Absalon-class frigate

Absalon in 2019
Class overview
BuildersOdense Staalskibsværft
OperatorsRoyal Danish Navy
Preceded byFalster class minelayer
CostDKK2.5bn (total),[1] (~US$189m/ship) excluding weapon modules
Built2003–2004
In commission2005–present
Completed2
Active2
General characteristics
TypeFrigates (formerly support ships)
Displacement
  • 4,500 tonnes light,[1]
  • 6,600 tonnes full load[1]
Length137 m (449 ft 6 in)[1]
Beam19.5 m (64 ft 0 in)[1]
Draft6.3 m (20 ft 8 in)[1]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 8000 M70 diesel engines
  • Two shafts
  • 22,300 bhp (16.6 MW)[1]
Speed24 knots (44 km/h)[1]
Range9,000 nmi (17,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)[1]
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × RHIBs, 2 × SB90E LCP
Complement100, plus aircrew and transients (accommodation for up to 300 in total)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales SMART-S Mk2 3D volume search radar
  • Terma Scanter 6002 surface search radar
  • Atlas ASO 94 sonar
  • 3 × Saab CEROS 200 fire control radars
  • ES-3701 Tactical Radar Electronic Support Measures (ESM)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 4 × 12-barrelled Terma DL-12T 130 mm decoy launchers
  • 2 × 6-barrelled Terma DL-6T 130 mm decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × AW-101 helicopters[1] or 2 MH-60R helicopters
Aviation facilitiesAft helicopter deck and hangars

The Absalon class are frigates of the Royal Danish Navy,[2][3][4] commissioned in 2005. The two ships in the class may be described as a hybrid between a frigate and military transport ship with multiple role capabilities,[5] with the capacity to be transformed from a combat ship with the firepower of a traditional frigate to a hospital ship within a day.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Fleksible Støtteskibe" (PDF) (in Danish). Danish Defence. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  2. ^ Royal Danish Navy: Support Ships, ABSALON-class Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval projects -- 2005-2009 Absalon class Command and Support Ship (CSS / Transport Frigate)". Canadian American Strategic Review. May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  4. ^ "An Overview of Current, On-Going Danish Naval projects 2005-2009 Projekt Patruljeskib – a Patrol Ship or Heavily-Armed Future Frigate". Canadian American Strategic Review. July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  5. ^ "HDMS Absalon and HDMS Esbern Snare - Royal Danish Navy". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  6. ^ Pike, John. "Absalon Class Flexible Support Ship / Command Support Ship". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 12 December 2016.