Seaforth World Naval Review: 2021

194 Pages·2020·25.184 MB·English

by  Conrad Waters (editor)

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2021
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Frontispiece: The crew ofthe new Japanese submarine Oryu are seen wearing protective
masksasa precaution againstthe COVID-19 pandemicin a photograph probablytaken at
the time ofher maiden arrivalatKure NavalBase on 7 April2020, where she joined
Submarine Squadron 3 ofthe JMSDF’s1stSubmarine Flotilla. Delivered on 5 March 2020,
Oryuisthe tenth member ofthe Soryuclass. Unlike her sistersshe isequipped with
lithium-ion batteries, making her the firstsubmarine in the world to utilise thistechnology.
(JMSDF)
Copyright © Seaforth Publishing 2020
Plans © John Jordan 2020
First published in Great Britain in 2020 by
Seaforth Publishing
An imprint of Pen & SwordBooks Ltd
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SYorkshire S70 2AS
www.seaforthpublishing.com
Email [email protected]
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
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ISBN 978-1-5267-9074-3 (Hardback)
ISBN 978-1-5267-9075-0 (ePub)
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with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
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CCOONNTTEENNTTSS
Section 1: Overview
1.0 Introduction 6
Section 2: World Fleet Reviews
2.1 RegionalReview – North and South America 12
2.2 RegionalReview – Asia and The Pacific 28
2.3 RegionalReview – The Indian Ocean and Africa 42
2.3A FleetReview – The Nigerian Navy: Making slow headwayagainstheavyseas 51
Mrityunjoy Mazumdarhighlights the struggle to achieve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea
2.4 RegionalReview – Europe and Russia 64
2.4A FleetReview – The RoyalSwedish Navy(SvenskaMarinen): Facingrisingtensions
in the BalticSea 81
Dieter Stockfischexamines a fleet maintaining a balance between neutrality and partnership
Section 3: Significant Ships
3.1 America(LHA-6) Class: Opportunities& Challenges 93
George Galdorisiand Scott Truverassess the LHA type's role in an evolving strategic context
3.2 IndependenceClassLMVs: Singapore’s‘NextGeneration Warships’ 109
Guy Toremansdetails the technological innovations behind the new littoral mission vessels
3.3 Type 23 Frigates: The Evolving Face ofthe RoyalNavy’sWorkhorses 125
The editor chronicles the evolution of a specialised design into a multi-mission combatant
Section 4: Technological Reviews
4.1 World NavalAviation 144
David Hobbsundertakes his annual overviewof recent developments in maritime air power.
4.2 Seaborne Stealth: Some Considerations 162
Note on Tables: Tablesare provided to give a broad
indication offleetsizesand other keyinformation but Norman Friedmanconsiders the achievements and limitations of naval stealth technology
shouldbe regarded onlyasa generalguide. For example,
4.3 AQuiver ofArrows: The Standard Missile familycontinuesto evolve 170
manypublished sourcesdiffer significantlyon the principal
particularsofships, whilsteven governmentalinformation RichardScottdescribes the current iterations of the enduring missile design
can be subjectto contradiction. In generalterms, the data
4.4 Distributed Maritime Operations: Implication and Challenge 180
contained in these tablesisbased on officialinformation
Kevin Eyerexplains the origins and potential of the US Navy’s new guiding strategic concept
updated asofJune 2020, supplemented byreference to a
wide range ofsecondaryand corporate sources, such as
shipbuilder websites. Contributors 192
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6 WORLDNAVALREVIEW
II1 NNOVETTRVRRIEWOODDUUCCTTIIOONN Author:
Conrad Waters
‘S
ent in this foul clime to languish, Think what Tonnerre was used to evacuate COVID-19 patients However, some significant outbreaks have been
thousands fell in vain; Wasted with disease and from Corsica’s overstretched hospitals for treatment widely reported, notably on the aircraft carriers
anguish, Not in glorious battle slain.’ So wrote on the mainland in late March. Subsequently, her Theodore Roosevelt(CVN-71) and Charles de Gaulle.
the English poet and politician Richard Glover sisters Dixmude and Mistral were dispatched to As many as 60 percent of the latter’screwultimately
(1712–85) in his popular ballad ‘Admiral Hosier’s provide additional resources for France’s overseas fell ill after sailors started exhibiting symptoms
Ghost’, a polemic on an ill-fated Royal Navy expedi- territories in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean as part whilst the ship was operating in the North Atlantic.
tion to the Caribbean in which Hosier and thou- of the French military’s broader Operation Fortunately all eventually recovered. In general
sands of his command were doomed to death from ‘Résilience’. The United Kingdom and the terms, it seems that the cramped berthing conditions
disease as a result of governmental ineptitude. The Netherlands also reinforced their assets in the typically found in older ships have been more
circumstances of the current COVID-19 pandemic Caribbean with the deployment of the casualty conducive to the virus’ spread than the more
that is afflicting all our lives are clearly very different receiving ship Argusand the joint support ship Karel spacious cabins specified in recent surface designs.
from those that befell Admiral Hosier’s mission. Doorman.The three countries have agreed to coordi- This would suggest a particular vulnerability in
Nevertheless, it is difficult for any review of the past nate their militaryresponse to the crisis in the region. submarines, with potentially worrying implications
year – irrespective of its subject matter – not to be for submarine-based strategic deterrents.2
overshadowed by a global disaster that has been 2. Vulnerability: Whilst navies have brought valu- It is noteworthy that many navies have proved
exacerbated both by a lack of preparedness and by able skills to combatting the COVID-19 crisis, the successful at adapting their operating procedures to
political miscalculation. A grim milestone was pandemic has also revealed their vulnerability to the respond to the new circumstances. For example, the
reached by early June 2020 when it was reported the virus. It seems a full picture is unlikely ever to be British Royal Navy quickly introduced measures
virus had claimed more American lives than had available given obvious security considerations. involving the quarantining of the entire crew on
died in all that country’s wars since 1945.1
The full ramifications of COVID-19 on future
naval developments are difficult to quantify at a time
when the pandemic has yet to run its course.
However, three observations seem pertinent.
1. Flexibility:The ability of navies around the world
to respond flexibly and effectively to an unexpected
emergency has again been demonstrated. In the
United States, the hospital ships Comfort(T-AH-20)
and Mercy(T-AH-19) were deployed, respectively, to
New York and Los Angeles to bolster local medical
services. Although the number of patients treated
was small, the additional capacity they brought was
of significant value at a time of fears that normal
hospital facilities might be overwhelmed.
Specialist naval assets – particularly those with
logistical and medical supportfunctions – havebeen
The British RoyalFleetAuxiliary’scasualtyreceiving ship Argusisone ofa number ofassetsEuropean countrieshave
particularly valuable providing assistance where local
deployed to the Caribbean to reinforce localmedicalfacilitiesin case ofneed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thispicture
medical infrastructure’s ability to handle a crisis is wastaken in the spring of2020 and showsher crew marking outthe numbers75 on her flightdeckto commemorate the
limited. In France, the amphibious assault ship 75th anniversaryofthe end ofthe Second World War in Europe. (Crown Copyright2020)
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INTRODUCTION 7
board its submarines prior to deployment.3 Similar share of GDP or global economic output – the so- followed a significant rise in India’s defence budget
measures enabled the carrier Queen Elizabeth to called world military burden – was little changed at and a marked fall in defence allocations by former
continue working up towards operational readiness 2.2 percent and only just above the decade lows third-placed Saudi Arabia. SIPRI’s commentary
during the height of the pandemic in the United since in 2014 and 2018. Table 1.1 provides details of accompanying the release of the 2019 data noted that
Kingdom. However, challenges remain. One poten- the world’s ten highest spending nations. defence spending in Asia and Oceania now accounts
tial problem area relates to the backlog of deferred The United States continues to have by far the for 27 percent of the global total following a real-
maintenance and construction that has built up largest military budget in the world, with the largesse terms increase of just over a half in the last ten years.
whilst shipyards and support facilities have been of the early years of the Trump administration In spite of this, the region’s military burden – the
impacted by coronavirus-related lockdowns. The reflected in the material c. 5 percent uplift in percentage of GDP or economic output allocated to
fact that the Chinese shipbuilding hub of Wuhan spending seen in 2019. However, its military expen- defence spending – remains relatively well-controlled.
was the initial epicentre of the COVID-19 crisis diture remains 15 percent below the peak achieved in For example, China’s defence spending has increased
clearly illustrates this problem. Perhaps the highest- 2010 and is now set to plateau as the US Department by around 85 percent to an estimated US$261bn
profile casualty has been delivery of India’s already of Defense budget starts to be more tightly over the past decade but it still devotes less than 2
long-delayed indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, controlled. The table is notable in that two Asian percent of its GDP to its military establishment.
which reportedly faces a minimum six-month delay countries – China and India – nowoccupy the other These statistics illustrate the trend referenced in
to commencement of her basin trials. In mid-June top three spending places for the first time. This several previous editions of Seaforth World Naval
2020, the US Navy went so far as to call up over
1,600 reservists to help combat delays to aircraft Table1.1:COUNTRIESWITHHIGHNATIONALDEFENCEEXPENDITURES2019
carrier and submarine refurbishment at its already
RANK COUNTRY TOTAL SHARE WORLD TOTAL REAL REAL
struggling publicly-owned shipyards.
US$BN OFGDP SHARE US$BN CHANGE CHANGE
2019 (2018) 20191 2019 2019 20181 2018–2019 2010–20192
3. Uncertainty: In the longer term, the current 1 (1) United States 732 3.4% 38% 682 5.3% -15%
pandemic’s impact on the world’s economies seems
likely to have major consequences for government 2 (2) China [261] [1.9%] [14%] [253] [5.1%] [85%]
finances and, hence, defence and naval procure-
3 (4) India 71.1 2.4% 3.7% 66.3 6.8% 37%
ment. It also seems probable that public demands
for greater investment in public healthcare service
4 (5) Russia 65.1 3.9% 3.4% 61.4 4.5% 30%
resilience will prove irresistible, leaving defence
establishments globally fighting for a smaller slice of 5 (3) Saudi Arabia [61.9] [8.0%] [3.2%] [74.4] [-16.0%] [14%]
a diminished cake. Some governments – most
prominently India and the Republic of Korea – have 6 (6) France 50.1 1.9% 2.6% 51.4 1.6% 3.5%
already announced material short-term reductions
7 (9) Germany 49.3 1.3% 2.6% 46.5 10.0% 15%
to defence spending to help fund their COVID-19
response. The implications for harder-hit
8 (7) United Kingdom 48.7 1.7% 2.5% 49.9 0.0% -15%
economies, such as those of the United States and
much of Europe, may well be more severe. It is, 9 (8) Japan 47.6 0.9% 2.5% 46.6 -0.1% 2%
however, still far too early to assess what the practical
consequences of this more difficult backdrop will be, 10 (10) South Korea 43.9 2.7% 2.3% 43.1 7.5% 36%
particularly as the crisis has done little to diminish
- (-) World Total 1.917 2.2% 100% 1,849 3.6% 7.2%
international tensions.
Information from the Stockholm InternationalPeace Research Institute (SIPRI) – https://www.sipri.org/databases/milex
DEFENCEBUDGETSAND PLANS
The SIPRI MilitaryExpenditure Database containsdata on countriesover the period 1949-2019.
For the time being, the current state of world
Notes:
defence spending is best illustrated by the annual
1. US$ totalsfor 2019 and 2018 are based on then current(i.e. non-inflation adjusted) pricesand exchange ratesfor the
assessment provided by the independent Stockholm
yearsin question. Exchange rate movements, in particular, can therefore resultin significantmovementsin the US$ figures
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This and explain apparentdiscrepanciesin the table. SIPRI also adjustpreviousyears’ calculationswhen more accurate data
was last published in April 2020. Their calculations becomesavailable – thishasresulted in severalsignificantdifferencesfrom the 2018 totalfigurescontained in lastyear’s
suggest total global military expenditure rose to US Seaforth World Naval Review.Notably, spending for France wasrevised down significantlybydisaggregating non-military
$1,917bn in 2019, a real-terms increase of 3.6 related activitiescarried outbythe Gendarmerie from totaldefence expenditure.
percent over the previous year and the largest annual 2. The ‘real’ change figure isbased on constant(2018-based) US$ figures.
growth in spending since 2010. However, defence’s 3. Figuresin bracketsare SIPRI estimates.
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8 WORLDNAVALREVIEW
Review of the steady shift in both economic and the world’s dominant ‘blue water’ fleet, operating a might be a once-in-a-generation change.5 In the
military power towards the Asian countries. The balance of highly sophisticated assets that provide meantime, the arrival of growing numbers of small
2019 data was also noteworthy in that no Western much greater potency than raw numbers can convey. combatants in the form of Littoral Combat Ships –
European country now falls within the top five However, growing overall fleet numbers is becoming ultimately to be followed by a new frigate class – is
spenders following a reclassification of data that saw a major priority as the United States increasingly already starting to shift overall fleet architecture.
the deletion of much of the budget for France’s para- embraces a ‘distributed maritime operations’ Perhaps ironically, there are some signs that
military Gendarmerie from the SIPRI figures. There concept to respond to the potential for all-out China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is
are, however, some interesting variations in Western conflict in the Asia-Pacific region with an emergent pursuing a strategy – involving substantial invest-
European trends. For example, Germany’s defence China. This essentially involves dispersing ments in carriers and larger surface combatants –
spending has increased sharply in the face of pressure warfighting capability across a wide range of ships that runs directly contrary to that being pursued by
to increase its share of the NATO burden against the and other assets that are linked together by tech- its American rival. The last 12 months have seen the
backdrop of renewed East-West tension. Its nology to achieve maritime superiority. The concept formal commissioning of the PLAN’s first indige-
spending in 2019 was at the highest level since 1993, inevitably places more emphasis on smaller, cheaper nous aircraft carrier – the Type 002 Shandong – on
seeing it jump over the United Kingdom to seventh ships that can be afforded in greater numbers than 17 December 2019. This was followed by that of the
in the league table in the process.4 moreexpensive‘capital ships’such as aircraft carriers large Type 055 destroyer Nanchang on 12 January
and large surface combatants. These smaller, cheaper 2020. At least seven more Type 055 destroyers as
FLEET REVIEWS warships will include an unmanned surface vessel well as a new, larger aircraft carrier and two
The ‘snapshot’ of global naval power provided by the component. A major Integrated Force Structure amphibious assault ships areunder construction. In
summary of major fleet strengths provided in Table Assessment (INFSA) – involving both the US Navy the meantime, programmes for smaller vessels such
1.2 is broadly reflective of the financial fundamen- and US Marine Corps – is currently underway to as Type 054A frigates and Type 056A corvettes are
tals referred to above. The US Navy continues to be determine the appropriate future force mix in what seemingly winding down without any evidence of
TABLE1.2: MAJOR FLEET STRENGTHS 2019-20201
REGION THEAMERICAS EUROPE& RUSSIA ASIA IND. OCEAN
COUNTRY USA BRAZIL UK FRANCE ITALY SPAIN RUSSIA CHINA JAPAN KOREA(S) AUSTRALIA INDIA
2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020
Carriers& Amphibious
CV/CVN 11 11 – – 1 2 1 1 1 1 – – 1 1 1 2 – – – – – – 1 1
CVS/CVH – – – – – – – – 1 1 – – – – – – 4 4 – – – – – –
LHA/LHD/LPH 9 10 1 1 – – 3 3 – – 1 1 – – – – – – 1 1 2 2 – –
LPD/LSD 23 23 1 1 5 5 – – 3 3 2 2 – – 6 6 3 3 – – 1 1 1 1
Submarines
SSBN 14 14 – – 4 4 4 4 – – – – 11 12 5 7 – – – – – – 1 1
SSN/SSGN 55 56 – – 6 7 6 5 – – – – 25 25 9 9 – – – – – – 1 1
SSK – – 5 5 – – – – 8 8 3 2 20 20 50 50 19 20 17 18 6 6 14 14
Surface Combatants
BB/BC – – – – – – – – – – – – 2 2 – – – – – – – – – –
CG/DDG/FFG 91 92 7 7 19 19 16 15 16 16 11 11 30 30 70 70 38 38 25 23 11 11 23 23
DD/FGS/FS 18 22 2 2 – – 13 13 1 – – – 40 40 50 60 6 6 13 12 – – 11 12
FAC2 – – – – – – – – – – – – 35 35 75 75 6 6 18 18 – – 8 8
Other (Selected)
MCMV 11 11 4 4 13 13 13 13 10 10 6 6 40 40 25 25 22 21 9 9 4 4 – –
AO/AOR/AFS 29 29 1 1 9 9 3 3 3 3 2 2 20 20 13 14 5 5 3 3 2 1 4 4
Notes
1Numbersare based on officialsources, where available, supplemented bynewsreports, published intelligence data and other ‘open sources’ asappropriate. Given significant
variationsin available data, numbersshould be regarded asindicative, particularlywith respectto Russia, China and minor warship categories. There isalso a degree ofsubjectivity
with respectto warship classificationsgiven varying nationalclassificationsand thiscan also lead to inconsistency.
2FACnumbersrelate to shipsfitted with or for surface-to-surface missiles.
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INTRODUCTION 9
immediate progression to follow-on designs. Whilst
it would be unwise to read too much into these
developments, they do seemingly offer the
intriguing prospect of the world’s two leading navies
converging more closely in structure over time.
Although public attention inevitably continues to
focus on developments in the larger navies, other
fleets are also experiencing significant change in the
light of revised operational priorities. In this year’s
edition, Dieter Stockfisch turns his attention to the
Swedish Navy, which is embarking on a reorientation
back towards territorial defence as East-West tensions
re-emerge. Meanwhile Mrityunjoy Mazumdar
continues his assessment of some of the world’s lesser-
known fleets with an examination of the Nigerian
Navy. Although Nigeria’s fleet is free from any mean-
ingful threat from a state-based rival, it faces immense
challenges attempting to overcome the depredations
of piracy and other organised crime that have seen the
Gulf of Guinea overtake the Horn of Africa as a
global hotspot for attacks on maritime trade.
The Chinese Type 052D destroyer Yinchuanrefuelsfrom the Type 903 comprehensive supplyship Weishanhuduring
operationsin the GulfofAden in February2020. China’sPeople’sLiberation ArmyNavycontinuesto develop ‘blue water’
SIGNIFICANT SHIPS
navalcapabilitiesin seeming emulation ofitsAmerican rival. (Chen Wencai and Wen Zaifei/China MilitaryOnline)
One country that has proved remarkably successful
in achieving a high level of security in a complex
maritime environment is Singapore. Its navy’s
increasing use of technologically-driven solutions to
achieve operational results are demonstrated by the
new Independenceclass littoral mission vessels, which
are described in detail by Guy Toremans. The fruit
of considerable scientific research, the Independence
design combines multi-mission modularity with
advanced sense-making and decision support func-
tions to allow a wider range of missions to be
performed by a smaller crew.
Meanwhile, a major question that is likely to be
answered when the conclusions of the US Navy’s
INFSA are released is the future composition of its
amphibious forces. For decades, these have been
focused on three-ship amphibious ready groups
(ARGs) headed by a large, through-deck amphibious
assault ship. First-time Seaforth World Naval Review
contributor George Galdorisi joins forces with ‘old
hand’ Scott Truver to assess the unique capabilities of
these vessels in an examination of America(LHA-6),
the latest iteration of the type. Whilst it seems the
days of large-scale amphibious beach assaults are now
relegated to the historybooks, Americaand her sisters
provide substantial aviation facilities that remain rele-
The Swedish submarine Hallandpictured duringthe USNavy-led BALTOPS2016 exercise. Sweden ishaving to re-orientate
vant in an age of fast-moving, distributed operations. itsarmed forcesbacktowardsterritorialdefence in the face ofrenewed East-Westtensionsbutfacesa difficultbalancing
One design that has undoubtedly stood the test of actmaintaining a policyofmilitaryneutralitywhilstincreasing collaboration with friendlynations. (US Navy)