Ja Worsley escreveu:With the recent success of Austral as a ship builder (gaining contracts in the middle east for patrol boats and sea lift ships, not to mention the LCS contract with the USN), Austral have now released a new concept and this one keeps up the spirit of Austral's designs.
The Multi Role Corvette (MRC) is basically a mini LCS aimed at affordability and flexability. It can carry an organic air componant,
has davits for two RHIB's
and can also carry MOST of the Australian Army's vechiules (can not take M-1A-1 Tanks or varients thereof)
and when not being used as a cargo hold, the Mission bay can hold all sorts of other equipment such as; mines for mine laying, mine warfare equipment and even torpedos for anti submarine service.
Armourment consists of 1x 25mm Bushmaster up front and 4x .50cals (two either side of the hanger door amid ship and two aft in little pontoons either side of the aft door, just below the flight deck).
Personally I feel that this is somewhat lacking in a corvette sized vessel, I mean they could have included a 76mm Oto and VLS at least, perhaps a couple of Harpoons as well. With a crew of 76 (max/ mission including helo).
The height above water is also a concern,
Like a few vessels these day, there is far more above water than there is below, there are two advantages of this design though; 1. being a Trimaran the weight is spread out evenly over the supports thus top weight can be increased to a degree and 2. they have added another weight saving measure buy buildint the hull out of Aluminimum thus there is basically no top weigth to speak of really.
The disadvantages of this metal in the design is that it offers lkittle to no resistance to any sort of weapons fire. This is also a reason there are no missiles aboard (the booster flame would melt a hole in the deck).
My personal call is that this vessel would make a great Customs boat or perhaps even a good Coast Guard vessel but as for a serious navy vessel, perhaps in a low threat area maybe but not in a main stream, front line force.