Flyvefisken-class patrol vessel

P555 HDMS Støren
Class overview
Name: Flyvefisken class
Operators:
Subclasses: Tejo class (Portugal)
Built: 1985–1995
In commission: 1989–
Planned: 17
Completed: 14
Cancelled: 3
Active: 9
Retired: 1
Preserved: 3 (for sale)
General characteristics [1]
Type: Patrol vessel
Displacement:
  • 320 tonnes (315 long tons) light
  • 450 tonnes (443 long tons) full load
Length: 54 m (177 ft 2 in)
Beam: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught: 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) on turbine + diesels
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) on MTU's
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) on hydraulic drive
Range: 3,860 nmi (7,150 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement: 19-29 depending on role
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Terma Scanter Mil 009 surveillance radar
  • Thales TMS 2640 Salmon variable depth sonar
  • Furuno navigational radar
  • EADS TRS-3D air search radar (Combat role)
  • Plessey AWS-6 air search radar (MCM role)
  • SaabTech Vectronics 9LV 200 Mk 3 Fire control radar
Armament:
HDMS Viben (P562).
Patrol vessel employed by Lithuanian Naval Force

The Flyvefisken-class patrol vessels ("Flying fish" in Danish) are warships of the Royal Danish Navy. The class is also known as the Standard Flex 300 or SF300 class. The four vessels sold to the Portuguese Navy are locally referred as Tejo class.

Containerised weapon systems

The Flyvefisken ships were constructed using an innovative modular design known as StanFlex: they have a standard hull in which containerised weapons or systems can be placed. This allows them to rapidly change roles, typically in 48 hours. This enables the ships to be configured to perform the following roles:

  • Surveillance/pollution control
  • Combat
  • Mine countermeasures/minehunter (MCM)
  • Minelayer

The containers measure 3.5 by 3 by 2.5 metres (11.5 ft × 9.8 ft × 8.2 ft). One container is situated on the foredeck; the other three go on the quarterdeck behind the superstructure and funnel. Furthermore the ships are built using the sandwich principle - a layer of fiberglass either side of a core of PVC cell foam. This forms the structure from keel to top of mast. This building method reduces maintenance costs - so much so that 20 years later the new Diana and -Holm class have been built using the same materials.[2]

Replaced three different vessels

The Flyvefisken class replaced three different vessels in the Danish Navy: Six torpedo boats of the Søløven class (1965–90), six coastal minesweepers of the Sund class (1955–99) and eight seaward defence craft of the Daphne-class Seaward Defence Craft (1961–91). It was possible because of the containerised systems and modern technology.

The replaced vessels used World War II (or World War I) tactics: The Søløven boats were light plywood boats propelled by three turboshafts, which attacked the enemy ships with torpedoes in 54-knot (100 km/h; 62 mph) hit-and-run attacks. The Flyvefisken class is not that fast, but their Harpoon missiles are sufficient for the task.

The Sund-class minesweepers were built of wood, bronze and other non-magnetic materials. They swept mine fields by trawling through the area with paravanes on tow separating magnetic and acoustic generators for the bottom mines, and chain cutters for the horned mines. The Flyvefisken class is a minehunter and locates the mines with side-scan sonar and neutralizes them one by one with a ROV.

The Daphne class attacked submarines by dropping depth charges to a preselected depth, while sailing past the submarine. The Flyvefisken class fights submarines with anti-submarine homing torpedoes.

Ships in class

A total of 14 ships were built in the class, in three series:

#NameLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedInt. CallsignRole
Series 1
P550Flyvefisken
(Flying fish)		15 August 198526 April 198619 December 1989
Sold to Lithuania, March 2007 - LVS Zemaitis (P 11)		OVDAMCM
P551Hajen
(Shark)		February 19886 August 198919 August 1990
Sold to Lithuania, March 2007 - LVS Dzukas (P 12)		OVDBMCM
P552Havkatten
(Catfish)		August 198813 January 19901 November 199012 January 2012 -
Sold to Lithuania, 23 November 2016 - LVS Sėlis (P 15)		OVDCMCM
P553Laxen
(Salmon)		March 198820 May 199012 March 19917 October 2010OVDDMCM
P554Makrelen
(Mackerel)		December 19888 January 19914 October 19917 October 2010OVDEMCM
P555Støren
(Sturgeon)		August 19891 September 199124 April 19927 October 2010OVBFMCM
P556Sværdfisken
(Swordfish)		-1 September 19911 February 19922 August 2006, scrappedOVDGMCM
Series 2
P557Glenten
(Kite)		-19921 February 19927 October 2010
Sold to Portugal, October 2014 - NRP Mondego (P 592)		OVDHCombat
P558Gribben
(Vulture)		-19921 July 19937 October 2010
Sold to Portugal, October 2014 - as spare parts hull		OVDISurveillance
P559Lommen
(Loon)		-199321 January 1994
Sold to Lithuania, March 2007 - LVS Aukstaitis (P 14)		OVDJSurveillance
P560Ravnen
(Raven)		-19947 October 19947 October 2010
Sold to Portugal, October 2014 - NRP Douro (P 591)		OVDKCombat
P561Skaden
(European magpie)		-199410 April 19957 October 2010
Sold to Portugal, October 2014 - NRP Guadiana (P 593)		OVDLCombat
P562Viben
(Northern lapwing)		-199515 January 19967 October 2010
Sold to Portugal, October 2014 - NRP Tejo (P 590)		OVDMCombat
Series 3
P563
Y311		Søløven
(Sea lion)		-199527 May 1996-OVDNSurveillance
Diving support from 2012

The difference between the series is mainly in the configuration of the propulsion system. Series 2 is not equipped with hydraulic propulsion, but instead has an additional auxiliary engine, and Series 3 has one further auxiliary engine.

References

  1. ↑ "Specifications: Flyvefisken Class (SF 300) Multi-Role Vessels - Naval Technology". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  2. ↑ "Flyvefisken Class (SF 300) Multi-Role Vessels - Naval Technology". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2009-11-26.


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