Canadian River Class Destroyer Megathread

[Rainbow1910]

As the mission deck is a direct line to the flight deck anything that could be flight launched could be stored there (Surviellance assets etc..). Some of the examples below are in this category

SNIP

The Type 26 Frigate – more than just a submarine hunter - Navy Lookout

At the recent IMarEST conference, the RN outlined some of its thinking about how the Type 26 frigate's Mission Bay could be utilised in service. Here we look at these concepts and progress on the road to delivery. Modularity comes to life In an earlier article, we speculated about what...

www.navylookout.com

Above is an image of some potential mission bay containerized ideas from a navylookout article.

 

[Underway]

This one makes me laugh. Its the movie moment when the garage door goes up and there's a bunch of dudes with tons of firepower inside that flatten the collected cop cars.

I can't think of a practical application of this but when you're brainstorming all options get thrown on the board.

 

[NavyShooter]

There is no practical application for this on a RCD - the limited firing arcs make it less than useful if this container was inside the Mission Bay.

However.

On another class/type of ship, it might be more useful - consider a Sea Can on the quarterdeck of an MCDV - adding a pod with RWS in it might be useful. (Again, depending on arcs of fire....) Consider the potential of adding the RWS module to your jetty security setup - T26 pulls up alongside and offloads it to the jetty where it gets moved to a spot that expands the jetty security capability (USN used to have a booth with an M-60 in it at the end of their Carrier Piers in Norfolk - a RWS in a Sea Can might be more useful.

The other pods show some that have very limited likely utility in a T26 - both the MCM and anti-torpedo systems appear to require an over the stern-type access similar to an MCDV's.

 

[Underway]

So perusing the internet here's an interesting article from MSN (caveat AI assisted with human involvement, so grain of salt this a little bit).

The fire control radar at the base of the main mast has been replaced by a rotating radar inside a circular enclosure, which is consistent with the AN/SPS-73(V)18 Next Generation Surface Search Radar—a system used for navigation and target detection on several U.S. Navy ship classes.

Also there was this from the article.

The RAM launcher holds 21 missiles and can be reloaded at sea, an advantage over the Sea Ceptor system it replaced. The RCN reportedly plans to install a second RAM launcher on the starboard side, bringing the ship's total to 42 missiles for close-in defense.

Not sure about these two, might be an AI hallucination or pulling info from speculation forums... but it also might be accurate based on other information.

 

[Underway]

There is no practical application for this on a RCD - the limited firing arcs make it less than useful if this container was inside the Mission Bay.

However.

On another class/type of ship, it might be more useful - consider a Sea Can on the quarterdeck of an MCDV - adding a pod with RWS in it might be useful. (Again, depending on arcs of fire....) Consider the potential of adding the RWS module to your jetty security setup - T26 pulls up alongside and offloads it to the jetty where it gets moved to a spot that expands the jetty security capability (USN used to have a booth with an M-60 in it at the end of their Carrier Piers in Norfolk - a RWS in a Sea Can might be more useful.

The other pods show some that have very limited likely utility in a T26 - both the MCM and anti-torpedo systems appear to require an over the stern-type access similar to an MCDV's.

I agree. But a sea can system that launches mines over the side instead... yah that would be nasty.

Heres a PDF on the CUBE system. Some of the more interesting modular capability images I've cut and paste below. They go into quite a lot of detail.

Boats, UXV's of various types, surface launched torps, cranes, winches, towed arrays, decoy launchers, etc... Some of which have been designed with the UK Type 26 in mind.

 

[suffolkowner]

So perusing the internet here's an interesting article from MSN (caveat AI assisted with human involvement, so grain of salt this a little bit).



Also there was this from the article.



Not sure about these two, might be an AI hallucination or pulling info from speculation forums... but it also might be accurate based on other information.

so they would move one of the NSM launchers over then or add another 2?

 

[calculus]

So perusing the internet here's an interesting article from MSN (caveat AI assisted with human involvement, so grain of salt this a little bit).



Also there was this from the article.



Not sure about these two, might be an AI hallucination or pulling info from speculation forums... but it also might be accurate based on other information.

Also, Noah is claiming the RCN is looking at adding 8 more MK41 cells.

Bottom of the following link: This Week in Defence (03/30/26): River-Class, VLS-Cells, CDC Limits, New Contracts, 2% Talk, New CHER Bundles

 

[Underway]

so they would move one of the NSM launchers over then or add another 2?

Thats the one that doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe there is somewhere in the forward starboard arc they were thinking about (so that there are no blind spots for the RAM. But that doesn't make a lot of sense. Normally RAM doesn't do side by side, you use the 360 turning capability of the mount to your advantage.

The reason the RAM is mounted port side, is because stb side there is exhaust ports for the diesel generators.

 

[Underway]

Also, Noah is claiming the RCN is looking at adding 8 more MK41 cells.

Bottom of the following link: This Week in Defence (03/30/26): River-Class, VLS-Cells, CDC Limits, New Contracts, 2% Talk, New CHER Bundles

Maybe they are, but the safer low risk option is to have the first one sail around a bit and get some seakeeping data first before pushing the weight limit upwards.

Of course if BAE comes back and says "we can totally do this no problem" based on the data they are receiving from the UK/Aussie version then lets go.

I suspect that the change to the BAE Mk45 main gun that uses less under deck space (no rotating drum loader) may have created physical room. Maybe tactical length VLS instead of strike length though. That would be completely fine as they would be used to house 8, quad packed ESSM's (32 missiles) leaving the remaining 24 VLS to be fitted out whatever way makes sense for the mission. It would be the self defence VLS that were always fully loaded.

 

[NavyShooter]

Maybe they are, but the safer low risk option is to have the first one sail around a bit and get some seakeeping data first before pushing the weight limit upwards.

Of course if BAE comes back and says "we can totally do this no problem" based on the data they are receiving from the UK/Aussie version then lets go.

I suspect that the change to the BAE Mk45 main gun that uses less under deck space (no rotating drum loader) may have created physical room. Maybe tactical length VLS instead of strike length though. That would be completely fine as they would be used to house 8, quad packed ESSM's (48 missiles) leaving the remaining 24 VLS to be fitted out whatever way makes sense for the mission. It would be the self defence VLS that were always fully loaded.

* 32

Math.

 

[Underway]

* 32

Math.

Fixed. Lol

Also did a little more research. Tactical length can also take SM2 family missiles. SM3, SM6 and Tomahawk only fit in strike length.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Thats the one that doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe there is somewhere in the forward starboard arc they were thinking about (so that there are no blind spots for the RAM. But that doesn't make a lot of sense. Normally RAM doesn't do side by side, you use the 360 turning capability of the mount to your advantage.

The reason the RAM is mounted port side, is because stb side there is exhaust ports for the diesel generators.

Wonder where the magazine is for these and how much does each munition weigh? Looking at the previously posted pictures, I suspect two men will struggle a bit to reload in a bit of a sea state, might have to cycle personal every 5 reloads or so, so they don't get worn out.

 

[Underway]

Wonder where the magazine is for these and how much does each munition weigh? Looking at the previously posted pictures, I suspect two men will struggle a bit to reload in a bit of a sea state, might have to cycle personal every 5 reloads or so, so they don't get worn out.

The magazine is on HMCS PROTECTEUR most likely. Or perhaps you bring the munitions out through the hangar, pull them up to the hangar top that way, IF there is a magazine for storing reloads in there.

I dont' see this being a normal reload at sea evolution. I'm pretty confident the ship isn't equipped with a RAM magazine. Of course you could make one using the CUBE system or similar. It would violate almost all the Magazine safety rules though. Lol.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

One would hope they carry at least one full reload, perhaps in a jettisonable container.

 

[NavyShooter]

Wonder where the magazine is for these and how much does each munition weigh? Looking at the previously posted pictures, I suspect two men will struggle a bit to reload in a bit of a sea state, might have to cycle personal every 5 reloads or so, so they don't get worn out.

Each rocket weighs about 160 pounds - ish. There's actually a crane/hoist that hooks onto the rear of the launcher to hoist them into the tubes.

In an emergency, I can see hand-loading a couple with a team of sailors fairly quickly. In a full load, you'd get the whole team and gear setup.

 

[Lumber]

One would hope they carry at least one full reload, perhaps in a jettisonable container.

Conceivably each missile could take out an anti-ship missile, so that's 21 engagements.

I can't say on here how many rounds CIWS would use to engage a single threat, but I figure that based on how many CIWS rounds a CPF carries, the RAM can actually engage more threats, and you don't need to reload.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

21 engagements might be 1-2 swarms attacking the taskforce and if you are on the edge getting the brunt of it, that 21 shots is not much.