From Defense Aerospace

 

In the Wake of the Ancient Greeks: Sea Trials in the Mediterranean

(Source: Kockums AB; issued Oct. 12, 2006)

 

HMS Helsingborg has been undergoing sea trials in the Mediterranean over a period of approximately four weeks, to test her performance in these southern and warmer waters.

 

During transit down the English Channel, the French Coastguard command centre in Brest amusingly confirmed the effectiveness of the vessel’s stealth technology. The Centre admitted having problems spotting the vessel, although she’d raised a mast equipped with radar reflectors to make her more visible!

 

In an interview given to the Finnish daily newspaper Helsingborgs Dagblad, Commander Olof Stark described what happened: “As we passed down the English Channel, the Coastguard issued the following warning: ‘Swedish naval vessel passing through Dover Strait - undetectable by radar’.”

Knowingly transited the channel undetected...With all the chatter about the pros and cons of the USN procuring and employing LCS, are they paying enough attention to combatting the newer generation of stealth stechnologies integrated with small combatants in the littorals. Think of the threat already posed by small missile boats and now couple that with these stealth-like technologies.

 

While hopefully it is being addressed by those whose responsability is is, and it may not be of Dreadnaught proportions, it certainly interesting to think about.

Is this where I criticize DDG-1000? While I don't know, I don't think the US has the complement of tools to confidently combat stealth ships. To that end I think smaller USN ships to lessen the blow of losing any single ship (DDG-1000...) are an appropriate cautionary measure. However, imho the LCS is even too large/valuable for such an approach.

 

The small ships of my fleet will also be stealthy. However, my ships will be networked to kazoo, the software on the suckers will cost more than the ships themselves. If we can tie multiple telescope sites together, let's make our fleet of little ships multiply their capabilities in the same way. Add networked fire that only sci-fi books can currently talk about, and make those relatively cheap land attack guided gunshells into effective air warfare munitions so our little ships pack a maximum punch at minimal cost.

 

Now to that poor diesel sub that attacks and sinks even two or three of my ships, too bad, the other 5 or 9 are sure to get you soon.... Human loss is terrible but that same sub would have sunk my DDG-1000 outright and the sub gets away without answer.