Fgs Brandenburg

The Type 123 Brandenburg Class frigates were ordered in June 1989 to replace the Hamburg Class. The frigates are primarily tasked with anti-submarine operations, but they also contribute to anti-air defence, the tactical command of group forces and surface operations. The ships form part of the Wilhelmshaven-based 6th frigate squadron.

Drawing on the experience of the aborted 'NATO frigate for the nineties' project and the construction of the German Type 122 multi-mission frigate, as well as German modularisation techniques, Hamburg shipbuilders Blohm + Voss developed a combined Meko and improved serviceability Type 122 design.  

The all-steel ship has stealth features, extra space for task group personnel and fin stabilisers. It is designed to carry two Agusta Westland Sea Lynx mk88 helicopters and a rigid inflatable boat for boarding operations.

The first ship, Brandenburg (F215), was built by Blohm + Voss and commissioned in October 1994; the second, Schleswig-Holstein (F216), was built by Kiel-based shipbuilder Howaldtswerke and commissioned in November 1995; the third, Bayern (F217), was built by Emden-based Thyssen Nordseewerke and commissioned in May 1996; and the fourth, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (F218), by the Bremen-based builder, Bremer Vulkan, commissioned in November 1996.  

The Brandenburg has a displacement of 4,700t fully loaded and an overall length of 138.9m. The ship has a maximum speed of 29 knots using the gas turbines and 18 knots using the diesel engines, with a range of 4,000 nm at 18 knots. The ship can accommodate 118 crew (including 19 air crew).  

Brandenburg is seen in Leith during her visit 7^th – 10^th November.

Fs La Motte-Picquet

La Motte-Picquet is a F70 type anti-submarine frigate of the French Marine Nationale. She is the fourth French vessel named after the 18th Century admiral count Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte.

The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (Type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti - submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which increased their self protection against air threats and made them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well. The F70 is internationally labelled an "anti-submarine destroyer" (hence the "D" in the hull numbers), though the French do not use the term and refer to the ships as "frigates".

 

The superstructures were built to optimise resistance to the blast from nuclear explosions. The last three ships of the class had their bridges raised one deck to overcome problems experienced by the first four in bad weather, as well as being equipped with DSBV 61 passive linear towed array sonar and several other upgraded systems.

The hull and superstructure are made of welded steel and designed to have good resilience in the blast of a nuclear explosion. Some automatic fin stabilizers are fitted. All vessels of the class have an NBC warfare protective citadel, and their navigation bridge is equipped with two optical periscopes. Accommodations for female crewmembers are incorporated in all except D645. The 21-m-long by 12.20-m-wide helicopter deck has a SPHEX (Système Pousseur pour Hélicoptère Embarqué Lynx) landing system with harpoon-type landing grid and two deck-traversing rails to move the helicopters in and out of the spacious hangar, which is 13.5 m long, 11.4 m wide, and 4.3 m high. All vessels had their hulls reinforced during 2002–03 due to hull cracking (Similar to Cassard class). The modifications added 120 tons of structural steel and required adding 210 tons of permanent ballast.

D640 Georges Leygues    (Retired 2014)

D641 Dupleix                    

D642 Montcalm               

D643 Jean de Vienne      

D644 Primauguet             

D645 Lamotte-Picquet     

D646 Latouché Trevillé     

Fs La Motte-Picquet is seen here alongside in Leith during her visit from the 1^st – 5^th November 2014.

Sps Cristóbal Colón

Sps Cristóbal Colón F 105

The F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class is a 5,800t multipurpose frigate built by the Spanish shipbuilder, Izar (formerly E.N. Bazan). In February 2005, the naval shipbuilding activities of Izar were spun off into a new company, Navantia.

The first batch of four ships was ordered by the Spanish Navy in January 1997. The first, Alvaro de Bazan (F101), was launched in October 2000 and commissioned in September 2002. The second, Almirante Juan de Borbon (F102), was launched in February 2002 and commissioned in December 2003.

The third, Blas de Lezo (F103) was launched in May 2003 and commissioned in December 2004. The fourth, Mendez Nunez (F104), was launched in November 2004 and delivered in March 2006.

In June 2005, the Spanish Government announced plans to procure a fifth Alvaro de Bazan Class vessel, Cristóbal Colón (F105). Procurement of the new vessel was authorised by the government in May 2006. Construction began in June 2007 and the keel was laid in February 2009. The ship was launched in November 2010 and entered sea trials in June 2012. A sixth vessel, Juan de Austria (F106) is also planned, to commission in 2013.

Cristóbal Colón is seen departing Leith on the 18^th October 2014