Shipbucket

Which one to keep? Probably rear. It would be easier to fit a big deckhouse for additional electronics, and as a gun destroyer, the hull was probably not optimized to keep the A/B positions as dry as missiles would like.

It's worth looking at the Charles F. Adams purpose-built DDGs and comparing them to Forrest Sherman (on which CF Adams was based) and the Sherman missile conversions.

Adams was 19' longer overall, 2' beamier, and displaced about 500 tons more, in order to replace one of three Mk 42 5/54 mounts with a Mk 11 or Mk 13. The Sherman missile conversions had to trade both rear Mk 42 for their Mk 13, and added a large deckhouse aft for electronics. Missile ships are volume-critical in a way gun destroyers were not.

Any possible technical issues aside, the drawings look great.

I agree with eswube, about the drawing's quality, and over all appearance of these destroyers (frigates in US navy terms?)/
I also noticed what appears to be a depth charge (?) under the rudder on all drawings

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Okay I have done some small updates to the class, to amend some problems, but also trying to give at least making the last version look like they have thrown on some extra bits, just to make it work, hopefully.

The 1958 Version:

- two extra 40mm in cramped position, in front of rear 57mm

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The 1968 Version, with it's early Mk 29 for "testing":

- front 57mm replaced with 40mm
- all 40mm are now the upgraded turret
- mk 29 are now placed aft. (Note, no missile, due to it's a test-platform.... wonder should I use a orange missile, showing it's a test?)
- some color error fixed.

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The 1975 Version:

- rear 40mm removed
- mk 29 shown with missile (it's now an active platform)

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The 1994 Version:

- front mk 13 GMLS removed, replaced with an upgraded 138mm with water cooling for improved performance
- Mk 29 replaced with Mk 48 mod 3
- the four front 40mm guns got an upgrade, to become a CIWS Version 0.5, they become fully automatic, with it's own radar and targeting system, including cameras (IFR, etc.)
- added on a small extra funnel behind main funnel, due to the two extra small turbine, that are providing extra electricity need a funnel. both two small turbine placed in the only free space... next to the front funnel on deck level.
- added extra superstructure behind Mk 13 and between ASuW launchers with a additional antenna. for extra equipment.
- aft main structure increased in size, for extra equipment.
- added some extra electronics in the mast, since she is operating in a fleet, all electronics and more would be nice to have. mast is now overloaded!!!
- old main gun director are not removed. but supported with all other system... it would be a problem to remove, reducing topweight, by a little... those old fire-directors weight a little.
- ASW mortar received new and longer barrel, in a try to improve it accuracy and range, each barrel are now "supposed" to work "individually" from each other.

The future of Caledonia Frigate and Corvette fleet.

By 2005 the Navy started to lock in to reduce the cost of operating the Navy and simplify the logistic around it. From before the Navy was unnecessary big with a lot of overlapping ships capability. you had fast and standard patrol ships, corvettes, frigates, light & Heavy Destroyers, Cruisers and large cruisers but also carrier's. in one section of the fleet where the Navy believed they could save a lot, is in the frigate and corvette branch. by reducing amount of ships, without reducing the capability.
To do this they had to look in to the capability of the two branches; while frigate was excellent in escort mission, corvettes was mainly used as a coast and Islands protection assets, but both assets basicly carried the same armament.

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The challenge to design and build a class of ships that could do the best of both world was given to the many shipyards in the country. after a long process, KVO shipyard ltd. was selected for there Project 3496 Concept.


The Concept had a reduce crew due to high automation, they added in extra crew, to reduce pressure on the crew.

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The Navy wasn't totally happy with the first concept, and asked KVO Shipyard ltd. to some improvement:

- bigger superstructure with more space for crew, various equipment and a small flex-deck.



The Navy was happy with the improvement, but they feel that:

- such an expensive radar system, on what basically is a cheap combatant, that are supposed to reduce the operation cost of the frigate/corvette fleet.
- improvement on the all round gun coverage.
- some internal changes.
- different powerplant solution



The Navy went back and forth with the shipyard about all minor details, but main points would be:

- relocation of 35mm gun.
- relocation of NSM launcher.
- enlarged and lifted funnel.
- taller radar with new radar system added to it.
- better protection around forward gun and VLS.
- RHIB-hangar added aft.
- flex deck moved to under helicopter deck with access trough hangar.
- hangar equipped with a 6 ton crane.
- added on helicopter deck a CIWS-rocket-VLS system on both side of helicopter deck.





Material: a combination of steel hull and composite superstructure.
Length: 98,7 meters
Beam: 15 meters
Displacement: 3500 tons
powerplant: Turbine and Diesel 30.000+ hp
Speed: official 25 knots
crew: Standard: 48; max: 88
Hangar for medium helicopter

1 x 56 mm AA/DP gun
1 x 35 mm AA/DP gun
2 x 8 cell Mk. 41 VLS (ESSM and Standard)
2 x 6 cell Mk. 19 RAM-VLS
2 x quad NSM launcher
2 x twin torpedo launcher
1 x cheap guided rocket launcher for AAW
depth charges

The Radar is and standard 3D Phased rotating radar build in to the radar tower, additional there are other radar's and sensors in that superstructure as well, but that is an secret.

I may have said this before, but there are artists who draw what they can, but a few of them draw what they want... (I had a ship to publish; but I cannot do it now ) Again, an great example of your skills and unique ideas.

I often get ideas for an drawing... the main problem for me, can I get it to fit inside a AU world, or personal design... and since in Caledonia AU world I have a little more freedom... it's easy to post there.

Looks interesting, and execution is excellent as always.

The bow seems weird, and weird for no reason which is obvious to me (maybe the funding agency or some treaty had an extremely strict LOA limit?). The sea painter for the boat seems arranged such that whoever is handling the line couldn't actually see the boat he or she is controlling. Other than those details, this is quite a nice drawing.

nah, is more about getting a long waterline as possible, not necessary to make it bigger than it have to be. It's also mainly designed to replace all corvettes and most frigates in a roll between those two ships type.
Hull color on RHIB, it's just the same as we do in the Norwegian Navy.
thanks