HMCS Bras DOr

[Rainmaker]

I’ve never seen that image posted by Paul - it seems to me to be a model based on the hull of the Bras d’Or but with a totally different superstructure and perhaps propulsion setup as well. I’d love to hear more on the back story for that image/model and see what the source is.

What we do have is this cutaway which was originally provided by De Havilland Canada:

http://jproc.ca/rrp/bras%20dor%20cutawa ... ge%202.jpg

As you can see, HMCS Bras d’Or is depicted with four sets of Mk. 32 torpedo launchers, two pairs on each side of the hull, as well as a variable-depth sonar mounted on the stern. I believe the four sets of torpedo tubes were later reduced to two in order to mitigate top weight issues.

Jerry Proc on his excellent website Radio Research Paper notes the following regarding Bras d’Or’s potential armament:

“This project was broken down into two phases. Phase I of the Fighting Equipment called for the installation of the radar, navigation equipment and intercom, all of which were provided in late 1966. Phase II called for the installation of the Action Information Centre, software, integration of the AN/SQS-507 sonar and Phillips radar into this system. It would also integrate ASW torpedo ballistics computation and arming, etc.

Phase I saw numerous uses throughout the trials of 1968-71, but the Phase II equipment never made it past the Maritime Warfare School. The completed AIS system was installed at the Maritime Warfare School by Cameron Windows Ltd., under a contract dated April 30 1968 for $3,843.27 Additionally, the AIS Hughes display equipment was purchased from the USN at a cost of $594,700 under a contract dated July 3, 1968.

Sonar: with an established need for a lightweight variable depth sonar, it was only natural to turn to Canadian Westinghouse for assistance in design, since they had been instrumental in the nearly-finished design and construction of the AN/SQS-504 and 505 VDS sonar arrays for conventional frigates and destroyers.

Torpedo tubes: Originally four groups of three Mk.32 lightweight torpedo tubes were to be installed. This was later changed to two fits of triple tubes with Mk.46 torpedoes, angled at 90° to the ship's centreline and angled downward. A limiting sensor was developed to inhibit firing a torpedo when ship roll made the torpedo entry angle too oblique. This system although complete, was not fitted. Overall this was an entirely separate program from the actual construction of Bras D’or.”

[paul_541]

It is from Warship International review Number 2 , 1982. I have the full pdf file.

Description:

This model displays what a future production ship derived from the Bras d'Or experience might look like. DREA photograph.
This ship type represents one of three possible alternatives to fill multi-role naval needs after the new class patrol frigates are undertaken during the 1980s. A VDS sonar is carried at the stern, missile launcher canisters are sited alongside the superstructure, and a 3-inch gun is mounted forward. The athwartships containers aft of the inclined missile canisters probably are ASW torpedo tubes, and it is possible that the slightly bulbous bow forefoot incorporates a small sonar array for hullborne use.

Proposed armament and equipment would be as follow's:
1 Blowpipe (Short) Stabilized launcher (36 mds.)
1 3-in.
automatic mount (probably Oto-Melara 76mm./
62 Compact)
- Mk. 46 torpedoes
4 either Harpoon or MM 38 missiles, two launchers per side
M-22 Fire control system
1-AN/SOS-507 H.S. towed VDS
FHE-TAC Data system

[odysseus1980]

Very nice! I will create it for my scenarios from the older drawing, because I have a collection in my computer to work on.

[reytuerto]

Good morning, guys. May I ask a question about the towed sonar and the numerous (12) torpedo tubes? Is the very high speed of a hydrofoil vessel compatible with the ASW missions? I mean, is the high speed silent enough for having a good search and hunt capability of a sumerged submrine? Cheers and thanks in advance for your answers.

[Rainmaker]

Good morning, guys. May I ask a question about the towed sonar and the numerous (12) torpedo tubes? Is the very high speed of a hydrofoil vessel compatible with the ASW missions? I mean, is the high speed silent enough for having a good search and hunt capability of a sumerged submrine? Cheers and thanks in advance for your answers.

The concept of operations behind the ASW hydrofoil was that the vessel could use its high speed (+60 knots when foil-borne) to dash to the location of a submarine contact. Once it arrived to the area of the submarine contact, it would revert to normal hull-borne propulsion at low speed and deploy its variable-depth sonar to continue pursuing the contact. The submarine hunting would have been done at low speed in the same manner as any other vessel.

One of the reasons that the ASW hydrofoil concept was ultimately abandoned was the relatively short range of the vessel in combination with its comparatively low speed - despite being extremely fast for a surface warship, it was far slower than ASW aircraft such as the P-3 Orion/CP-140 Aurora that were entering service during the same time period. It was determined that ASW aircraft were the superior platform for these types of missions. Additionally, advances in submarine-launched ballistic missiles meant that they no longer had to get as close to the shoreline to deploy their weapons, further reinforcing the requirement for a long-range platform to combat them.

It is from Warship International review Number 2 , 1982. I have the full pdf file.

Description:

This model displays what a future production ship derived from the Bras d'Or experience might look like. DREA photograph.
This ship type represents one of three possible alternatives to fill multi-role naval needs after the new class patrol frigates are undertaken during the 1980s. A VDS sonar is carried at the stern, missile launcher canisters are sited alongside the superstructure, and a 3-inch gun is mounted forward. The athwartships containers aft of the inclined missile canisters probably are ASW torpedo tubes, and it is possible that the slightly bulbous bow forefoot incorporates a small sonar array for hullborne use.

This is interesting. So not necessarily an armed Bras d’Or, but an evolution of the design. The RCN conducted an initial study beginning in 1974 on the replacement of its current destroyer escorts with a new type of vessel (DGMEM, Report on Surface Warship Study, [3120-280/C3-3 (DMEM-5)], dated 25 January 1974). One of the designs that was studied was a 400-ton hydrofoil. I wonder if Paul’s image is the same vessel, or a further derivative of that design? Ultimately these studies abandoned the idea of replacing destroyer escorts with less capable but more numerous vessels, and instead resulted in the Canadian Patrol Frigate programme which gave us the Halifax - class frigates beginning in the early 90s.