Irish Military Online is in no way affiliated with the Irish Defence Forces. It is in no way sponsored or endorsed by the Irish Defence Forces or the Irish Government. Opinions expressed by the authors and contributors of this site are not necessarily those of the Defence Forces. If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Hangar for 4 , flight deck for 2 , all our AW 139 Wolfhounds! Ah if only we had bought ones with auto folding blades. NB, remember Eithne's hangar was wide enough for Dauphins to not need to fold their rotors.
It's certainly interesting but the breadth would be an issue unless she's going to be supported elsewhere, otherwise it would seem to tick all the boxes.
Looking at the VARD specification they match pretty much those of HMS Canterbury with the biggest exception being an LCVP rather than a LCM. But this is just a info brochure and the final product usually has some changes.
Hangar for 4 , flight deck for 2 , all our AW 139 Wolfhounds! Ah if only we had bought ones with auto folding blades. NB, remember Eithne's hangar was wide enough for Dauphins to not need to fold their rotors.
You must be talking about the little model sized Dauphin .
If you look at the specs compared to the EPV (2007)
Beam is 4m wider
Draft is 0.4m deeper
Max speed is 2kts slower
Not saying that the EPV tender will be used but it’s a guide
Other than that, and no 76mm it would appear to be exactly what the NS wants
.
It seems to be designed around our blogged descriptions of EPV operational tasks. I don't normally look at "Gift" horses in the mouth but unfortunately this vessel could never be drydocked in our backyard. The extra beam is probably related to deploying landing craft by ship side davit arrangements. If the Navy Drydock was operational it would be ideal. It would also need an adequate defence scheme and in this case additionally, as do all our ships , a beefed up cyber security system. There were more than 50 marine based hacks in the Norwegian sector in the past year .
If you look at the specs compared to the EPV (2007)
Beam is 4m wider
Draft is 0.4m deeper
Max speed is 2kts slower
Not saying that the EPV tender will be used but it’s a guide
Other than that, and no 76mm it would appear to be exactly what the NS wants
The EPV never went to tender, as far as I can remember, It went as far as RFP stage, with certain specifications, but never proceeded further.
Luckily, since then, numerous states are seeking vessels with similar capability.
A lot to like about the VARD design. 70 tonne ramps are industry standard for most ferries. 20T (at 20m) deck crane is excellent, and is well located. If the spec is correct, you could lift the majority of TEUs from quayside to deck. Do do the same with a Mobile crane ashore would require a 130 Tonne model, minimum. Not always easily available, and there are none in the DF inventory.
The image also seems to suggest container stowage on top of the hangar. Better still.
2 bow thrusters, and the mention of schottel drives seem to suggest the vessel would be DP2. 470 Lane metres is excellent. Thats 58 Mowag Piranhas, comfortably, before you put anything on the helideck. Relatively manageable crew size. Less than Eithne's compliment when she was new. Plenty of space for extra bods during the inevitable overseas resupply trips, that the NS used to enjoy.
The Design of landing craft is interesting. Much more workboat like than most landing craft in use. Very large wheelhouse for the type. I like the use of 11m enclosed Rhibs also. Looks more like the daughter craft used in the offshore industry. Greatly expands your over the horizon capability.
I'm not too bothered with the indication of a 25mm main gun. It seems to be trending that way, internationally. Don't forget the RN are using unarmed tankers and research ships to combat drug smugglers in the carribean and elsewhere. If some in the NS had their way, the P60s would all have been fitted with Bofors L70s.
I also wouldn't be too concerned with the beam. True it may not fit within the basin, but the oil wharf would be fine for most times ashore. The NS has been availing of nearby civilian berthage a lot lately, and most of the quayside in the Former dockyard is no longer in regular use. I also understand there are other plans...
By the time this hits the water, many things may have changed.
The AW139 with tricolour roundel on deck though....
For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.
It seems to be designed around our blogged descriptions of EPV operational tasks. I don't normally look at "Gift" horses in the mouth but unfortunately this vessel could never be drydocked in our backyard. The extra beam is probably related to deploying landing craft by ship side davit arrangements. If the Navy Drydock was operational it would be ideal. It would also need an adequate defence scheme and in this case additionally, as do all our ships , a beefed up cyber security system. There were more than 50 marine based hacks in the Norwegian sector in the past year .
The EPV never went to tender, as far as I can remember, It went as far as RFP stage, with certain specifications, but never proceeded further.
Luckily, since then, numerous states are seeking vessels with similar capability.
A lot to like about the VARD design. 70 tonne ramps are industry standard for most ferries. 20T (at 20m) deck crane is excellent, and is well located. If the spec is correct, you could lift the majority of TEUs from quayside to deck. Do do the same with a Mobile crane ashore would require a 130 Tonne model, minimum. Not always easily available, and there are none in the DF inventory.
The image also seems to suggest container stowage on top of the hangar. Better still.
2 bow thrusters, and the mention of schottel drives seem to suggest the vessel would be DP2. 470 Lane metres is excellent. Thats 58 Mowag Piranhas, comfortably, before you put anything on the helideck. Relatively manageable crew size. Less than Eithne's compliment when she was new. Plenty of space for extra bods during the inevitable overseas resupply trips, that the NS used to enjoy.
The Design of landing craft is interesting. Much more workboat like than most landing craft in use. Very large wheelhouse for the type. I like the use of 11m enclosed Rhibs also. Looks more like the daughter craft used in the offshore industry. Greatly expands your over the horizon capability.
I'm not too bothered with the indication of a 25mm main gun. It seems to be trending that way, internationally. Don't forget the RN are using unarmed tankers and research ships to combat drug smugglers in the carribean and elsewhere. If some in the NS had their way, the P60s would all have been fitted with Bofors L70s.
I also wouldn't be too concerned with the beam. True it may not fit within the basin, but the oil wharf would be fine for most times ashore. The NS has been availing of nearby civilian berthage a lot lately, and most of the quayside in the Former dockyard is no longer in regular use. I also understand there are other plans...
By the time this hits the water, many things may have changed.
The AW139 with tricolour roundel on deck though....
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this was designed specifically for the NS, possibly at NS request
Your right it was a RFP but they (NS and DoD) obviously picked those specs for a reason.
We process personal data about users of our site, through the use of cookies and other technologies, to deliver our services, personalize advertising, and to analyze site activity. We may share certain information about our users with our advertising and analytics partners. For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
By clicking "I AGREE" below, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our personal data processing and cookie practices as described therein. You also acknowledge that this forum may be hosted outside your country and you consent to the collection, storage, and processing of your data in the country where this forum is hosted.
Comment