Sea Ceptor missile system installed

Macca · Oct 9, 2016

(From RN website) Almost ready for sea after 18 months out of action is HMS Westminster the most powerful and advanced frigate in the Royal Navy inventory after a massive overhaul.

Shes the first ship to receive the Navys new shield against air attack the Sea Ceptor missile system, which is also being installed on sister ships Argyll and Montrose during their revamps in Devonport.

Ceptor (short for interceptor) replaces the veteran Seawolf which has protected the frigate flotilla more than 35 years.

wigger · Oct 9, 2016

Interesting stuff Macca, I haven't keep up to date much with Sea Cepter. I wonder if the VLS silo has needed much modification? Or is it a completely new launcher possibly?

Stevo · Oct 9, 2016

Surely with this and the Viper, the navy has a high quality defence shield.

Macca · Oct 9, 2016

The silo has been adapted to accommodate the new supersonic missiles, heavier, over one metre longer and with a range of more than 25km (15 miles), more than twice that of Seawolf.

I still find it odd that these ships have never had CIWS installed.

wigger · Oct 9, 2016

The T23s are Starting to look pretty cluttered, possibly limited space for CIWS? Or Sea wolf was considered good enough......

NickNZ · Oct 10, 2016

The CIWS seem to move from ship to ship, as the earlier hull is destined for the Turkish razor blade factory. Possibly not enough to go around, as most seem now to be on the RFA's, T45s or 'new' carriers.
Will the Seawolf system now appear on the RFA's?

wigger · Oct 10, 2016

There has been plenty of spare of CIWS taken from ships over the last 2 decades, the fact that they have always gone elsewhere and a T23 has never received one would appear to be more of a fit issue than a numbers issue. Sea Wolf was supposed to reach end of life around 2018 so can't see why if would go to the RFA's and you'd need a decent size VLS silo to use it or Sea Ceptor. Maybe a light weight launcher like the original Sea Wolf would be possible?

Macca · Oct 10, 2016

From what I have read on some military forums the pool of phalanx owned by the UK is currently fully utilized. Once the type 26 come into service the gov will have to buy more units for sure.

James_C · Oct 10, 2016

The number of Phalanx available was depleted during our involvement in Iraq/Afghanistan as some were bolted onto the back of articulated lorries and stationed around the various army bases for use as point defence against mortars and suchlike. I believe they were quite effective.

FG86 · Oct 10, 2016

Sea Wolf will not be seen in any other guise when it leaves the T23. Only the two later Fort boats initially had space for a silo, however this facility is no long viable for the remaining Fort Victoria. Interestingly there was a light weight development of Sea wolf which encompassed a four round boxed version being retrofitted to Sea cat mountings, it was intended for the T42, however although the launcher (hand loaded) was suitable, the mass of associated Fire Control was far too complex and required more room than was available, hence it was shelved. Likewise to fit Sea Wolf to an RFA would probably require far too much additional equipment, hence the Phalanx fitment is more suitable. As an aside it probably would be politically difficult to continue to class RFA as government non warship vessels if fitted with Sea Wolf or any other missile, thus restricting the locations RFA's could operate. Sea Wolf has had a good run, initially test fired in Loch Fada over 50yrs ago!

Sea Ceptor missile system installed

Macca

wigger

Stevo

Macca

wigger

NickNZ

wigger

Macca

James_C

FG86

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