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During the Midway campaign a Japanese destroyer dodged over 20 bombs delivered by SBD’s. They had a guy watching and once an SBD dropped its bomb, they would heel the ship over in a turn.And it turns out the pushover point for attacking a given ship was about the same spot relative to the ship’s position. The Americans even early in the war had radar controlled barrage fire. So approaching a U.S. ship to drop a bomb was like being rolled down a hill in a barrel.You weren’t going to dodge Jo Jo Powers’ bomb.“Next morning, while the carrier battle continued, he joined the attack on Shokaku, scoring an important bomb hit. In a September 1943 radio address to the nation, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "During the first two days [of the Battle of the Coral Sea], Lieutenant Powers, flying a divebomber in the face of blasting enemy anti-aircraft fire, demolished one large enemy gunboat, put another gunboat out of commission, severely damaged an aircraft tender and a twenty thousand ton transport, and scored a direct hit on an aircraft carrier [IJNS Shoho] which burst into flames and sank soon after."IJNS Shoho[1]Awarded the Medal of HonorOn May 8th 1942, Powers’ low-bombing run, brought him into heavy antiaircraft fire, and his plane plunged into the sea. Powers was declared dead and, for his actions in this series of attacks, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.According to the citation: "... completely disregarding the safety altitude and without fear or concern for his own safety, he courageously pressed home his attack, almost to the very deck of an enemy carrier and did not release his bomb until he was sure of a direct hit."He sacrificed his life when he deliberately dove his plane from 18,000 feet to an extremely low altitude before release in order to insure a direct hit on the Japanese aircraft carrier, making good his words to his pilots prior to takeoff: "Remember—the folks back home are counting on us. I am going to get a direct hit if I have to lay it on the flight deck."John James Powers - WikipediaA good book on the early war dive bombers.I highly recommend the “Midway” movie which despite middling reviews is very good and completely devoid of political correctness.Major Moran in his answer mentioned AAA suites greatly increasing during the war. I couldn’t find good pictures but here is an image of U.S.S. Tennessee in an early scheme.Late war with a muchly increased AAA suite. And gone are the cage masts.Early 20th century U.S. BB’s had the Lattice masts, or cage masts. What you want in naval architecture, among many things, are 1. A low center of gravity 2. Getting your sensors as high as possible from the surface. The cage masts made that possible, even if the sensor was only the Mark 1 eyeball.The secondary armament, in this case the twin 5″/38 turrets were not firing like some giant rifle trying to hit an individual aircraft. All the turrets would fire together sending up shells set to explode at a certain altitude creating a zone of exploding shells through which the attacking aircraft had to fly. The 5″ guns could also fire on “local” control or by a director that fired the turrets together.In this well known picture of U.S.S. Missouri being hit by a kamikaze, the two tubs (one has the number “9” on it) can take control of the 5″ AA guns and aim their fire.Kick ass diorama of the Kamikaze strike.Well, how do I know all this “local control”/director control” stuff?I did it one time.When I was in the Marine Detachment on USS Simon Lake in 1975 the Marines were responsible for one of the 3″/50 double mounts. I was a second loader. The MarDet C.O. was on the level above the gun mount on the director for our mount. None of us had a clue as to what to do. Fortunately the Navy gunners mates were creaming to fire those guns. We did fire 8 rounds. BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM. Faster than you can say it. Such fun.U.S.S. Tennessee lighting up the Japanese defenses at Iwo Jima.

Su-35 jetAmong the most popular Russian jets is the Sukhoi Su-30SM, which has regularly been improved upon to up its lethality, firepower and overall performance. Now, perhaps in its most ambitious upgrade, the aircraft will transition to its Su-30SM2 version - which includes an engine and radar borrowed from the top of the line Russian jet- the Su-35 besides all new avionics and fire control system.The first flight of the Su-30SM2 also called “Super-Sukhoi” is scheduled for the end of 2020. After successful qualification, all current generation Su-30SM will be upgrade to the SM2 version. The Su-30SM2 is intended to breathe new life into the hundreds of Su-30 sold to international customers such as India, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Algeria.The SM2 is expected to knock on the doors of potential customers considering 4++ generation jets such as the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and F-16. Of particular interest are countries which already have Su-30s in their inventory and are considering the Rafale to leapfrog their air force’s capabilities.Does the Su-30SM2 have enough features to make countries veer away from the leading French jets and put their money in an upgraded Russian aircraft?Pricing: Su-30SM2 Vs RafaleThe Su-30SM2 is derived from Su-30SM and Su-35. The advanced Su-35 Flanker-E, costs around $85 million per unit.In August 2020, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to buy 21 4++ generation Su-30SM2 jets and 25 YAK-130 advanced jet trainers for RUB 100 billion or $1.33 billion. Without weapons, training and support packages, a single unit of the YAK-130 comes with a price tag of $15 million. Doing the math, 25 YAK-130s would add up to $375 million, which means the modernized Su-30SM2 costs around $44 million apiece!Flyaway Rafale jets sans firepower and weaponry meanwhile cost $81 million per unit for Air Force single-seat C- variant, $87.6 million for Air Force two-seat B- variant and $93.6 million for Navy M- variant. Industry experts cited by Economic Times in 2018 put the price of a French Air Force Rafale to between $200-250 million. This includes maintenance, training of pilots and technicians, armaments and spares.Sukhoi SpecificationsThe Su-30SM is a generation 4++ serial-produced and upgraded two-seat super-maneuverable fighter jet. It is furnished with two AL-31FP thrust-vectoring reheated double-flow turbofan engines. The fighter has an operating range of 1,500 km and a flight endurance of 3.5 hours without refueling.Rafale fighterWhile not much is known about the specifics of the Su-30SM2 over the base Su-30SM, some hints of what is coming were provided in early 2019. “The Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jet will be standardized with the Su-35 by upgrading its onboard equipment and armament to cut its cost price and breathe a new life into the plane,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told journalists in February 2019.Initially, it was planned to strengthen Su-30SM’s armament and change the composition of the avionics. The aircraft received the designation Su-30SM1. Soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2018 order to unify Su-30SM and Su-35S, manufacturer Sukhoi began drawing best features of both jets to build the Super-Sukhoi or the Su-30SM2. The Su-35S’s powerful AL-41F-1S engine and N035 Irbis-E radar was chosen over Su-30SM’s AL-31 and N011M BARS radar.The Su-35S lists a top speed of Mach 2.25 at altitude, roughly 1,500 miles per hour and range, on internal fuel, is out to 1,900 nautical miles while Su-35S can ferry out to 2,400 nautical miles. The Su-35S will have the capability to operate at service ceilings of 60,000 feet and sport a 55,100 feet-per-minute climb rate.In future, Russia plans to upgrade its Su-30 fleet to the SM2 standard.Engine and RadarThe Su-30SM2 will be equipped by an Irbis-E Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) radar Designed by the Tikhomirov NIIP, an evolution of the BARS multimode radars currently installed in the Su-30SM jet. The radar is cited at an average power rating of 5 kilowatts, with 2 kilowatts CW rating for illumination. The NIIP claim twice the bandwidth and improved frequency agility over the BARS, and better electronic counter-countermeasures capability.As part of the “Super Sukhoi” upgrade, the Su-30SM would get the AL-41F-1S (also known as article 117S) thrust-vectoring engines that propel the newer Su-35 jets. Current generation Su-30SM and their variants such as the SU-30MKI (India), Su-30MKM (Malaysia) are equipped with the AL-31F engine or its variants which provide a maximum thrust of 12,500 kgf.A single Su-35’s engine provides 14,500kgf or 16% more thrust than the Su-30SM engine. The service life of the engine is also doubled, up to 4 thousand hours, without increasing the mass and dimensions. Equipped with a plasma ignition system, the AL-41F-1S is more economical than the AL-31FP, which is currently installed on the Su-30 series of aircraft. With the same amount of fuel, the fighter can stay in the air longer.The increased power is needed not only to create a reserve of traction. Increased power is necessary to equip the jet with energy-intensive onboard equipment such as electronic warfare system and a radar with better target-detection range.According to the engine developer, the new engine will simplify and reduce the cost of servicing and extend the service life of the Su-30SM already purchased by Russia and its allies.AvionicsThe Su-30SM2 is expected to receive Su-35’s avionics suite. According to Sukhoi, it is based on open architecture using multiplex data exchange links and includes: an information management system, sighting/navigation/control radar system, an optical locating station, as well as communications, monitoring, recording and EW equipment. The aircraft’s radar can detect air targets with RCS = 3 m² at a distance of 350 km.The Su-35’s flight controls are highly ergonomic, the company claims, adding that widescreen color displays coupled with a helmet-mounted targeting system provides convenient perception of information.The aircraft features an integrated in-flight refueling probe, provision for ECM (Electronic CounterMeasure) pods, upgraded and more powerful engines, larger wing surface areas and a forward and rear-facing Phazotron radar system capable of simultaneous tracking of 24 targets up to 62 miles (100km) away over uneven terrain. An additional auxiliary internal reserve fuel tank has been added as well to bring about the required operational range. The cockpit sports an updated color CRT display as well as HUD (Head-Up Display) along with digital fly-by-wire (FBW) capability with quadruple redundancy - the onboard computers able to to find four different ways to achieve the desired flight control action.KRET IRBIS-E radarRafale SpecificationsMarketed as a omnirole jet by developer Dassault Aviation, the Rafale is a jet intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. Dassault combined a delta wing with active close-coupled canard to maximize manoeuvrability.The Rafale is an aerodynamically unstable aircraft and uses digital fly-by-wire flight controls to artificially enforce and maintain stability. The aircraft's canards also act to reduce the minimum landing speed to 213 km/h; while in flight, airspeeds as low as 28 km/h; have been observed during training missions. According to simulations by Dassault, the Rafale has sufficient low speed performance to operate from STOBAR-configured aircraft carriers, and can take off using a ski-jump with no modifications.EngineThe Rafale is fitted with two Snecma M88 engines, each capable of providing up to 5100kg of dry thrust and 7700kgf with afterburners. The engines feature several advances, including a non-polluting combustion chamber, single-crystal turbine blades, powder metallurgy disks, and technology to reduce radar and infrared signatures. The M88 enables the Rafale to supercruise while carrying four missiles and one belly drop tank.RadarThe RBE2-AA is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar built by Thales. The RBE2 AA is reported to deliver a greater detection range of 200 km, improved reliability and reduced maintenance demands over the preceding RBE2 radar passive electronically scanned multi-mode radar that Rafale was fitted with initially.AvionicsThe Rafale core avionics systems employ an integrated modular avionics (IMA), called MDPU (modular data processing unit). This architecture hosts all the main aircraft functions such as the flight management system, data fusion, fire control, and the man-machine interface. The total value of the radar, electronic communications and self-protection equipment is about 30% of the cost of the entire aircraft.The aircraft features an integrated defensive-aids system named SPECTRA, which protects the aircraft against airborne and ground threats. Various methods of detection, jamming, and decoying have been incorporated, and the system has been designed to be highly reprogrammable for addressing new threats and incorporating additional sub-systems in the future.The jet's ground attack capability is heavily reliant upon sensory targeting pods, such as Thales’ Reco New Generation/Areos reconnaissance pod and Damocles electro-optical/laser designation pod. The Rafale’s VHF/UHF radio communicates target communication with other aircraft and performs other key functions such as aerial optical surveillance and is integrated with the navigation system as a FLIR.FeatureSu-SM2RafaleCrew11 or 2Max Take-off Weight34500kg24,500kgEngine2x AL-41F-1S2x Snecma M88Weapons Load8,000kg9,000kgThrust2x 14,500kgf(special power conditions)2x 7700kgfService Ceiling18,000m15,240mRadarIbis-E hybrid PESA radarRBE2-AA AESA radarM88 engineWeapons Comparison: Su-35 Vs RafaleAs a multi-role fighter platform, the Su-35S benefits from the full array of Russian-sponsored ordnance options across no fewer than 14 weapon hardpoints, 12 underwing and under-fuselage - all external.The Su-35 can carry air-to-air missiles (RVV-AE, RVV-SD, RVV-MD and R-73E), air-to-ground missiles (Kh-31PD, Kh-31A, Kh-29TE(L), Kh-59MK, KAB-500Kr, KAB-500S-E, KAB-500-OD, KAB-1500Kr-type guided bombs, aviation bombs (caliber 100, 250, 500 kg), unguided rockets (S-8, S-13) as well as an internal 30mm gun. Effective engagement of air, ground and surface targets is achieved through the use of modern radar, optical locating station and helmet targeting system, high target approach accuracy, employment of guided weapons with active and passive radar, laser and TV guidance systems.Su-30MKI jet can be armed with BrahMos-A modified air-launched variant of the missile with a range of 400 km. So its cousin, the Su-30SM2, could also be compatible, although Russia has not yet announced plans to equip this particular jet with the missile.The French bird Rafale has been cleared to operate MICA, METEOR, HAMMER, SCALP, AM39 EXOCET missiles; Laser-guided bombs with different warheads from 500lbs to 2,000 lbs, Classic bombs non guided, 2500 rounds/min NEXTER 30M791 30 mm internal cannon, among others. The Rafale’s stores management system is Mil-Std-1760 compliant, which provides for easy integration of customer-selected weapons.With its 10-tonne empty weight, the RAFALE is fitted with 14 hard points (13 on the RAFALE M). Five of them are capable of drop tanks and heavy ordnance. Total external load capacity is more than 9 tonnes. Hence, RAFALE can lift the equivalent of its own empty weight in payloads. “Buddy-buddy” refuelling missions can be carried out in portions of the airspace out of reach of dedicated and vulnerable tanker aircraft.WeaponWeightL*DWarheadDetonation MechanismEngineRangeSpeedGuidanceLaunch PlatformsDassault RAFALEMICA112kg3.1m x 0.16m12kgProximity or direct impactSolid-propellant rocket motor500 m –80 kmMach4Midcourse:Inertial guidanceDatalinkTerminal:MICA-EM: Active radar homingMICA-IR: Infrared homingSurface ships, Ground batteries, Dassault Rafale, Mirage 2000, Mirage F1, F16, Su-30MK1­­­­­­Meteor190kg3.65m x 0.178mHigh explosive blast-fragmentationProximity or direct impactRamjet100km(No escape zone of 60km)>Mach4Inertial guidance and mid-course update via Data Link.Terminal active radar homingEurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Saab JAS 39 GripenHAMMER340kg3.1m250kg (Mk82, BLU 111 or CBEMS/BANG)Solid-propellant rocket motor50-60km (at high altitude)15km (at low altitude)Hybrid inertial/GPS + infrared homingMirage 2000D,RafaleSCALP1300kg5.1m450kg (Bomb royal ordnance augmented charge)Turbomeca microturbo TRI 60-30 Turbojet560 kmMach 0.8-0.95Inertial, GPS, TERPROMTerminal guidance : Imaging infrared DSMACTornado, Typhoon,Mirage 2000,RafaleEXOCET780kg6m x 0.348m165kgSolid propellant engine turbojet (MM40 Block 3 version)70-180kmMach 0.93Inertial guidance, Active Radar homing, GPS guidanceMM38 surface-launchedAM39 air-launchedSM39 submarine-launchedMM40 surface-launchedSukhoi Su-35Vympel R77 or RVV AE (Export variant)RVV PD(Extended Range variant)175kg3.6m x 0.2m22.5kg HE FragmentingLaser proximity fuseSolid Fuel rocket motorAir-breathing ramjet (R77-PD)80-100kmMach 4Mach 5(R77-PD)Inertial with mid-course updateTerminal active radar homingMiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27, MiG-29, MiG-31Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, Su-35, Tejas, Yak-141, Chengdu J-10Kh-31600-610kg4.7m-5.3mX0.36mHE Shaped chargeImpactSolid fuel rocket in initial stage, ramjet for rest of trajectory25-103kmMach 2.7 – Mach 3.5Inertial guidance with Active radar homingSu-27, Su-30MKI, Su-25, Su-34, Su-35,Su-33, Su-24MiG-29K,Tejas Mk1 and Mk2Kh-59MK930kg5.7mX0.38m320kg,Shaped charge fragmentation2 stage rocket285kmMach 0.72-0.88Inertial guidance, Millimeter wave active radar seekerSu-30MKConclusion:With a higher thrust generating engine coupled with thrust vectoring system, the AL-41F1 engine from the Su-35 edges over the Rafale in terms of maneuverability. This would aid the Sukhoi Su-30SM2 to dominate aerial dog fights.The longer range and sensitivity provided by the Irbis E PESA radar provides the upper hand to the Su-30SM2 in the battle of sensing enemies at a longer range.The Higher Thrust and Max Take-off weight allows the Su-30SM to fly at a higher altitude compared to the Rafale.The Rafale boasts of a suite of high tech sensors with ability to strike ground targets precisely, making it as a superior ground attack aircraft.The Rafale’s Mil-Std-1760 compliance will help easier integration of newer weapons which the customer may desire.The Rafale has the ability to do “Buddy-buddy” refuelling missions extending its operational range greatly while not risking tanker aircraft.

Read this and it is obvious to me that lessons learned in the Battle of the Atlantic in WW2 were forgotten. The USN and USCG fleets cover the world and are at times not where they are needed. Convoy escort vessels are essentially non existent with the USN, USCG, and allies to successfully escort vessels in potential warzones in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans and elsewhere. These number support this perspective.Military StrengthCommentary: What the U.S. should learn from Britain’s dying navyBritain used to boast the most powerful navy in the world. No more.David AxeThe Royal Navy's largest ever warship HMS "Queen Elizabeth" is floated out of its dock for the first time in Rosyth, Scotland, July 2014. Wikipedia/Creative CommonsThat’s a serious problem for allies like the United States.Traditionally, Britain’s Royal Navy has been the U.S. Navy’s closest partner. The two have fought together against most every foe. So any weakening of the Royal Navy also erodes Washington’s naval power.Today, however, the Royal Navy is a shadow of its former self. Government budgeteers have repeatedly, and excessively, cut the numbers of its ships, planes and manpower. It can barely patrol the United Kingdom’s own waters, much less project British influence abroad.Though London officials now vow to reverse the decline, it might be too late. With morale plummeting, and its few remaining ships frequently malfunctioning at sea, the Royal Navy’s suffering might be terminal.The timing couldn’t be worse. The West is mobilizing to defeat Islamic State, deter an increasingly aggressive Russia and manage China's meteoric rise as a world power. The British fleet's collapse is an object lesson for cash-strapped governments struggling to balance competing budgetary needs in a seemingly ever more volatile world.Yes, navies are expensive. They require long-term planning, work and funding. In peacetime, the fleet’s benefit is often invisible, marked by the absence of overt conflict.Yet navies remain crucial to national defense. Patrolling international waters with sophisticated sensors and powerful, long-range weaponry, they can respond more quickly to crises and bring more firepower to bear than can air forces (which require nearby runways) and armies (which move slowly).Navies that die from neglect leave a void that rogue states, terrorists and criminals can quickly fill. It takes navies to keep an eye on vast ocean regions. Remove what was once the world’s leading fleet, and you create a virtual security vacuum.During World War Two, the British fleet was still dominant. On D-Day in 1944, it was able to send more than 900 British warships across the English Channel to escort the Allied troops who would liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.As recently as 1982, the Royal Navy could quickly muster no fewer than 115 ships — including two aircraft carriers carrying jet fighters, plus 23 destroyers and frigates — to retake the Falkland Islands from Argentina.Today, the British navy doesn’t even have jet fighters. It mothballed its last Harriers in 2010. It possesses just 89 ships. (By comparison, the U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command, the Pentagon’s fleet of support ships, have roughly 400.)Britain’s fleet has declined amid steady defense budget cuts, from 4.1 percent of gross domestic product in 1988 to 2.6 percent in 2010. Reductions in 2010 sliced another 8 percent in real terms. As part of a defense review in 2015, London vowed to stop cutbacks on the fleet. But the damage has been done.On paper, the Royal Navy’s 89 ships include one helicopter carrier, six amphibious assault ships, six destroyers, 13 frigates, seven attack submarines and four ballistic-missile submarines. The rest are minesweepers, survey ships and other support vessels, many no larger than the U.S. Coast Guard’s small patrol ships.Only the six destroyers, 13 frigates and seven attack submarines can be considered true frontline vessels, with adequate sensors, weapons and protection to fight and survive in a battle with a sophisticated foe. The other ships require escort through dangerous waters.Roughly half the ships are in routine maintenance or training at any given time. Several others are committed to small standing patrols, which leaves just a handful of vessels to respond to emergencies.But that’s assuming there are enough sailors to operate the ships. The Royal Navy has shed people faster than ships. Britain had 39,000 sailors in 2000. It now has a little more than 29,000, at least 2,000 short of its authorized strength.Fleet planners tried to address the personnel shortage by sidelining two of its most powerful ships. This summer, for example, the Royal Navy placed the large Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster in “extended readiness”: It was tied up pierside, its crew assigned to other vessels.Meanwhile, the new Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless suffered serious problems with generators and entered port for repairs that could last at least until 2019. As with Lancaster, the fleet dispersed Dauntless’ sailors to other vessels.With those vessels out of action, the Royal Navy’s real strength dropped from 26 fighting ships to an unprecedented modern low of 24.Last month, the new attack submarine HMS Ambush collided with a merchant vessel off Gibraltar. The sub suffered serious damage and limped back to Britain for repairs that could take months, if not longer.That accident reduced the Royal Navy’s undersea combat strength by nearly 15 percent. It was a stark reminder that Britain has almost no naval strength in reserve.As budget reductions cut deeper, the British fleet withdrew from much of the world. Before 2010, the Royal Navy played a leading role in efforts to curb piracy off the Somali coast. British frigates formed the core of various international task forces that patrolled the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.But in 2012, London quietly ended its permanent role in the counter-piracy efforts. Britain also felt the dearth of ships much closer to home. In January 2014, the resurgent Russian navy, which under President Vladimir Putin has embarked on an extensive modernization program, sailed a missile-armed cruiser through the North Sea.The Russian ship approached to within 30 miles of Scotland. The Royal Navy’s crucial job is safeguarding British home waters. But the only available warship, the destroyer HMS Defender, was at Portsmouth on England’s southern coast. Defender took 24 hours to make the 600-mile journey to Scotland. It eventually located the Russian ship and, after the two crews exchanged a few radio messages, Defender escorted the cruiser away from British territory.A few months later, Islamic State fighters swept through northwestern Iraq. The world mobilized air and sea power to help Baghdad push them back. The U.S. and French navies deployed aircraft carriers to launch air strikes on the militant forces. The U.S. Navy even occasionally positioned two flattops in Middle East waters.But for the first time in a century, Britain could do little to help. It had no aircraft carriers capable of supporting fixed-wing planes. London had decommissioned its last — HMS Illustrious — in August 2014. Illustrious’ Harrier strike jets had preceded the vessel into retirement.Perhaps most damning, in 2016 the Royal Navy withdrew from the South Atlantic after 34 years of deploying at least one large warship to deter Argentina from again trying to seize the Falklands Islands.Under successive Labour and Conservative governments, London has consistently cut the Royal Navy for more than a decade, while denying that the cuts were detrimental to national security. The government pointed to several multibillion-pound shipbuilding programs for new frigates, destroyers and submarines, as well as an ambitious plan to build two new large aircraft carriers and outfit them with F-35 stealth fighters.But the new ships are too few, too late. They are also too lightly armed to adequately replace older vessels. Much less to expand and enhance the fleet.In recent years, the Royal Navy has replaced 12 old Type 42 destroyers with just six new Type 45s, which are larger and more heavily armed than the Type 42s but mechanically unreliable. In addition, there are too few to handle all the missions the older vessels once undertook.The fleet is getting just seven new Astute-class attack submarines, to replace 12 old Swiftsure- and Trafalgar-class subs. As with the Type 45 destroyers, the Astutes are bigger and pack more firepower than the ships they’re replacing. But like the Type 45s, the Astutes have proved difficult to operate. In any case, there aren’t enough to cover all the areas the older submarines once patrolled.Today there are 13 old Type 23 frigates in the fleet. The government has approved just eight new Type 26 frigates. Meanwhile, it is promising to build at least five smaller Type 31s to help keep up the fleet’s strength. But the lighter Type 31s could lack the firepower and protection to be a credible deterrent to Russia’s far heavier vessels.Indeed, many of Britain’s newest ships are remarkably light. London has placed orders over the past two years for several small, lightly equipped patrol vessels. The net effect is a Royal Navy that’s increasingly made up of small, underarmed vessels that maintain the official ship count, but continue the hollowing-out trend that has steadily sapped its real strength.The new aircraft carriers are perhaps the best examples. The two Queen Elizabeth-class ships, which are 920 feet long and displace more than 60,000 tons of water, are the biggest warships Britain has produced. When they enter frontline service in 2020, they should restore the at-sea aviation capability that the Royal Navy lost when it retired its Harrier jets in 2010.The Queen Elizabeths, however, were planned for a larger fleet. An aircraft carrier requires more planes and escorts than Britain can provide. The U.S. Navy, for example, never deploys a carrier without 60 aircraft aboard and a convoy of three or four destroyers and cruisers, a submarine and several supply ships.The Royal Navy expects to deploy just one carrier at a time and keep the second at home. It projects that its new carriers will deploy between 12 and 24 F-35s — too few to use the ships to their full potential. In addition, assigning the vessels needed to accompany and supply the carrier — three or four frigates and destroyers as escort and a several supply ships to sustain it — would monopolize the Royal Navy’s entire deployable strength.A 60,000-ton carrier can accommodate 50 or more aircraft. London plans to buy just 48 F-35 fighters, which means many could be in maintenance or training at any given time.Navies are indeed complex and expensive. Stop paying attention to your fleet, and it will go away. For Britain’s allies, there’s a powerful lesson in that.(David Axe is the editor of War Is Boring and a regular contributor to the Daily Beast. He has written for Danger Room, Wired and Popular Science.)(The USN has nothing like this for convoy escort and anti sub work or nothing in the works for a rapid build of escort vessels).A class in stealth – the world’s best navy corvettesSHARESmall and agile but still bigger than a standard coastal patrol boat, corvettes such as the Visby, Braunschweig and SIGMA, play a significant role in some of the world’s strongest naval forces.PreviousType 056 stealth corvettes are the first modular warships built in China. Image courtesy of Sakurai chunill.Visby class corvettes are the best stealth corvettes in the world. Image courtesy of Kockums AB.A close bow view of the K130 Braunschweig Class corvette, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F 264). Image courtesy of Ein Dahmer.The Indonesian Navy operates four SIGMA-class multi-role corvettes. Image courtesy of Maritimephoto.comAerial view of a Milgem Class corvette, TCG Heybeliada (F-511). Image courtesy of Turkish Naval Forces.Project 20380 Steregushchy is a series of very large multi-role corvettes operated by the Russian Navy.The Buyan Class corvette employs stealth technology for reduction of radar cross section. Image courtesy of Vissarion.The Baynunah class multi-mission corvettes are in service with the United Arab Emirates Navy. Image courtesy of Abu Dhabi Ship Building.The Khareef Class corvette from BAE Systems incorporates innovative hull design with stealth features. Image courtesy of Brian Burnell.Type 056 stealth corvettes are the first modular warships built in China. Image courtesy of Sakurai chunill.Visby class corvettes are the best stealth corvettes in the world. Image courtesy of Kockums AB.A class in stealth - the world’s best navy corvettes(hit the article to see the vessels)http://Naval-technology.com lists the world’s best corvettes based on range of multi-mission capabilities, armaments and manoeuvrability.Visby Class CorvetteThe Visby-class advanced stealth corvettes were built by Kockums at the Karlskrona Shipyard, for the Royal Swedish Navy. The class includes five versatile vessels designed for anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), mine countermeasures and maritime patrol.Each vessel is armed with a Bofors 57mm Mk 3 general purpose gun, eight Saab RBS15 surface-to-surface missiles, four Saab 40cm ASW torpedoes, ASW rockets and mine rails.The combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion integrates four TF50A gas turbines for medium and high-speed operation, and two MTU diesel engines for low-speed manoeuvring. The CODOG engines drive two KaMeWa waterjet propellers offering a better hydro-acoustic signature and manoeuvrability while emitting lesser noise. The propulsion system ensures a maximum speed of over 35kt and a range of 2,500nmi at 15kt.K130 Braunschweig ClassThe K130 Braunschweig Class of the German Navy is a series of five modern corvettes built by the ARGE K130 consortium comprising Blohm + Voss, Nordseewerke and Fr. Lürssen Werft. The multi-mission corvettes are deployed for surface surveillance, anti-surface warfare and littoral missions.The K130 class offers reduced radar and infrared (IR) signatures, and is fitted with automated weapons and defence systems, sensors and communication systems. Its deck can accommodate one medium-sized helicopter.The world’s 10 best anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicoptersHelicopters with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems are widely deployed by naval forces as a means to counter submarines at long ranges.The armament fit is composed of RBS 15MK3 surface-to-surface missiles, Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) surface-to-air missiles, Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid naval gun, and two MLG 27mm auto cannons. The corvette is powered by two MTU 20V 1163 TB 93 diesel engines driving two controllable-pitch propellers providing a maximum speed of more than 26kt.SIGMA Class CorvetteThe SIGMA class corvettes are built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding according to the Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approach (SIGMA) concept. Four SIGMA-class vessels were delivered to the Indonesian Navy during 2007-2009.The SIGMA class features a modular design giving the operator optimum flexibility at reduced costs. The corvettes feature advanced combat and communication suite, a large helicopter deck and accommodation facilities for 80 personnel. The primary missions of the SIGMA-class include Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol, deterrence, Search and Rescue (SAR), and anti-submarine warfare.The corvettes can be armed with Exocet anti-ship missiles, TETRAL air-to-air missiles, a 76mm super rapid gun, two 20mmm guns, and two B515 triple torpedo launchers. Two diesel engines driving two shafts with controllable pitch propellers provide the vessels a maximum speed of 28kt and range of 3,000nmi at 18kt.Milgem ClassThe Milgem Class corvettes of the Turkish Navy are fitted with indigenously-developed weapons and C4SI systems to conduct maritime patrol, anti-surface warfare, ASW and anti-air warfare missions in littoral waters.The first two ships in class, TCG Heybeliada (F-511) and TCG Büyükada (F-512), were built by Istanbul Naval Shipyard, and commissioned into the Turkish Navy by 2013. The corvettes incorporate stealth technology and signature-reduction features. Each vessel is fitted with a 76mm gun, two Stabilised Machine Gun Platforms (STAMPs), eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles, rolling airframe missile (RAM) for point defence and Mk.32 triple launchers.The MILGEM class is equipped with MTU combined diesel and gas (CODAG)-type propulsion system. The propulsion power for sailing at cruising speeds is provided by the diesel engines, while two gas turbines provide the power required for higher speeds of up to 29kt.Project 20380 Steregushchy Class CorvetteThe Project 20380 Steregushchy is a class of very large multi-role corvettes built by Severnaya Verf shipyard and Amur Shipbuilding Plant for the Russian Navy. The ships can conduct coastal patrol, escort and ASW missions.The Steregushchy-class incorporates stealthy design for reduced radar, acoustic, infra-red and magnetic signatures. It is armed with Kh-35 missiles, 3M-54 Klub missiles, two Kashtan close-in weapon systems, an Arsenal A-190 100mm naval gun, two AK-630M guns and two quadruple torpedo tubes."The propulsion system enables the vessel to attain a top speed of 27kt and a range of 4,000nmi at 14kt speed."The combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion system of the Steregushchy-class integrates four 16D49 diesel engines. The propulsion system enables the vessel to attain a top speed of 27kt and a range of 4,000nmi at 14kt speed.The Tiger Class, an export variant of the Steregushchy-class, was also ordered by the Algerian Navy.Project 21630 Buyan Class corvetteThe Buyan Class is a series of corvettes built by Almaz shipyard for the Russian Navy. Buyan-M, a modified missile version of the Buyan Class, is also under construction at the shipyard. The vessels are used for EEZ patrol and can be deployed in shallow waters and river mouths to land troops in support of ground-based missions.The Buyan Class incorporates stealth features to reduce the radar cross section. The open architecture of the vessel allows for the integration of modular systems according to the future requirements. The corvettes are armed with Igla or Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles, A-215 Grad-M naval multiple launch rocket system, a single A-190 100mm cannon and two AK-306 30mm close-in weapon systems.The twin screw combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion system integrates two Zvezda M520 radial diesel engines coupled with two pump-jet propulsors. The power-plant provides a top speed of 28kt and range of 1,500nmi (2,778km).Baynunah Class CorvetteThe Baynunah is a new class of multi-mission corvettes built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) for the United Arab Emirates Navy. The ships are designed to perform multiple missions including coastal patrol and surveillance, mine countermeasures, and anti-air and anti-surface warfare.The advanced weapons and sensor technology used in the vessel make the Baynunah one of the best corvette classes in the world. The ship has a stealthy design to minimise radar cross-section and can be fitted with Exocet anti-ship missiles, Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSMs), Mk49 Mod3 21-cell RAM launcher, a 76mm main gun and two Rheinmetall MLG 27 guns.The Baynunah-class features a stern helicopter deck and hangar for a medium-sized helicopter. The vessels are powered by four MTU diesel engines driving Kamewa waterjets. The propulsion system ensures a top speed of more than 30kt.Khareef Class CorvettesThe Khareef Class corvettes are being built by BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships, for the Royal Navy of Oman. The corvettes can perform coastal patrols, maritime disaster relief, SAR and deterrence missions.The innovative hull design with stealth features allows the Khareef class to perform undetected operations near enemy zones. The flexible platform design also enables integration of equipment and systems as well as armaments supported by a comprehensive weapons management system. The ship features a flight deck and hangar for small to medium sized aircraft of 12t-class.Video feature: Showboat – DCNS showcases FREMM frigate to CanadaFrench shipbuilder DCNS has released footage of its first FREMM frigate Aquitaine arriving in New York ahead of a visit to Canada, with the aim of turning a few armed forces heads.The corvettes are armed with a 76mm Oto Melara Cannon, two 30mm MSI DS30M cannons, MM-40 Block III Exocet anti-ship missiles and MBDA VL Mica surface-to-air missiles to defend against both surface and air threats. Two MTU diesel engines provide the vessel with a maximum speed of 25kt and a range of 4,500 miles.Type 056 Corvette (NATO codename: Jiangdao)The Type 056 is a new stealth corvette-class under construction at Wuchan, Huangpu, Hudong-Zhongua and Liaonan shipyards, for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It is the first Chinese modular warship capable of serving as an offshore patrol vessel or a multi-role frigate.The Type 056 corvette features a stealthy hull design constituting sloped surface and trimmed superstructure clutter. The armament fit includes YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles, FL-3000N short-range missile system, a 76mm main gun, two remotely operated cannons and two triple torpedo tubes.The helicopter deck at the stern can accommodate a Z-9 class helicopter. The Type 056 is powered two diesels driving two shafts. The propulsion system ensures an estimated top speed of more than 28kt.Kamorta Class CorvetteThe Kamorta class corvettes are the next-generation ASW vessels being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), for the Indian Navy. Primarily designed for ASW missions, the corvettes can also conduct anti-surface and anti-air warfare missions. All four corvettes in the class are scheduled to be commissioned between 2014 and 2017.The Kamorta class integrates a composite superstructure and stealth technology for reducing infrared and radar signatures, noise levels, and magnetic outputs. It is armed with 3M-54 Klub anti-ship cruise missiles, Barak surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm super rapid gun, two AK-630M close-in weapon systems, two RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, and two triple torpedo tubes.The stern helicopter deck of the Kamorta supports the operations of a Ka-28PL or Naval HAL Dhruv helicopter. The four Pielstick 12 PA6 STC engines, each rated at 3,888kW, provide a maximum speed of 25kt and range of 3,450nmi at 18kt speed.Top 10 FrigatesMost modern navies operate frigates. These ships are smaller and less expensive to build and maintain than cruisers and destroyers. Due to this fact frigates are usually the most numerous combatants in naval fleets and form the backbone for most navies worldwide. These ships are typically used alongside larger battleships, such as destroyers and aircraft carriers.So which is the most powerful frigate in the world? Which is the greatest modern frigate and why? Our Top 10 analysis is based on the combined score of firepower, offensive and defensive capabilities, size, displacement, sensors, and some other features.Currently top 10 most deadliest frigates in the world are these:Nr.1 Admiral Gorshkov class (Russia)The Admiral Gorshkov is a class of multi-role frigates. It is a successor to the Burevestnik class (Western reporting name Krivak class). Currently these new warships is one of the most capable frigates in the world. As of 2016 four of these frigates are under construction and two more are planned. The lead ship, Admiral Gorshkov, is planned to be commissioned with the Russian Navy in 2016. The Russian Navy has a requirement for 20-30 of such frigates to fully replace the surviving Krivak class frigates and Sovremenny class destroyers. It will become the mainstay of the future Russian fleet. It is also proposed for export.The Admiral Gorshkov class is designed to perform multiple roles, such as perform long-range attacks against surface targets and ships, conduct anti-submarine warfare, carry out escort missions and be deployed in a variety of situations that a general frigate class would not be able to fulfill. In some cases such multi-role frigates can even substitute deployment of larger destroyers. While many other frigates are focused on specific tasks, such as anti-air warfare, or anti-submarine warfare.This class of guided missile frigates incorporate best weapons and sensors that the Russian industry can produce.The Admiral Gorshkov class is equipped with a 16-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) for a mix of Kalibr-NK land attack cruise missiles (range 2 500 km), P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles (range 300-500 km) and 91RTE2 anti-submarine missiles (missile drops torpedo 50 km away).There is another 32-cell VLS for medium-range air defense missiles. It uses the same interceptor missiles as the S-400 land-based air defense system. These missiles are designed for direct impact have a range of 40 and 120 km.Further anti-submarine/anti-shipping capabilities are provided via two quadrupple 330-mm torpedo launchers for unique Paket-NK torpedoes. These can engage both enemy submarines, as well as incoming torpedoes, thus serving a dual role.There is a 130-mm A-192M gun. Last ditch defense is provided by two Palash Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS), mounted at the rear. These defense systems are fitted with 30-mm rapid-firing Gatling guns and 8 short-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) each.The Admiral Gorshkov class frigates can accommodate a single Kamov Ka-27, or similar naval helicopter.Nr.2 Sachsen class (Germany)The Sachsen class is of air warfare frigates was developed in Germany. Design of the Sachsen class isbased on that of the Brandenburg class. The class comprises of three frigates. Their main role is fleet defense from missiles and air attacks. Secondary roles are anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare.In terms of displacement and firepower the Sachsen class frigates are more closer to destroyers. Actually these warships have much ship platform commonality with the Dutch De Zeven Provincien class anti-air warfare destroyers. Most likely that these ships are designated frigates for political reasons.Mounted round the top of the superstructure are the four antennae of the Thales advanced phased-array air/surface radar. Itprovides 360° target detection, tracking and engagement. There is also the Thales SMART-L radar for long-range aerial surveillance. It can detect and track ballistic missiles at a range of more than 400 km. It is capable of tracking 1 500 targets simultaneously and provides early warning.The primary surface-to-air missile armament is carried in the 32-cell vertical-launch system: this carries a mix of Standard SM-2 missiles (range 150 km) as well as RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles (range 50 km) in designated cells. Local defense against air attack is entrusted to two 21-cell Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers with RIM-116 short-range surface-to-air missiles.Anti-ship capability is vested in RGM-84D Harpoon missiles. There are two quadrupple launchers with a total of 8 anti-ship missiles. There is also a 76-mm OTO Melara dual-purpose gun. Also there are two Rheinmetall 27-mm guns in remote weapon stations.Anti-submarine capability is provided by two helicopters and two triple 324-mm mountings for EUROTORP MU90 lightweight torpedoes. For submarine detection it has got an Atlas bow-mounted sonar, as well as towed array sonar.Sensors and armament of the Sachen class are largely similar to that of the Dutch De Zeven Provincien class and Danish Iver Huitfeldt class. However the German Sachsen class has a small advantage in having hangars for two helicopters, compared to the single hangar on the other two. The Sachsen class can accommodate NFH 90 or Sea Lunx Mk.88A helicopters.Nr.3 Iver Huitfeldt class (Denmark)The Iver Huitfeldt class frigates of the Danish navy are based on the same hulls as Absalon class support ships. This feature allowed to considerably reduce design and construction costs of these new frigates, and maintain commonality. The main role of the Iver Huitfeldt class is air defense.Three ships of this class were built. The lead ship was commissioned with the Royal Danish Navy in 2012.The Iver Huitfeldt class frigates have a somewhat unusual layout and look a bit bulky for this class of ships. Nevertheless they pack a formidable punch. Most anti-air warfare sensors and equipment are similar to the GermanSachsen class frigates and Dutch De Zeven Provincien class destroyers. Though, the Iver Huitfeldt is a less capable warship, than those mentioned above.The Iver Huitfeldt class frigates have a modular mission payload system. The same system is used one the Absalon class support ships. This frigate has slots for six modules. Its main air defense weapons are Standard SM-2 (or SM-6) missiles, as well as RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles. This warship also carries Harpoon anti-ship missiles.This frigate has a hangar and can accommodate NFH 90, Westland Lynx Mk.90B, or similar helicopter, which provides additional anti-submarine warfare capability. Recently Danish Navy ordered Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters.The Iver Huitfeldt class has a diesel-only propulsions system. It is powered by four MTU 20V M70 diesel engines, developing a combined output of 44 000 shp. The power is delivered to 2 shafts. Also there is a single bow thruster. These Danish frigates are very fuel efficient. At lower speeds it is capable of traveling 16 700 km (9 000 nautical miles). It is enough to travel from Denmark to the United States and back, while there will still be fuel left in the tanks.The Iver Huitfeldt class is slightlty inferior to the German Sachsen class frigates. It lacks a third layer missile defense and carries less torpedoes. The Danish frigate has got only hull mounted sonar, but no tower array sonar for submarine detection. Also the German frigate carries two helicopters. Furthermore the Danish frigate has inferior diesel-only propulsion system, which looses in terms of performance to modern Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsions. However its air defense radars are more capable than Aegis system of the Alvaro de Bazan class.Nr.4 Alvaro de Bazan class (Spain)The Alvaro de Bazan is a class of Spanish anti-air warfare frigates, developed for escort duties. Spain desired to create a technologically advanced warship, which would also feature a high degree of national industrial input. A total of 5 Alvaro de Bazan class frigates are in service with the Spanish Navy.The Alvaro de Bazan is a class of Spanish anti-air warfare frigates, developed for escort duties. Spain desired to create a technologically advanced warship, which would also feature a high degree of national industrial input. A total of 5 Alvaro de Bazan class frigates are in service with the Spanish Navy.In terms of displacement and firepower the Spanish Alvaro de Bazan class frigates are more closer to destroyers. Actually these warships have much ship platform commonality with the Dutch De Zeven Provincien class anti-air warfare destroyers. Most likely that these ships are designated frigates for political reasons.The Alvaro de Bazan is fitted with US Aegis world class air defense system. This system is in service with the US Navy. The Aegis is also present on Japan's Kongo class, South Korea's Sejong the Great class. It controls the detection and engagement of hostile air, surface and submarine threats. It can detect air targets at a range of more than 300 km. The system can track hundreds of targets simultaneously. The system controls the detection and engagement of hostile air, surface and submarine threats.The surface-to-air system is the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). Area air defense is also provided by the Standard SM-2MR missiles.The Alvaro de Bazan is also armed withHarpoon anti-ship missiles. Additionally, the vessels are fitted with a 127-mm gun, torpedoes, and some other weapons.The Spanish Alvaro de Bazan became a base for the NorwegianFridtjof Nansen class or frigates and Australian Hobart class of air warfare destroyers.Nr.5 Aquitaine class (France)The French Aquitaine class warships were developed as a part of Franco-Italian multi-mission frigate program. The same program led to development of the Italian Carlo Bergamini class. So far France has ordered 8 of these warships. The lead ship was commissioned in 2012. The last one is planned to be commissioned in 2022. Once in service, the Aquitaine class frigates will form a backbone of the French Navy. Two more ships were built for Egypt and Morocco.These French Aqutaine class ships are called multi-mission frigates, but are clearly destroyers. They are being called so for political reasons. The Aquitaine class vessels are capable of carrying out various missions, such as anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and even attack land of targets located more than 1 000 km away. A total of 6 French warships will be optimized for anti-submarine warfare role and 2 optimized for air defense role. Both export ships are optimized for anti-submarine role.The Aquitaine class warships have a number of design features to reduce their radar cross section and noise levels. These French ships a stealthier than many other frigates. Also these are hi-tech ships with extreme automation levels.The primary radar is the Thales Herakles multi-purpose passive Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. It can track surface and air targets at a range of up to 250 km. It also provides fire control for the Aster surface-to-air missiles.There is a 16-cell VLS, loaded with Aster 15 medium-range air defense missiles. These missiles have a range of 35 km. A total of 16 missiles are carried.Land attack capability is provided by another 16-cell VLS, loaded with SCALP Naval land attack cruise missiles. These have a range of more than 1 000 km. A total of 16 of these missiles are carried and are ready to use. Only few other frigates in the world pack such a formidable punch.Anti-ship capability is provided by two quad launchers with MM.40 Exocet Block 3 anti-ship missiles. These can engage hostile ships at ranges of over 200 km.There is a single OTO Melara Super Rapid 76 mm dual-purpose gun. This rapid firing weapon has a range of up to 15 km and can engage surface ships, air targets and bombard land targets. Also there are three Nexter Narwhal 20B remote weapon systems with 20 mm cannons. These are used to engage close-in surface threats.These frigates have both hull and towed array sonars for submarine detection. There are two twin 324-mm tubes for EUROTORP MU90 lightweight torpedoes. These can be used against submarines, as well as surface ships.There is a hangar for a single NH90 NFH helicopter. It is used for long-range anti-submarine and anti-ship missions.The Italian Carlo Bergamini class warships, developed as part of the same program are larger, have superior weapons and carry two helicopters instead of one, but lack land attack cruise missiles.Nr.6 Carlo Bergamini class (Italy)The Italian Carlo Bergamini class warships were developed as a part of Franco-Italian FREMM multi-mission frigate program. The same program led to the development of the French Aquitaine class. Even though resulting Italian Carlo Bergamini class and French Aquitaine class ships look different, they use many common subsystems. The Carlo Bergamini class bears strong resemblance with the Horizon class, which was another joint Franco-Italian program.These Italian Carlo Bergamini class warships are clearly destroyers, but being called frigates for political reasons. There are two variants of the Carlo Bergamini class. One of them are general purpose frigate, that are equally good at all aspects of naval warfare, while the other ships are optimized for anti-submarine warfare role. These have enhanced submarine hunting features, but at a cost of reduced land attack and anti-ship capabilities.These Italian Carlo Bergamini class warships are clearly destroyers, but being called frigates for political reasons. There are two variants of the Carlo Bergamini class. One of them are general purpose frigate, that are equally good at all aspects of naval warfare, while the other ships are optimized for anti-submarine warfare role. These have enhanced submarine hunting features, but at a cost of reduced land attack and anti-ship capabilities. These Italian warships have enhanced stealth features, including reduced radar cross section and noise levels.The primary radar is the Selex MFRA multi-functional active phased array radar. It can detect air targets at a range of more than 400 km. It also provides fire control for air defense missiles.There is a 16-cell VLS for Aster-15 and Aster-30 surface-to-air missiles. The Aster-15 has a range of around 30 km, while the Aster-30 have a range of around 120 km. However this loadout of 16 missiles is comparatively small for such a large warship."General purpose" variants of the Carlo Bergamini class are fitted with a single Otobreda 127 mm gun and a single OTO Melara 76 mm gun. "Anti-submarine" variants have two OTO Melara 76 mm guns. The 76 mm guns are dual-purpose weapons. These rapid-firing guns use guided shells and can engage surface, air and land targets. These also act as close-in weapon systems for last ditch defense against incoming missiles. Also there are two 25-mm remotelly-controlled cannons that are used to engage small surface threats.The "general purpose" variant is armed with four OTOMAT anti-ship missiles. These have a range of around 200 km. The ASW variant is armed with four MILAS anti-submarine missiles, that drop torpedo remotely from the ship.Also there are two tripple launchers for EUROTORP MU90 lightweight torpedoes. These are present on both "general purpose" and "anti-submarine" variants.These Italian warships have a double hangar for helicopters and can accommodate either two NH90, or one NH90 and one AW101. These are used for search and rescue, utility operations, long-range anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare.The Carlo Bergamini class have an advanced Combined Diesel-Electric and Gas (CODLAG) propulsion system. For normal operation the ships use a single General Electric LM2500+G4 gas turbine, developing 42 900 shp. For slow-speed and quiet anti-submarine operations the ships use hybrid electric propulsion with two 2.5 MW electric motors which are connected to the propeller shafts. These are powered by 4 diesel generators. Maximum speed is 29 knots (55 km/h). Maximum range is 6 700 nautical miles (12 300 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h). So Italian vessels are slightly faster and have longer range than their French counterparts.Overall the Italian Carlo Bergamini class warships are larger and are superior in many respects to the French Aquitaine class. However the Italian vessels do not carry any land attack cruise missiles, that are present on the French frigates.Nr.7 Fridtjof Nansen class (Norway)The Fridtjof Nansen is a Norwegian class of multi-role frigates, based on the Spanish Alvaro de Bazan class. A total of five ships were built in Spain for the Norwegian Navy. The first one was commissioned in 2006. All of these frigates are named after the famous Norwegian explorers.These general purpose frigates have both anti-submarine, anti-ship, land attack and air defense capabilities. A number of design features were incorporated in order to reduce the radar cross section of these frigates, and thus increase their survivability. However the Fridtjof Nansen class ships are not true stealth vessels.These Norwegian frigates have very advanced weapons and sensors. The ships' weapons feature the Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics AN/SPY-1F AEGIS radar. It is a smaller and less capable version of the AN/SPY-1D AEGIS radar, used on the Spanish Alvaro de Bazan class frigates, American Arleigh Burke class destroyers, and some other warships. The multi-function phased array radar can detect air targets at a range of around 160 km and track hundreds of targets simultaneously. The system controls the detection and engagement of hostile air, surface and submarine threats.There is an 8-cell VLS for RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM). These air defense missiles have a range of 50 km. The VLS holds 32 missiles. The second similar VLS can be fitted for a total capacity of 64 missiles. However these Norwegian warships do not carry any long-ranged surface-to-air missiles.Anti-ship and land attack capability is provided by eight Kongsberg Naval Strike Missles (NSMs). These cruise missiles have a range of over 185 km and carry a 125 kg warhead.There is a single OTO Melara 76-mm Super Rapid dual-purpose naval gun. It can engage both surface and air targets. Fridtjof Nansen class can be equipped with a more powerful Otobreda 127-mm gun, in place of the 76-mm gun.These Norwegian ships have got a hull-mounted sonar, as well as towed sonar for detection of hostile submarines. There are two dual 324 mm torpedo tubes for Sting Ray torpedoes, that provide anti-submarine capability.The Fridtjof Nansen class frigate can accommodate a single NH 90 helicopter, which is used for remote anti-submarine and anti-ship roles. Norwegian Navy ordered 6 of these helicopters to operate on their frigates.These Norwegian warships have a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) propulsion. It uses two Bazan Bravo 12V diesel engines developing 6 000 shp each. These are used for economical cruising. There is also a single General Electric LM2500 gas turbine, developing 25 700 shp. It is used for high speed cruise. The power is delivered to two shafts. Maximum speed of the Fridtjof Nansen class is at least 26 knots (48 km/h). Range is 8 300 km (4 500 nautical miles) at 16 knots (30 km/h).Nr.8 Shivalik class (India)The Shivalik class warships are one of the newest surface combatants of the Indian Navy. The class consists of three ships. The first one was commissioned in 2010. These are the first Indian-built warships with enhances stealth features. Many extraneous shapes and protrusions were eliminated from the design in order to minimize the radar cross section. Though these frigates are still not yet true stealth vessels.Due to their size and displacement the Shivalik class ships could be even considered as destroyers. However their armament is too light for a true destroyer. Still though these warships are very capable and are currently among themost deadly frigates of the world.These frigates have a strong anti ship and land attack capability. These are armed with a universal 8-cell VLS forBRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles and Klub-N anti-ship cruise missile. The BRAHMOS missiles can engage sea or land targets at a range of 290 km, while the Klub-N anti-ship missiles have a range of 440-660 km.There is a single-arm reloadable launcher for Shtil-1 (SS-N-12) air defense missiles. These missiles have a 40 km range. A magazine holds 24 of these air defense missiles and it takes 6 seconds for the missile to reload. This particular system is badly outdated. All modern warships are fitted with vertical launch systems for their primary surface-to-air missiles. Also the Shtil-1 launcher has a limited firing arc and can engage targets only to the front of the ship. The Shivalik class frigates are also fitted with two 8-cell VLS launchers for Barak-1 air defense missiles. It is a much more modern weapon, used for short-range defense against sea-skimming anti-ship missiles, as well as other threats. A total of 32 of these missiles are carried.Radars of the Shivalik class can detect air targets at a range of over 350 km. However the fire control radar is of older generation. So these frigates can engage simultaneously only 6 air targets. So these Indian warships are stronger in land attack and anti-ship role, rather than air defense.There are two 533-mm tubes for heavyweight torpedoes for engaging submarines and surface warships.These frigates can carry two helicopters. These may be either indigenous Dhruv light utility helicopter, British Westland Sea King anti-submarine or multi-purpose helicopter, or Russian Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopter.Nr.9 Type 054A class (China)The Chinese Type 054A class frigate (NATO reporting name Jiangkai II) is an improvement on the existing Type 054 class. Until 2016, 21 of these modern vessels have been commissioned. Three more and under construction and two more planned.Vessels of this class were built primarily for with air-defense, although they can perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions. Their radar can track up to 40 targets simultaneously at a maximum range of approximately 120 km.These vessels represent a significant improvement over the original Type 054 for several reasons. The Type 054A has a lighter main gun, improved CIWS, better sensors, and more Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs). In addition, the HQ-16 SAMs fitted on Type 054As have an improved range of 50 km and can attack targets from all angles.Located amidships are two quadruple anti-ship/land-attack missile launchers that can attack targets up to 250 km distant. Towards the front is a dual-purpose 76-mm gun turret, which can fire effectively at 120 rounds per minute at targets 10 km distant.ASW armament is composed of two torpedo tubes, sonar, ASW rockets with a range of 1 200 m, and a helicopter.With survival in mind, the Type 054A is a somewhat “stealthy” design built of radar absorbent material with clean lines free of clutter resulting in the least possible radar return.Overall, these ships are highly capable escorts, with advanced radar and processing electronics, representing China’s increasing ability to project power in highly dangerous areas. Some sources report, that an improved Type 054B class is being developed in China.Nr.10 Admiral Grigorovich class (Russia)It is the latest class of frigates, ordered by the Russian Navy. It is referred as Krivak IV class in the West. It is based on the Talwar class frigates, that were built in Russia for the Indian Navy. So far six ships have been ordered. The first of the class, the Admiral Grigorovich, was commissioned in 2016.These are general-purpose frigates. Their functions are air defense, escorting of other warships and anti-submarine warfare. Some measures were taken to reduce a radar cross section of these new Russian warships. Though these frigates are not true stealthy vessels in any way. Also the Admiral Grigorovich class warships are not as powerful as many contemporary general-purpose frigates.Most distinguishable weapon of these Russian frigates is an 8-cell VLS for Kalibr (SS-N-27 Sizzler) supersonic cruise missiles. These missiles can engage ships and land targets. The same VLS can also fire Oniks (SS-N-26 Strobile) anti-ship cruise missiles, that have a range of up to 600 km.Air defense is provided by three 12-cell VLS for Shtil-1 (SS-N-12) air defense missiles. So a total of 36 missiles are ready to use. These missiles have a range of 40 km. Last ditch defense is provided by two Kashtan CIWS. Each of these gun/missile systems uses tow 30-mm rotary cannons and eight 9M311 short-range air defense missiles. The same missiles are used on Tunguska. There is also a 100-mm A-190 dual-purpose gun, which can engage air targets, surface ships, and bombard land targets. This gun has a maximum range of over 20 km and fires at a rate of up to 80 rounds per minute.There are two twin 533-mm torpedo tubes for heavyweight torpedoes. These can be used to engage enemy warships and submarines. Also there is a single 12-barrel RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher in front of the bridge. Reload rockets are stored below the deck.These warships can accommodate a single helicopter. It can be a Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopter, or Ka-31airborne early warning helicopter.The Admiral Grigorovich class warships have a Combined Gas or Gas (COGAG) propulsion system. However construction of these ships was postponed due to problems with the engine supply. The first ships have Ukrainian gas turbines. However following the 2014 Russian military aggression, the Ukrainians refused to supply Russia with military technology. As of 2014 some Admiral Grigorovich ships had no engines. These are to be fitted with alternative Russian engines, however these can not be completed before 2019-2020. Some sources report that funding, intended to complete construction of these frigates, was allocated to other Russian MoD projects. So at the moment future of the follow-on warships is uncertain.CONCLUSIONThe USN and USCG do not have a good antisubmarine capability for escort use This means that large container shIps and tankers will be fat targets for submarines in every ocean in the world. Coastal antisubmarine vessels in the USN and USCG are extremely limited to nonexistent.In WW1 and WW2, these were the little guys that protected convoys. As such with no designs on the books, no crews trained, and no vessels for this role, this is a problem.The LCS class in the USN has been a disappointment in rough seas, capability, and of course cost. However lessons learned could lead to good escort vessel if there was an interest in the naval command.