Navies are constantly making plans for their newsest ships. It is for this reason that we have provided some insight about what the largest navies are planning in the future.
France
The Barracuda class is a planned nuclear attack submarine class of the French Navy, designed by the French shipbuilder DCNS to replace the Rubis-class submarines. Barracudas will use technology from the Triomphant class, including pump jet propulsion. This class reportedly produces approximately 1/1000 of the detectable noise of the Redoutable-class submarines, and they are ten times more sensitive in detecting other submarines. They will be fitted with torpedo-tube-launch cruise missiles MDCN SCALP Naval for long-range (1000 km) strikes against land strategics targets. Their missions will include anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, land attack, intelligence gathering, crisis management and special operations. The Barracuda will use X-shaped stern planes.
The Barracuda class nuclear reactor incorporates several improvements over that of the preceding Rubis. Notably, it extends the time between refuelling and complex overhauls (RCOHs) from 7 to 10 years, enabling higher at-sea availability. In support of special operations missions, Barracudas may also accommodate up to 12 commandos, while carrying their equipment in a mobile pod attached aft of the sail.
On December 22, 2006, the French government placed a €7.9 billion order for six Barracuda submarines with DCN and their nuclear powerplants with Areva-Technicatome. According to the DGA “Competition at the subcontractor level will be open to foreign companies for the first time.” The first submarine will be delivered in 2016. Alain Aupetit, DCN's Barracuda programme director, said “The gap between the delivery of boats one and two will be two-and-a-half years.... After that, we will deliver one boat every two years through to the delivery of the last submarine in 2026.”
The Barracuda class nuclear reactor incorporates several improvements over that of the preceding Rubis. Notably, it extends the time between refuelling and complex overhauls (RCOHs) from 7 to 10 years, enabling higher at-sea availability. In support of special operations missions, Barracudas may also accommodate up to 12 commandos, while carrying their equipment in a mobile pod attached aft of the sail.
On December 22, 2006, the French government placed a €7.9 billion order for six Barracuda submarines with DCN and their nuclear powerplants with Areva-Technicatome. According to the DGA “Competition at the subcontractor level will be open to foreign companies for the first time.” The first submarine will be delivered in 2016. Alain Aupetit, DCN's Barracuda programme director, said “The gap between the delivery of boats one and two will be two-and-a-half years.... After that, we will deliver one boat every two years through to the delivery of the last submarine in 2026.”
France & Italy
The FREMM Multipurpose Frigate is a ship designed by DCNS/Armaris and Fincantieri to operate in anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, and be capable of carrying out deep strikes against land targets.
The French Navy plans to operate eleven FREMM frigates, and the Marina Militare ten. The first commissionings are expected in 2012. The ships will be built in France by Armaris (owned by DCNS), and in Italy by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a joint venture between shipbuilder Fincantieri and aerospace firm Finmeccanica). This arrangement extends the partnerships forged for development of the Horizon Common New Generation Frigates.
The French Navy plans to operate eleven FREMM frigates, and the Marina Militare ten. The first commissionings are expected in 2012. The ships will be built in France by Armaris (owned by DCNS), and in Italy by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a joint venture between shipbuilder Fincantieri and aerospace firm Finmeccanica). This arrangement extends the partnerships forged for development of the Horizon Common New Generation Frigates.
United Kingdom
The Queen Elizabeth class supercarriers are a two-ship class of aircraft carrier being built for the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to enter service in 2020 and HMS Prince of Wales is expected to initially be kept in a state of "extended readiness" after completion. HMS Queen Elizabeth will be built to a CATOBAR configuration. The construction of HMS Prince of Wales was assured by the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, although its role in the immediate aftermath of its commission remains uncertain. The vessels will displace about 65,600 tonnes (full load), be 284 metres (932 ft) long and capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.
The need to replace the aging Invincible-class aircraft carriers was confirmed by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. From six contractors, the Ministry of Defence selected Thales and BAE Systems in late 1999 to compete for the final contract. In September 2002, the MoD announced that the Royal Navy and RAF would operate the STOVL F-35B Lightning II variant, and the carriers would take the form of large, conventional carriers initially configured for STOVL operations. On 30 January 2003, the MoD announced that the Thales design had won the competition but that BAE Systems would operate as prime contractor. The two companies are now part of a "carrier alliance" with the MoD and other companies.
The contract for the vessels was announced on 25 July 2007 by the Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne, ending several years of delay over cost issues and British naval shipbuilding restructuring. The cost was initially estimated to be £3.9 billion. The contracts were officially signed one year later on 3 July 2008 after the creation of BVT Surface Fleet through the merger of BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions and VT Group's VT Shipbuilding which was a requirement of the UK Government. In the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, it was announced that the carriers would be converted to CATOBAR configuration in order to operate the F-35C variant of the F-35 Lightning II, instead of the F-35B STOVL variant.
The need to replace the aging Invincible-class aircraft carriers was confirmed by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. From six contractors, the Ministry of Defence selected Thales and BAE Systems in late 1999 to compete for the final contract. In September 2002, the MoD announced that the Royal Navy and RAF would operate the STOVL F-35B Lightning II variant, and the carriers would take the form of large, conventional carriers initially configured for STOVL operations. On 30 January 2003, the MoD announced that the Thales design had won the competition but that BAE Systems would operate as prime contractor. The two companies are now part of a "carrier alliance" with the MoD and other companies.
The contract for the vessels was announced on 25 July 2007 by the Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne, ending several years of delay over cost issues and British naval shipbuilding restructuring. The cost was initially estimated to be £3.9 billion. The contracts were officially signed one year later on 3 July 2008 after the creation of BVT Surface Fleet through the merger of BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions and VT Group's VT Shipbuilding which was a requirement of the UK Government. In the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, it was announced that the carriers would be converted to CATOBAR configuration in order to operate the F-35C variant of the F-35 Lightning II, instead of the F-35B STOVL variant.
India
The Vikrant class aircraft carriers are the first aircraft carriers of the Indian Navy to be designed and built in India. Currently, budgets are allowing the construction of three aircraft carriers. They are being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited. The first carrier will feature a ski-jump in STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) configuration. The deck is designed to enable aircraft such as the MiG-29 and smaller to operate from the carrier. The Vikrant class is designed to deploy up to 40 aircraft, primarily the Mikoyan MiG-29K and the HAL Tejas Mark 2, including 10 Kamov Ka-31 or HAL Dhruv helicopters. The naval version of HAL Tejas is hoped to be ready by the time INS Vikrant is commissioned.
The Vikrant class carriers will be the largest warships built by CSL. Work on the lead vessel of the class started in 2008, and the keel was laid in February 2009. In 2007, eighty percent of work on the carrier was expected to be completed before a launch in 2010, but by October 2010 only two of the 21 blocks had been completed The first carrier of the class was expected to enter service by 2012, but was delayed by a year reportedly due to the inability of Russia to supply the AB/A grade steel. As a result, Steel Authority of India Limited created facilities to manufacture the steel in India. In August 2009, the military purchasing publication Defence Industry Daily reported that the service date had slipped to at least 2015. CSL expected the Navy to place the order for the second carrier of the class 2010, and work was planned to begin in 2010.
The Vikrant class carriers will be the largest warships built by CSL. Work on the lead vessel of the class started in 2008, and the keel was laid in February 2009. In 2007, eighty percent of work on the carrier was expected to be completed before a launch in 2010, but by October 2010 only two of the 21 blocks had been completed The first carrier of the class was expected to enter service by 2012, but was delayed by a year reportedly due to the inability of Russia to supply the AB/A grade steel. As a result, Steel Authority of India Limited created facilities to manufacture the steel in India. In August 2009, the military purchasing publication Defence Industry Daily reported that the service date had slipped to at least 2015. CSL expected the Navy to place the order for the second carrier of the class 2010, and work was planned to begin in 2010.
United States
The Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers are a class of supercarrier for the United States Navy, intended to eventually replace the current Nimitz-class carriers. The new vessels will use a hull design very similar to the Nimitz carriers in appearance, but many aspects of the design will be very different, implementing new technologies developed since the initial design of the previous class (such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), as well as other design features intended to improve efficiency and running costs, including a reduced crew requirement. The first hull of the line will be named Gerald R. Ford, and will have the hull number CVN-78.