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HSwMS Karlstad (K35)

2015 MODERN NAVY

History

Visby-class stealth guided missile frigates play an important role in the modern Swedish navy. Six were originally planned for the group, which used advanced designs to enhance "stealth", but only five were eventually implemented: HSwMS Visby (K31), Helsingborg (K32), Harnosand (K33), Nykpoing (K34) and - Focus of this article - Karlstad (K35).

Budget constraints led to the scrapping of Uddevalia (K36). Likewise, the class's original "two-group" approach, with half for anti-submarine and the other half for surface fighters, was simplified for cost reasons.

All ships date back to the HSwMS Smyge, an early stealth-centric technology demonstrator.

The Corvette is the smallest ship available to all navies. In today's modern environment, such ships are typically used for fast attack or coastal patrols, and are designed to confront emerging threats head-on with speed and moderate firepower.

The Visby class does this better by being designed for a stealth approach to reduce its signature and silhouette against enemy ships - significantly reducing the frigate's detection range by enemy systems.

Karlstad (K35) follows Visby-class design standards with sloping plate sides for a "stealth" effect. The ships are not completely undetectable by radar, but every attempt is made to deter them from detection by modern search and track systems the enemy might use.

Therefore, the design approach creates a continuous, uninterrupted hull line from bow to stern, connecting the upper and lower parts of the hull structure into a single component. As a result, the hull structure is well contoured to the hull and accommodates the bridge section, lower deck and flat fully enclosed mast on top. Turret deck guns are positioned at the forecastle in the usual manner, also using ramps, while having the inherent property of being partially "tucked" into the hull while sailing (thus maintaining the ship's stealth character). Above the tail is a helipad with a medium lift or similar rotor system. Due to space concerns, the course cancelled plans to implement a full-service hangar facility.

Structural dimensions include a barrel length of 239 feet, a beam of 34 feet, and a draft of 7.9 feet. 40 to 43 employees were added on board.

Karlstad is powered by 4 Vericor TF50A gas turbines connected to 2 MTU Friedrichshafen 16V2000 N90 marine diesel engines. This is a combined diesel or gas configuration (CODOG) that allows the vessel to use one set of thrusters instead of another to improve fuel management and perform different operations (general drive, camber).

This is supported by 3 x 270kW generators and 2 x 125SII Kamewa water jets. All in all, under ideal conditions, the vessel can sail at speeds of up to 35 knots and have a range of up to 2,500 nautical miles.

Like her sisters, Karlstad is equipped with projectile and missile weapons to deal with various threats at sea. 1 x 57mm Bofors Mk. 3 Dual Purpose (DP) automatic gun with a turret above the forecastle and 8 x RBS16 Mk.2 Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) launchers for distant surface threats. 4 x 400mm torpedo tubes (supporting the Type 45 torpedo series) can be used on sea and underwater targets as required.

The ship is also equipped to disperse mines and depth charges, which are crucial in wartime.

The vessel is equipped with a hull mounted GDC sonar and a variable depth GDC sonar system. The Condor CS-3701 constitutes the tactical radar surveillance system, while Saab supplies the Ceres 200 series stealth fire control radar units. Saab also supplies the on-board 9LV battle management system, as well as the "Sea Giraffe" AMB 3D PESA surveillance radar unit. Rheinmetall TKWA/MASS (Multiple Ammunition, "Soft Kill" System) makes self-protection possible.

The original ship design was also intended to include launchers for surface-to-air missiles (SAM) and anti-submarine missiles (ASROC), but these capabilities were eventually abandoned due to cost concerns.

Karlstad was launched on 24 August 2006, commissioned on 16 September 2015 and is currently in active service with the 3rd Naval Battle Fleet. The class struggled with a long delay period that caused the debug dates to be similarly delayed - the first time in 2002 and the last time in 2015.