The queen gave birth in the night …
- Pushkin
On one of the autumn days of 2004, a ship appeared in a quiet backwater of the Odense Fjord, which changed the traditional ideas about the role and appearance of modern naval forces. The Danes themselves are confident that the Absalon-class control and support ship is capable of replacing all the variety of classes of combat and auxiliary ships that were previously used in the fleet.
The range of tasks solved by "Absalon" is extremely wide. To the question: “What is this? Frigate, destroyer, UDC? " the sailors of the Royal Danish Navy simply shrugged their shoulders: "Ship."
A "flexible support" ship for participation in modern low-intensity conflicts, capable of solving problems of controlling sea communications, providing fire support, landing and covering amphibious assault forces, and being used as a transport for transporting strategic cargo (equipment, consumables, military equipment). And also perform the functions of a command and staff ship, a minelayer and a hospital ship.
On the technical side, "Absalon" is a 137-meter ship with a total displacement of 6300 tons, the design of which bizarrely combines the technologies of military and civilian shipbuilding. The hull is built taking into account the technology of reducing radar signature; measures have been taken to reduce the thermal signature of the ship.
The permanent crew of the Absalon is 100 people. Two MTU diesel engines (2 x 11 thousand hp) provide a speed of 23 knots. The cruising range at economic speed is 9000 miles.
The permanent composition of the armament includes a 127-mm artillery mount Mk.45 installed in the nose, two rapid-fire 35 mm Millennium anti-aircraft machine guns, firing "smart" ammunition, as well as two Mk.32 torpedo tubes with small-sized MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes.
"Millennium" is especially interesting: the aiming system of the machine gun continuously calculates the trajectory of the target, programming shells to detonate at a certain point in space. With the explosion of each ammunition, 152 damaging elements are formed, which provides a high probability of hitting the target even in the absence of direct hits. The rate of fire of the installation itself reaches 1000 rds / min.
These systems are just the tip of the iceberg. The real power of the Absalon is barely visible to the naked eye. Behind the high bulwark in the middle of the ship is a platform for the installation of replaceable StanFlex modules.
Standard Flex is a system of standard slots and removable modules (dimensions 3x2, 5x3, 5 m), adopted by the Danish Navy, with various equipment, focused on performing specific tasks. The unique system was developed in the 80s. To date, at least 12 variants of modules are known: artillery, anti-aircraft, PLO (search and strike options), folding crane, launcher with anti-ship missiles, module with oceanographic equipment, radio intelligence module, environmental module, cargo module, control station for unmanned underwater vehicles etc.
StanFlex module with mine sweeping equipment
Absalon is capable of carrying five StanFlex modules simultaneously. The standard set includes two modules with anti-ship missiles (inclined launchers Mk.141, total ammunition - 16 Harpoon anti-ship missiles) and three modules with anti-aircraft missiles. Missile weapons are located in the cells of the Mk.48 (or Mk.56) air defense unit, the total ammunition is 36 ESSM medium-range missiles.
The StanFlex system undoubtedly gives the ship considerable flexibility in combat and special operations at sea. Another feature of Absalon is the availability of a universal cargo deck Flex Deck with a retractable ramp for loading and unloading operations.
Aside from the loud phrases and beautiful abbreviations, the "flexible" Flex Deck is an ordinary covered hangar with an area of 915 sq. m. with good lighting and overhead cranes. For what purposes this space can be used - the fantasy goes to infinity. For example, 40 trucks or 7 Leopard 2 main battle tanks can be driven here. Or set up a monkey cage for captured Somali pirates. You can build office partitions and organize a headquarters. Deploy a mobile hospital on board. Or divide the hangar into separate quarters for the marines (up to 170 people on board). There is a choice for every taste.
The ship's aircraft armament is represented by two EH-101 transport helicopters (carrying capacity - 38 people or 5 tons of cargo). Heliport with an area of 850 sq. m. in the stern is designed to receive heavy helicopters "Chinook" or CH-53E.
Also standard equipment of "Absalon" includes two high-speed boats SRC-90E with the ability to lower / raise them on the move using a retractable crane and a tailgate in the stern of the ship.
Electronic equipment:
Despite the solid composition of the armament, the radio systems of the Absalon spacecraft look rather primitive. The composition of the REO is more consistent with a landing or patrol ship than a modern destroyer or frigate with guided missile weapons.
The main detection tool is the Thales SMART-S multifunctional UHF radar, which simultaneously performs the functions of long-range view and tracking the horizon. Simple and reliable SMART-S is a good choice for navigation and air monitoring in a simple situation. But in the event of a sudden attack by low-flying anti-ship missiles, the Absalon ship will be completely defenseless. Where even specialized radars for detecting NLCs do not always cope, the modest S-band radar has nothing to hope for.
In addition to SMART-S, three more radars are installed on board the ship:
- Saab Systems Ceros 200 anti-aircraft fire control radar (target illumination for ESSM missiles);
- Radar detection of surface targets and control of artillery fire Terma Scanter 2001;
- finally, a simple navigation radar "Scout".
To detect underwater targets, the German Atlas Elektronik ASQ-94 sonar is installed on board the Absalon. The station operates at medium frequencies, which clearly indicates its not too impressive characteristics (in contrast to the low-frequency HAS used on "full-fledged" destroyers).
The ship is equipped with a modern CIUS Terma C-Flex, made according to the traditional C4I standard (Combat management and Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence) - information support, control and management in battle, communications and reconnaissance. All incoming data is processed in a single information space on 20 multifunctional consoles.
Communication systems are represented by standard "NATO" data transmission channels LINK 11 and LINK 16 + multichannel satellite communications on military and civilian frequencies.
Currently, the Royal Danish Navy has two command and support ships - "Absalon" (operational code - L16) and "Esbern Snare" (L17). The ships got their names in honor of the medieval bishops - the founders of Denmark. Both ships entered service in the period 2004-05.
Why was Absalon built?
Multifunctional transport and combat ship with a modular layout. Is this a bold step into the future or a consequence of conventional budget cuts? How justified is the construction of such hybrids?
The official version explains the construction of the Absalon by a change in the nature of combat operations at sea - the absence of serious naval threats forces them to look for new ways of using the fleet. The interests of seafarers are gradually shifting to the coastal zone, where counter-terrorism and humanitarian operations predominate. This is where the need arises for a "flexible" combat platform capable of solving the widest range of tasks.
Ate to abandon the sanctimonious bureaucratic terminology, it literally means the following: modern Denmark does not particularly need a fleet. At the same time, the financial condition of the small kingdom allows it to be armed with a couple of such "toys" - to strengthen the country's international status and limited participation in peacekeeping operations. The lot of the armed transport "Absalon" is to display the flag and get under the feet of the US Navy, so that Washington does not accidentally forget about the existence of a small but proud Denmark.
As for the combat capabilities of "Absalon", with all its splendor and "high-tech" stuffing, it is not suitable for participation in any real operations.
Tanks and food are delivered by conventional ro-ro ships and ocean liner container ships - their capacity is 10-15 times more than that of a small Danish ship. The headquarters or flagship command post can be successfully deployed to the CIC of any Aegis destroyer (or a ship with a similar capability). Placing the wounded and injured on a battleship is not a good idea. For this, there are special hospital ships, with white paint and huge red crosses on the sides. Unlike Absalon, they guarantee at least some level of security. Shooting them is considered a war crime; not everyone dares to attack them.
The presence of "Absalon" in the zone of major military conflicts is out of the question: a slow-moving ship, devoid of zonal air defense and with limited capabilities of detection means, is an extremely easy target.
The shelling of the coast from a 127-mm cannon is possible only if the enemy is a Papuan from the Stone Age. A return volley of the D-30 or Grad will turn the unarmored Absalon into blazing ruins. It is contraindicated for him to enter into a duel with the shore.
Finally, participation in anti-terrorist operations at sea and the fight against piracy. As it turned out, in modern conditions "Absalon" is not capable of performing even such simple tasks.
HDMS Esbern Snare (L17)
However, Absalon and Esbern Snare have one important advantage - the cost of building each was only 170 million euros. Of course, this amount did not include the cost of StanFlex modules and the excellent Swiss automatic machines "Oerlikon Millennium".
The construction time was quite surprising - the Absalon was launched just 3 months after its laying and was put into operation in less than a year (however, the saturation of the ship with modern equipment continued for another year and a half).
A few words about Absalon's Somali voyage. The real combat significance of the Danish armed transport was demonstrated by its military service in the Horn of Africa. On September 15, 2008, Absalon was appointed the flagship of Task Force 150, a grouping of international ships performing missions to counter Somali piracy. What came out of all this is worthy of the plot of the comedy "Striped Flight".
On September 17, Absalon discovered a pair of suspicious feluccas with black fishermen frantically hiding Kalashnikovs and boarding ladders under tackle. A Danish warship approached the enemy and courageously aimed its 127-mm cannon at him. The commander contacted Copenhagen by satellite and requested further instructions.
The sailors launched a couple of high-speed boats, tied up the Somalis without firing a shot and ferried them aboard the Absalon.
The prisoners were placed in a cage on the cargo deck. And then something unimaginable began.
Instead of throwing the villains overboard, having previously given each of them a rescue anchor, the humane Europeans set out to judge them in a righteous court. But then a coded message came from Copenhagen - the Danish Themis refused to judge the pirates. There was a heavy silence on the Absalon's bridge.
During this time, the prisoners devoured sailor rations by both cheeks and fouled the flexible Flex Deck cargo deck - to such an extent that the Danes barely had enough chemicals to clean the ship after the "guests" left.
An attempt to float the prisoners to other ships of European countries failed. As a result, the indignant pirates, who by that time had taken root well on the comfortable deck of the Absalon, were loaded onto boats and landed on the Somali coast under cover of darkness.
“The operation to intimidate the pirates will continue! - the Minister of Defense of Denmark Soren Gade addressed the nation. “Absalon has already managed to restore order in its area of responsibility.” Although the head of the defense department nevertheless modestly admitted that there was a "problem" with the sailing of pirates on vacation.
Even more amusing results were obtained by a meeting with Somali pirates on December 4, 2008. The valiant crew of the Absalon discovered an unidentified boat in the stormy sea, giving distress signals. The ship approached and hung a storm ladder from the torpedo hatch. On which black guys with machine guns and RPGs at the ready climbed aboard the Absalon. Not wanting to get themselves into further problems, the Danes disarmed the Somalis, put them on their life raft and landed in the sea, transferring the coordinates of the place to the Somali authorities. All would be fine, but the brave descendants of the Vikings set out to destroy the Somali boat, riddling it with machine-gun fire. A day later, this colander found a French ship and raised the alarm: "A brutal attack on a peaceful boat!"
And all the ships of Task Force 150, including the flagship Absalon, rushed to comb the sea in search of villains who are firing at peaceful boats from a machine gun …
