Little stealth corvette

[anteros_lmc]

My sister sent me these pictures of a rather unusual corvette that sailed into Stornoway harbour a few days after I left. It's a Visby class stealth corvette belonging to the Swedish Royal Navy and it was in the Hebrides taking part in a major naval and military exercise. Apparently the hull is made of PVC, carbon fire and vinyl laminate and the flat surfaces and synthetic construction are designed to give the ship a low magnetic and radar signature. What ever it is, it's an odd looking beastie!


I wonder what Sir Edward would have made of this? It looks a bit different from the corvettes that took on the Indy in The Even Chance. Mind you, given that they would also have had a "low magnetic signature", I think they could reasonably be classed as stealth corvettes too!

Comments

[vespican.livejournal.com]

Looks a bit different than corvettes of more recent vintage as well. (It does have some things in common with the automotive Corvette from Chevrolet.)

In Pellew's and the Indy's time, I think "corvette" was the French term for what the Royal Navy (and presumably the US Navy) called a sloop of war. I don't know if they had anyway to distinguish between a non rated vessel of less than twenty guns or a six-rate of 20 or more.

If I remember correctly, in The Even Chance, the part of Papillion was "played" by the same vessel portraying Indy, with computer enhanced changes to the color of the gun port stripe.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think you're right, I don't think the Royal Navy ever used the term corvette, though it was commonly used by the French.

You're right about the Papillion too! As far as I recall the Grand Turk was painted different colours on either side so she could play both the Indefatigable and the Papillion.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Btw, if you're interested, there are some pictures of the military exercise, Joint Warrior, that this corvette was taking part in on the BBC website here.

[vespican.livejournal.com]

I've seen quite a bit about "Joint Warrior" on the Royal Navy's facebook page, although I don't recall seeing these stealth corvettes.
Dave

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

That's because they were hiding in the Hebrides! Beside the passenger ferry.....where no one would see them.... ;)

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I wonder what he would make of a copy of 'Jane's Fighting Ships?' That Visby thing is very sleek looking isn't she?

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I think Ned would be astonished and enthralled by Jane's Fighting Ships!

The Visby thingy is very sleek indeed isn't she? Sister said she looked very odd moored beside the ferry! She came in with a couple of gunboats and another ship that sister described as "a big cruise ship full of Swedish navy cadets" And I missed it!!!

[nodbear.livejournal.com]

When I visited Portsmouth last Summer with amaraal we did the tour of the dockyard by boat which you usually do as a tourist and you get to see Royal navy ships which are in harbour,also mothballed RN ships and,sadly, one or two which are nor much more than sheer hulks.
But we also saw a stealth corvette of a type like this,except not in battleship grey but a sort of green= it had been built for the Qatar Navy - I was as speechless as Sir Edward would have been I think.
Must see if Amaraal took a picture though being England in July it was blowing a gale and raining so possibly not!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I'd be curious to see a pic if amaraal has one. The Visby class aren't particularly new ships, the first one was launched in 2000 apparently.

[nodbear.livejournal.com]

will ask amaraal over the weekend if I Can

[esteven]

What a little beast that corvette is. I would not like to cross her hawse.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

No indeed! I've got a picture of one of the gunboats that was in company with her and it's a pretty scary looking beastie too!

[esteven]

I can well believe that, though I will say it, if only into your ear only: those 18th/19th century men of war are much more formidable to look at. :)