail gantry
Of course, such a complex set of functions makes the price of a single ship of the Absalon class as high as 2.5 billion crowns. The Danish Navy gritted its teeth and scraped together the cost of 2 ships, which was an opportunity to replace a large number of smaller and single-function old Cold War ships. Moreover, in order to take into account the feelings of the Russian side, it has long been reluctant to call it a frigate, and only perfunctorily positioned it as a flexible support ship.
The Absalon class, which is being test-fired with Harpoon missiles
However, if the reader considers the danish navy's own positioning, he can understand the great value of these two four-unlike battleships. Because in the Baltic Sea east of Jutland, there are too many small and medium-sized ports suitable for rapid Ro-Ro unloading. The Absalons were able to defend themselves with firepower and then deliver the first supplies to the front lines. At the same time, Denmark still has a large greenland and needs to deal with sudden disputes for the interests of the Arctic at any time. In this way, heavy-fire warships that can quickly deploy Marines can stand out from the opponent's patrol boats. Finally, the two Absalon class ships can also be flexibly assigned to third world countries to carry out low-intensity firefights and humanitarian rescue obligations. Even within the highly skilled NATO group, it is the main force of the rare amphibious assault brigade.
The Absalon-class frigates that are being trained in coordination with the U.S. military
In fact, the Danes' innovations, although seemingly "small-minded", became more and more recognized by other allied countries. For example, the Type 26 frigate, which is about to enter service with the Canadian and Australian navies, is designed and installed with a professional handling system, which can be equipped with container modules with different functions at any time. The Spanish Navy's F110 frigates, which are under construction, also have a multi-functional area that integrates various types of drones, vehicles, speedboats or submarines. There is also an additional cargo area on board and can be transported ashore via a starboard ramp.
Builder of the Spanish Navy F110 frigate
The Australian Navy's Hunter-class frigates with displacements of up to 10,000 tons
In addition, the Danish Navy itself suddenly announced in 2020 that it would redefine 2 Absalon-class ships as frigates. By 2026, they will be undergoing long-term modifications to enhance their anti-submarine capabilities with newly installed towed sonar. Apparently designers have left enough room for similar possibilities more than a decade ago.
The future Absalon-class frigates will focus on strengthening anti-submarine capabilities
In this era of increasingly expensive weapon systems, perhaps a mixed design like the Absalon-class frigate is the direction of naval development in most countries around the world...