Niels Juel class corvette

F356 Peter Tordenskiold
Class overview
Name:	Niels Juel class
Operators:	Royal Danish Navy
Succeeded by:	Ivar Huitfeldt-class frigates
Built:	1978-1980
In commission:	1980-2009
Completed:	3
Laid up:	3
General characteristics
Type:	Corvette
Displacement:	1,450 tonnes
Length:	84 m (276 ft)
Beam:	10.3 m (34 ft)
Draft:	4.8 m (16 ft)
Propulsion:	1 x General Electric gas turbine 1 x MTU diesel engine
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h) (with turbine)
Complement:	93 standard 110 during operations
Armament:	Harpoon SSM Sea Sparrow SAM VLS Stinger SAM Oto Melara 76 mm gun several heavy machine guns and a number of depth charges

The Niels Juel class is a three-ship class of corvettes currently in service with the Royal Danish Navy. They were built in Denmark at Aalborg Shipyard and were launched in the period 1978-1980. In 1998-2000 the three vessels had a mid-life update, as well as a large update on the electrical systems.

The three ships are named admirals, with the debatabale exception of Peter Tordenskjold, a Norwegian-born officer who served during the personal union of Norway and Denmark from 1415 to 1814.

These ships are scheduled for replacement by the Ivar Huitfeldt-class frigates.^[1]

Design

During the mid-life refit, the corvettes were modified to be able to use the StanFlex modular mission payload system; two module slots were installed aft of the supersturcture.^[2]

Duties

The corvettes play an active role in solving a wide spectrum of duties, including escort and protection of other vessels. They were built to the requirements of the Cold War era, notably the need for guarding and convoy duty in the strategically important Danish Belts. Like many assets built during this period, adapting it to changing needs in the post–Cold War period has been challenging, but the Niels Juel Class has benefited from being built from the outset as austere, economical vessels with a large number of possible roles to play. Also among the various tasks for the corvettes are coast guard duties in Danish national waters, as well as intelligence gathering.

It is normal routine for the Danish corvettes to participate in international operations. On several occasions, the vessels have taken part in operations for NATO, UN, OSCE and coalition forces.

HMDS Niels Juel (F354) in the Baltic Sea, June 2005

References

1. ^ http://forsvaret.dk/2ESK/Enheder/PS/
2. ^ Lok, Joris Janssen (24 April 2006). "New Danish combat support ships offer greater flexibility for NATO operations". International Defence Review (Jane's Information Group).