HSwMS Karlstad (K35) is the fifth ship of the Visby-class corvette.[1]
HSwMS Karlstad on 31 August 2014
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History | |
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Sweden | |
Name | Karlstad |
Namesake | Karlstad |
Ordered | 1999 |
Builder | Kockums |
Launched | 24 August 2006 |
Commissioned | 16 September 2015 |
Homeport | Karlskrona |
Identification |
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Status | Active |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Visby-class corvette |
Displacement | 660 t (650 long tons) |
Length | 72.6 m (238 ft 2 in) |
Beam | 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) |
Draft | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 35+ knots |
Complement |
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Sensors and processing systems |
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Electronic warfare & decoys | Rheinmetall Waffe Munition MASS (Multi-Ammunition Softkill) decoy system |
Armament |
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Aviation facilities | Helipad |
Design and description
editHSwMS Karlstad is the fifth ship of the Visby-class corvettes.[2] It was built by Kockums at the Karlskrona naval base, and was the first of four vessels of the class which are designed for coastal warfare.[3]
The hull of the vessel is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, a stealth technology, in order to make the vessel difficult to detect by other forces. A minimum of external equipment is stored outside of the vessel, with equipment such as liferafts being stored inside the hull.[4] This hull also reduces the weight of the vessel by around half. It was intended to be radar silent until it moves within 30 kilometres (19 mi) of an enemy vessel, resulting in designer John Nillson saying of it, "Naval officers fall in love with [this] ship. It's not classically beautiful. In fact it looks like a lunchbox. But it has better maneuverability and can achieve that level of stealth."[3]
Construction and career
editKarlstad was built at Kockums in Karlskrona and was launched on 24 August 2006 and commissioned on 16 September 2015.[5][6]
References
edit- ^ encyclopedia, david bocquelet-Naval. "The Swedish Navy in the Cold War (Svenska Marinen )". www.naval-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ "Swedish Navy's HMS Visby test fires first guided missile". Naval-Technology.com. July 2, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ^ a b Summers, Chris (June 10, 2004). "Stealth ships steam ahead". BBC News. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ^ ""Ryssland intresserat av vad vi övar"". SvD Nyhetter (in Swedish). October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ^ Trevithick, Joseph. "Photo Emerges Showing Sweden's Stealthy Visby Class Corvette's Tiny Radar Signature". The Drive. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
- ^ "Visby Class Corvettes - Naval Technology". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
External links
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