HSwMS Visby (K31)

Stealth Corvette Warship

Sweden | 2009

"While six of the Visby-class were originally ordered by the Swedish Navy, only five were completed."

The HSwMS Helsingborg K32 is pictured to represent the Visby-class; Image released to public domain by Wikipedia user Jesper O.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for HSwMS Visby (K31).

CODAG: 4 x Vericor TF50A gasoline turbines with 2 x MTU Friedrichshafen 16V2000 N90 diesel engines and 3 x Electric generators; 2 x 125SII Kamewa waterjets.
Propulsion

35.0 kts
40.3 mph
Surface Speed

2,498 nm
2,875 miles | 4,627 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of HSwMS Visby (K31).

43
Personnel
Complement

238.0 ft
72.54 meters
O/A Length

34.0 ft
10.36 meters
Beam

7.9 ft
2.41 meters
Draught

705
tons
Displacement

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of HSwMS Visby (K31).

1 x 57mm Bofors Mk III deck gun
8 x RBS15 Mk II Anti-Ship Missile Launchers
4 x 400mm Torpedo Launchers (Type 45 torpedoes)

Also naval mines and depth charges as required.

Air Arm
Available supported fixed-wing / rotary-wing aircraft featured in the design of HSwMS Visby (K31).

1 x Naval Medium-Lift Helicopter

Ships-in-Class (5)
Notable series variants as part of the HSwMS Visby (K31) family line as relating to the Visby-class group.

Visby (K31); Helsingborg (K32); Hamosand (K33); Nykoping (K34); Karlstad (K35); Cancelled: Uddevalla (K36)

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/12/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Corvettes date as far back as the "Age of Sail" where their speed, agility and modest firepower were put to excellent use. During the period, the type was constructed larger than a "Sloop-of-War" yet smaller than existing frigate models. The corvette has been carried over into the modern age of steel warships and now exhibits a size larger than coastal patrol craft and may or may not be dimensionally smaller than frigates - the lines between these two ship types becoming more blurred with each passing decade.

The Swedish Navy adopted a corvette vessel through the five-strong Visby-class led by the HSwMS Visby (K31). The class was originally intended to support six such vessels though the final form - the HSwMS Uddevalla - was cancelled. This has left the class with the HSwMS Visby (K31), the HSwMS Helsingborg (K32), the HSwMS Hamosand (K33), the HSwMS Nykoping (K34) and the HSwMS Karlstad (K35). The HSwMS Visby saw her keel laid down on February 17th, 1995 and she was then launched on June 8th, 2000. The vessel remains in active service with the 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla (2013). She was built at the Kockums AB shipyard at Malmo, Sweden - a German-owned firm under the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems product banner.

The Visby-class of ships share many common traits including weaponry, propulsion and stealth characteristics. Armament is centered around 1 x 57mm Bofors Mk 3 deck gun and 8 x RBS15 Mk 2 series anti-ship missiles (AShM). The Bofors Mk 3 was introduced in 1995 and holds origins in the excellent Mk 1 series debuting in 1964. The RBS15 missile is produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics and is a "fire-and-forget" anti-ship (AS) missile with land-attack capabilities as well - giving the missile a "dual-role" battlefield existence. The weapons are governed by the Ceros 200 Fire Control Radar System (FCRS), the Condor CS-3701 Tactical Radar Surveillance System (TRSS) and an Ericsson Sea Giraffe ABM 3D processing suite. The Combat Information Center (CIC) is set at amidships under the bridge superstructure. Additional sensors are provided through a hull-mounted sonar array, a towed sonar array (at stern) and a variable depth sonar (VDS) system (at stern) to counter the threat posed by enemy submarines. The crew can also call upon an integrated countermeasures suite that includes the Rheinmetall Waffe Munition MASS (Multi-Ammunition Softkill System) decoy system. ECM (Electronic CounterMeasures) chaff launcher is set aft of the deck gun and a radar warning system is fitted to the mast via a radome assembly. The Visby-class can also dispense naval mines and depth charges if need be and is outfitted with torpedoes (4 x 40mm launchers, Type 45 torpedoes) at the stern sides making her a truly multi-role performer. The Visby can also launch and retrieve Remotely-Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for minehunting and mine neutralization actions.

The Visby-class, at one point, was to support 8 x Umkhonto Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) launchers and 2 x 6 127mm ALECTO anti-submarine rocket launchers though these have since been cancelled.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Propulsion for the class is governed by a CODAG (COmbined Diesel And Gas) arrangement in which the diesel and gas systems are integrated in such a way so as to provide a maximum power drive through integral management of a diesel and gas turbine arrangement. CODAG allows a surface warship to achieve a maximum straight line speed well above that of their listed cruise speeds through the combined engine configuration governed through a multi-speed gearbox (or several). Diesel engines typically feed into the gearbox, which are also fed by a gas turbine, and it is this gearbox that then drives the propellers directly. This arrangement produces an increase in speed by as much as 10 knots depending on the vessel and operating conditions. The Visby is completed with 2 x low-speed MTU Friedrichschafen 16V 2000 N90 diesel engines rated at 1,300kW each and built into noise-absorbing housings. These are coupled to the required reduction gears which also connect to 4 x Honeywell TF50A gas turbines of 4,000kW each. Three generators provide an additional 270kW of power each. Maximum speed in this configuration is approximately 40 knots. Exhaust outlets are heavily concealed at the stern. 2 x KaMeWa 125 waterjet propulsion "buckets" are provided at the stern for precise handling. Range is roughly 2,500 nautical miles when cruising at 15 knots providing the Visby-class a solid reach and operational radius. The onboard navigation radar is retractable.

Like many other modern warships, the Visby makes extensive use of angled, covered services about her hull design. This approach to "stealth" on the high seas eliminates the use of crevices and vertical faces so common to shipbuilding in decades past. The end result is a clean and well-contoured design intended to reduce radar signatures from prying enemy systems. While not truly making the ship invisible, the vessel nonetheless maintains a harder-to-detect presence. Additionally, the deck gun can be stowed within a forward housing to further reduce the side profile signature. The bridge is set high atop a pyramidal-type superstructure with a commanding view of the action all-around the vessel. Any smoke funnels are purposely left short and enclosed within the superstructure. A radar array (director) is set ahead of the bridge and aft of the deck gun. The mast is also completely enclosed and sections of rail are only present about the aft portions of the ship, both at the superstructure and at the stern deck. The stern deck is home to a helicopter landing deck which can support up to a medium-lift helicopter type airframe. All helicopter-related equipment can be taken down for preserve stealth. A helicopter "bunker station" is fitted to the aft section of the superstructure. RHIBs (Rigid-Hull Inflatable Boats) are carried as well and can be launched and retrieved as needed.

The HSwMS Visby is typically crewed by 43 personnel made up of 27 officers as well as 16 conscripted service members. She displaces at 650 tons and showcases a running length of 72.6 meters, a beam (width) of 10.4 meters and a draught of 2.5 meters - the latter quality allowing the ship to operate off-shore. The vessel is purposefully designed for both close-to-shore (littoral) and deep sea operations allowing her to partake in international efforts as they arise. While her armament is limited when compared to modern missile-minded frigates, it is nonetheless practical and ensures the vessel retain her agility and speed in open water. Additionally, the type's enhanced endurance allows for the ship to stay on station longer than other smaller classes (as well as conduct a quick exit if need be). In this way, the Visby can be used across all manner of missions including at-sea rescue (downed airmen, humanitarian, etc...), anti-piracy service, customs regulation, maritime law enforcement, interception of both large and small craft and as a fast assault platform. The Visby-class can also operate independently or as part of the main Swedish / United Nations-sponsored naval force.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Operators
Global operator(s) of the HSwMS Visby (K31). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

[ Sweden ]

1 / 1

The HSwMS Helsingborg K32 is pictured to represent the Visby-class; Image released to public domain by Wikipedia user Jesper O.

Going Further...
HSwMS Visby (K31) Stealth Corvette Warship appears in the following collections:

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)