Harald Bluetoth Class
| Harald Bluetoth Class Destroyer | |
 Harald Bluetoth Class Destroyer | |
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Nationality: | Skandinavia |
| Operated by: | Kongelige Sjøforsvaret |
| Builder: | Main contractors:
Subcontractors: |
| Ordered: | First of class: January 2015 |
| Commissioned: | First of class Mk2: May 2019 |
| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 8,790 tons |
| Length: | 165 m |
| Beam: | 20.1 m |
| Draft: | 7.5 m |
| Power: | 112MW total power |
| Propulsion: | 4 ASEA shafts integrated electric propulsion with 4 × ASEA Advanced Induction Motors and VDM25000 Drives, 20MW each |
| Speed: | 37 knots |
| Maximum speed: | 43 knots |
| Range: | 9,800 nautical miles at 33 knots |
| Complement: | 195 (42 officers) |
| Armament: | Sensors 1 x Saab 9LV CMS Combat Management System 1 x Saab 9LV FCS Fire Control System 2 x Saab EOS 500 Electro Optical Fire Control 2 x TERMA SCANTER 4100 Surveillance Radar 1 x Kongsberg C-Scope Sonar System Electronic warfare 1 x Saab SME-200 Tactical EMS / ELINT 1 x Saab NLWS Naval Laser Warning System Decoys 1 x TERMA DL-12T decoy launcher 1 x TERMA Loki torpedo countermeasure Armament 2 × 24-cell Mk41 Vertical Launching System w/ 72 × RIM-162 ESSM 24 × Naval Strike Missile SSMs 8 × torpedo tubes for Torpedo 62 Depth charges 2 × 57 mm BOFORS Mk.3 4 x 30 mm Kongsberg Sea Protector CIWS 2 x Long Range Acoustic Device |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 x NH90 ASUW / ASW 1 UAV |
The Harald Blåtand Class, is a class of eight guided missile destroyers built for the Sjøforsvaret. The class is primarily designed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare but also has strong anti-ship and ASW capabilities. The ships were planned to be built with the StanFlex System and were built in different shipyards and assembled int the three major Skandinavian shipyards: Odense Staalskibsværft, Aker Yards and Saab Kockums. The first ship in the class, KSS Harald Blåtand, was commissioned on February 2019 and has been integrated in the SK Projection Task Force 1. All 8 ships are expected to be operational in 2024 to replace the Galdhøpiggen Class destroyers that will be decommissioned that year.
Background
In the 1990s the Skandinavian government decided to equip its fleet with blue water capabilities. As part of this program, 8 destroyers were purchased from United Commonwealth which were transformed into Galdhøpiggen Class in the early 2000s. According to strategic plans, these destroyers will be withdrawn from service in 2024. To replace their functions, a new class of destroyers was planned. This new class shold be in operational service before the final withdrawal of the Galdhøpiggen Class.
After several years of planning, in 2014 the order for the construction of 8 new destroyers was signed. This new class of destroyers was called the Harald Bluetooth Class, the name of the first ship of the class.
The construction of the 8 destroyers was developed at the same time than the 2020 Aircraft Carrier project. The aircraft carrier project mobilized a significant portion of national shipbuilding resources, making the 2024 deadline for completing construction of the 8 destroyers seemed difficult to achieve. However, and thanks to the standardization of the system StanFlex, several shipyards of different sizes have been able to participate in the project and advance manufacturing deadlines.
Design
The design of the class is intended to be a multi-role ship, although paying special attention to anti-aircraft and anti-missile fighting. It is intended as a support for operations integrated into the combat group of an aircraft carrier, but also as a powerful platform for other operations.
In the design and construction of the ships the StanFlex system was used, which has allowed not only to reduce construction times but also to provide ships with the ability to adapt and integrate new combat capabilities in a short space of time.
Power generation & propulsion
The power plant of the ship has been completely designed to suit the needs and requirements of the Sjøforsvaret and the current and future systems of the ship. FLOSK chose to equip the ship with a mixed multi-gas turbine and fuel cell propulsion system (COFCAG) developed jointly by NAtech and ASEA. Main fuel for which the system has been designed is hydrogen, but the system can also work with natural gas, methane and other gases, although with a lower energy efficiency. At low speed and during maneuvers the system uses the power delivered by the fuel cells, using the gas turbine system to achieve higher speeds. In addition, the system reuses the exhaust gases to supercharge the turbine and for the ship's heating systems, which considerably reduces the ship's thermal footprint. Power plant of the ship was designed taking into account the current needs of energy for propulsion and other systems on board, so it was possible to assume an increase in power required if new equipment or systems were installed in the future. The total power of the shipis 112MW supplied by 2 x ASEA COFGAG multi-gas turbine 36MW each and 4 x NAtech STATPOWER Multi Fuel-cells 10MW each.
The propulsion system is fully electrical with 4 x ASEA AZIPOD azimut thrusters using integrated electric propulsion with 4 × ASEA Advanced Induction Motors and VDM25000 Drives of 20MW each.
Electronic systems
One of the main design premises was the need to mount Skandinavian made electronic systems in order to full integration with other Forsvaret systems and satellite net.
Sensors
- 1 x Saab 9LV CMS Combat Management System
- 1 x Saab 9LV FCS Fire Control System
- 1 x Saab EOS 500 Electro Optical Fire Control
- 1 x TERMA SCANTER 4100 Surveillance Radar
- 1 x Kongsberg C-Scope Sonar System
Electronic warfare
Decoys
Armament
The weapons system of the class are:
- 2 × 24-cell Mk41 Vertical Launching System w/ 72 × RIM-162 ESSM
- 24 × Naval Strike Missile SSMs
- 6 × torpedo tubes for Torpedo 62
- Depth charges
- 2 × 57 mm BOFORS Mk.3
- 4 x 30 mm Kongsberg Sea Protector CIWS
Air wing
The ships have a fligh deck for:
List of ships
The ships are named after kings of the House of Knýtlinga.
| # | Name | Ordered | Launched | Commissioned |
| D-111 | KSS Harald Blåtand | January 2015 | September 2017 | May 2019 |
| D-112 | KSS Gorm den Gamle | January 2015 | June 2018 | February 2020 |
| D-113 | KSS Svend Tveskæg | January 2015 | September 2019 | May 2021 |
| D-114 | KSS Knud den Store | January 2015 | June 2020 | September 2021 |
| D-115 | KSS Harald Harefod | January 2015 | ||
| D-116 | KSS Svend Knutsson | January 2015 | ||
| D-117 | KSS Hardeknud | January 2015 | ||
| D-118 | KSS Svend Estridsen | January 2015 |
