If you have spoken to anyone in the navy the 76mm guns that are used on the Adelaide class frigates you would know that the weapon system is out of date and is "A piece of Junk". The 57mm system actually delivers less explosive per second than the 76mm gun.
Ah ha! The old 57 vs 76 debate! Ok, IÂ’m good for it.
The 76 might be out of date if you use the older model on the Adelaide class as a comparison. But there are newer models. As to being a ‘piece of junk’, I think that view results from the water cooling system, which is more difficult to maintain that an air cooled weapon like the Bofors 57mm.
But, being water cooled and having a heavier round will represent greater firepower at greater range than the 57 can produce. The thing is on some missions, those involving targeting comparable sized ships or naval gunfire support, the captain is going to appreciate the 76 while the crews will always like the 57 as it is easier to work with.
Anyway, I would not argue if the OPVs got 57s. It is a big step up over the 40mm. But the RAN has specified a light auto cannon. The reason is that the RAN brass are going out of their way to ensure the OPVs don’t become small warships. Hence the ‘constabulary ‘ idea. I think this is a doctrinal misconception.
I used the term ‘sloop’ in my previous post. The historical idea was to have a small vessel that could chase pirates and smugglers without having to send a ship of the line. So a sloop, or indeed a historical frigate, gives you a naval presence when your ships of the line have better things to do. Neither sloops nor frigates were regarded as fit to put in the line of battle.
The OPVs then are sloops, or with a good enough range, frigates (in the historical sense). So how much firepower does a sloop need in contemporary SE Asia?
I have suggested that these ships are likely to be sent in missions to deal with insurgents. So we are talking Islamic radicals/ terrorists in a maritime setting. Note that pirates, smugglers and organised crime over laps insurgency/ terrorism. Often it is the same group of people. Note also that these people have managed to get their hands on AS missiles in the ME. It is not a question of if but when these missiles will show up in SE Asia.
So a sloop in SE Asia has to be able to cramp the style of insurgent/pirate/terrorists. It needs to be able to cope with one or two old fashion AS missiles, defend itself against motor boat suicide attacks, deploy and provide gunfire support for shore parties and intercept small vessels.
The other higher stakes role is staring down coast guards and trawler militias. Actually the 40mm would be fine versus trawlers but itÂ’s not good enough against coast guards. It is embarrassing when oneÂ’s naval vessel has to retreat before a coast guard vessel due to being outgunned.
The current ‘let’s make sure it isn’t a warship’ constabulary idea is OK for dealing with poachers (illegal fishing) but not OK for what these OPVs are going to find themselves actually doing. Now if the OPVs are mainly intended for southern waters, and the fishies of the Antarctic are going to be increasely valuable as global warming and population pressures impact fish stocks in tropical regions, then The constabulary 40mm idea is fine. But in northern waters they will be under gunned.
