The Visbys, though much smaller than their Anglo-American counterparts, are due to enter service next January. The 600 tonne, 73 metre corvette has a crew of 43 and a top speed of 35 knots. The hull is entirely carbon fibre rienforced plastic (CPR), making it the largest vessel of that type. Trials revealed that the ship would have to come within 30km of the enemy before being picked up on radar. At 100km the Visby could detect them, but not vica-versa. The ship is primarily designed for use around costal waters, and is therefore limited in its deployablity.
The first British Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Daring, being developed by BAE Systems, is due to enter service in 2007. The new air defence ships, the largest of their kind since WWII, will be 152 metres long and displace 7,350 tonnes. They will have a top speed of 29 knots and a crew of 190. Their radar signature has been much reduced over the aging Type 42 ships that are currently in service with the Royal Navy. At an estimated (2003) cost of £710 million each, the ships will deploy the latest in air defence technology, including the joint Anglo-French-Italian Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS). Six have been ordered with a possible total of twelve.
The US DD(X) Destroyer will be larger still. At over 14,000 tons and 180 long, the ship will be crewed by 150 sailors and have a top speed of 30 knots. The ship will posses both offensive and defensive combat capabilities, and will be much cheaper to operate than its predecessor, the Arleigh Burke class. Due to start servive from 2011, the US Navy could order up to 70 of these, or similar hulled, ships at an estimated cost of £1.5bn each.
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