Yokel
LE

I found this on the MOD part of the .gov.uk website:
Joint Concept Note 1/12: Future 'Black Swan' Class Sloop-of-War: A Group System
I know that there has been much talk of a high/low mix for the future, and that this is not meant to act as a frigate, but the separation of systems and platforms seems odd. Platforms are there to support systems of various kind, but those systems put demands on the platform, both in terms of dimensions, but also in terms of things that they need like electrical power, water for cooling, manning, and so on.
Briefly reading the JCN, it seems that it proposes a very austere vessel, leaving things such as communications to the system modules. This seems odd, as communications will be key in any of the proposed roles, and are probably best integrated with the ship. Likewise, surely sensors and weapon need integrating? Also cheap and nasty means things like no attempt to reduce radar cross section and presumably reduced sea keeping ability - which then limits the conditions in which you can launch/recover a helicopter/UAV/boat/unmanned vehicle?
In the Mine Countermeasures role, there seems to be no provision for a minehunting sonar, yet it is currently key to minehunting. Are unmanned vehicles, with small sonar aboard and attempting to communicate acoustically in the noisy (particularly the littoral) maritime environment, really going to achieve the same level of performance and situational awareness as a proper sonar (eg 2093 or 2193) connected to a proper command system?
If you're going to have a larger vessel for minehunting (and presumably the need for GRP construction is gone as old fashioned minesweeping is gone) then you would have the opportunity to have a larger, more powerful sonar. Has it been left out as it does not fit with the modular concept?
Joint Concept Note 1/12: Future 'Black Swan' Class Sloop-of-War: A Group System
The aim of this Joint Concept Note is to act as a catalyst for a conceptually led change to both the procurement and the employment of future maritime capabilities with investment in systems not platforms.
The future ‘Black Swan’ class sloop-of-war is a manned ship that will act as the core for a group of manned and unmanned platforms which, as an integrated system, will provide the units of power required by those surface assets tasked with the protection of Sea Lines of Communication and sea control. At an acceptable financial cost, operating in groups, the sloops will provide both the quantity of platforms and the quality of systems that will be demanded of the Royal Navy in the future operating environment. In operations other than war, the increased hull numbers will provide the capabilities required to fulfil the maritime security tasks demanded by a maritime nation as well as the global presence required to engage with the international community.
I know that there has been much talk of a high/low mix for the future, and that this is not meant to act as a frigate, but the separation of systems and platforms seems odd. Platforms are there to support systems of various kind, but those systems put demands on the platform, both in terms of dimensions, but also in terms of things that they need like electrical power, water for cooling, manning, and so on.
Briefly reading the JCN, it seems that it proposes a very austere vessel, leaving things such as communications to the system modules. This seems odd, as communications will be key in any of the proposed roles, and are probably best integrated with the ship. Likewise, surely sensors and weapon need integrating? Also cheap and nasty means things like no attempt to reduce radar cross section and presumably reduced sea keeping ability - which then limits the conditions in which you can launch/recover a helicopter/UAV/boat/unmanned vehicle?
In the Mine Countermeasures role, there seems to be no provision for a minehunting sonar, yet it is currently key to minehunting. Are unmanned vehicles, with small sonar aboard and attempting to communicate acoustically in the noisy (particularly the littoral) maritime environment, really going to achieve the same level of performance and situational awareness as a proper sonar (eg 2093 or 2193) connected to a proper command system?
If you're going to have a larger vessel for minehunting (and presumably the need for GRP construction is gone as old fashioned minesweeping is gone) then you would have the opportunity to have a larger, more powerful sonar. Has it been left out as it does not fit with the modular concept?