Halland class destroyer (1952)

Swedish Navy 1955-82 HSwMS Halland, Småland, Lappland*, Värmland* +7 de Agosto, 20 de Julio.

The Halland-class were two destroyers built for the Swedish Navy in the 1950s, with four ships planned. However, the second pair were canceled and instead two modified ships were exported to the Colombian Navy for many years of useful service. Preceded by the öland class, they improved on many points, as well-rounded general purpose surface combatants and first in Europe with antiship missiles. They were succeeded by the Östergötland-class destroyer (actually the last destroyers ever built in Scandinavia). They became even more refined guided missile destroyers in the 1960s with the new Saab Robot 08 anti-ship missile (later upgraded). The Colombian variants were also modernized but remained with their original anti-surface focused armament until decommissioned in 1986, and the Swedish ships in 1982.

Development

After the Second World War, the strong belief in peace and detente toned down wartime projects and cancelled some planned in 1945. Sweden established a committee was appointed to investigate the transition to a reduced, but still efficient defense. However in 1957 the Cold War suddenly escalated and disarmament proposals was rejected now that nearby USSR was clearly a threat. Instead it was decided in as per the Defense Decree of 1948 that the air force would be strengthened to intercept Soviet aviation, that the army was to be modernized on budget, and the navy modernized for modernised and more efficient yet compact. With the start of the Korean War in 1950, the defense committee decided a new type of destroyers should be acquired. Four were planned as part of this plan, notably to escort the Tre Kronor class cruisers as part of two defensive task forces.

In 1948, the new destroyer project was setup, with studied completed in 1950, validated. The design did not came from nowhere and was essentially an improvement of the previous öland class. Indeed when the teams first started sketching the Halland class, they were called “modified Ölandsjagare”. However, it soon became apparent that all the new weapon systems planned, would need a radically enlarged design in order to be accommodated. The new destroyers were redrawn and stretched in all dimensions, they ended much larger than the Öland class, with the initial the designation dropped.

Both destroyers were voted by the Riksdag as the plans were ready in 1948. Two two more were voted in 1955, to be built in the same yards, but cancelled in 1958. These would have been Lappland and Värmland. Final design was completed in 1950 and construction was ordered at Götaverken and Eriksberg Yards in Göteborg in 1951. Both were launched in 1952 and completed in 1955 and 1956. The biggest innovation was the installation of an antiship missile launcher. They became arguably the very first European missile destroyers (outside the Soviet Navy).

Final profile of the Smaland.

The first version fired the Saab Rb-315, later upgraded to the Rb08 and RB20. Both were modernized in 1962 and 1969 (Halland) and 1964 and 1967 (Smaland) and two more be built for Columbia on a mdified design (see below). Construction work was ordered at Götaverken in Gothenburg respectively for the first ship, Halland whereas Småland was ordered to Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad (also in Gothenburg). On July 16, 1952, Halland was launched and christened by the Duke of Halland, Prins Bertil and on 23 October, Småland was launched and christened by Admiral Helge Strömbäck.

In 1955 and 1956 they were commissioned, and together formed the new first class destroyer division. Later when the Östergötland class arrived, the former became lead ships in these newly formed destroyer flotillas, as the Halland class were also designed as command ships from the start. Swedish destroyer flotillas in 1960 consisted of one Halland class destroyer (leader), two Östergötland class and six torpedo boats. When the cruisers HMS Tre Kronor and HMS Göta Lejon were decommissioned they became the fleet’s largest and most powerful destroyers, as the Östergötland were a bit smaller and less capable.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

The hull of the Halland class was designed in a classic WW2 style also reminiscent of other nations such as Britain, with a long forecastle, without any porthole, and moderate flare forward as well as a straight shaped clipper bow. This was in contrast to the previous Swedish destroyers which had flush deck hulls, such as the öland class. The change was due to the need of extra buoyancy forward for a larger bridge, more extensive and heavier sensors and more powerful armament.

The Halland ships were distinctive by their long superstructure enabling the crew to reach the whole lenght of the ship without having to go outside, which was though of to minimize the risk of exposure to radioactive fallout more than the weather. Indeed, these ships were the first in service with the Swedish Navy really thought of as NBC protected with internal heating and overpressure system, full sealing for all hatches and doors, and external sprinklers to wash out fallout dust.

The Halland class were much larger than the öland, displacing 2,670 t (2,630 long tons) standard and 3,344 t (3,291 long tons) full load versus 1,880-2,250 tons for the öland. This was a 850+ tonnes increase in displacement, reflected also in their size, 121.6 meters long (398 ft 11 in) overall (versus 111 m/364 ft) for a Beam of 12.1 m (39 ft 8 in) (versus 11.2 m/37 ft) and a much deeper draught at 4.24 m (13 ft 11 in) (versus 3.4 m (11 ft) to keep the metacentric height at a reasonable level and stability.

Seen from above, they had fine entries but max beam was reached early at Turret N°2 level and started to narrow at the level opf the second TT banks and missile launcher. They had rounded transom stern and a pair of small rudders aft. The counter keels were relatively small however. They had three bladed propellers with long shafts and two pairs of V type struts. The hulls received limited side armor as wekk as over the decks around the engine room. The absence of porthiles in the hull was to increase safety.

The superstructures were quite extentive for destroyers, reflecting their role as command ships. If the general design of the previous Poland bridge was used as a starting point, these bridges were absolutely massive, towering four storey above the main deck, with an open bridge on top. The main command bridge had limited windows. These structures were initially to be built in aluminium as a new trend, but experience shown they were easy prey to a fire on board, could softened quickly and melt. In the later design they were reverted to steel, but made of the thinnest sheets possible. To save weight, corrugated sheets were used instead of welded brackets and profiles as they spared structural bracing.

Powerplant

The machinery of the Halland class was designed to be on par with a larger ships, but at that stage, gas turbines did not appeared yet and they maintained a classic powerplant, with steam boilers and steam turbines. Their management however was the same as for cruisers interms of ASW protection: The furthest forward was a boiler room and steam turbines behind eparated by bulkheads and aft of this turbine room was another boiler room with a turbine room behind. Instead of both turbine rooms located aft of the boiler area, more vulnerable to hits. The two turbines De Laval were fed by two double-ended Penhoët boilers which operated with a steam pressure of 40 bar had a superheated temperature of 420 °C. Total output was 58,000 horsepower (to compare on 44,000 hp on öland) giving them a top speed of 35 knots (65 km/h) like their predecessors. They also carried more oil than the öland at 524t (versus 300t) making for a range of 3000 nm at 20 knots versus 2500 for the öland.

Armament

The main armament consisted of four Bofors 120 mm (4.7 in) guns m/50 intwo twin turrets fore and aft, a twin turreted Bofors 57 mm (2.2 in) guns m/50 in a sueprfiring “B” position. Also on the bow deck were located two quadruple Bofors 375 mm (14.8 in) anti-submarine rockets, completed by the torpedoes and ASW grenades aft. All these guns were capable to fire on air targets to some extent for the 120 mm thanks to their elevation.

For closer AA defence they had the addition of six Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns m/48 in single turreted mounts, one pair abaft the bridge forward, one pair abarft the second funnel and one pair aft of the superstrcuture. The amidship superstructure was “busy” with the presence of two torpedo tubes banks, for a total of eight 533 mm (21 inches) torpedo tubes, one quintuple and one triple firing the new wire-guided Torped 61 (see later). The middle section of each bank supported a ramp, or launch rail for a Saab anti-ship missile. On paper they could even receive two ramps, given the fact reload was a long process.

The most common attack method drafted on paper and later confirmed in exercises for these ships was was to rush towards the target under automatic fire from the conning turret with two full magazines (52 rounds), shift to fire torpedoes and simultaneously fire with two magazines from each turret, then retreat with fire from the aft turret with two magazines. This granted a formidable firepower without reload. Since the gun turrets had twin ammunition elevators, there can ben at all time one elevator loaded with anti-aircraft ammunition to quickly shift when needed.

The single twin 57 mm was initially directed from a central bridge telemeter, later by digital fire line in radome above the bridge deck. At first there was a light rocket flare launcher installed on the aft deck, but it was later possible to rely more on the radar, and this was replaced by a low deck house with roof helicopter pad. Both turrets 1 and 3 had three 103mm RFL flare rocket ramps for night illumination as previous designs. In time, it was believed they could also fire concealing smoke for missiles using optical guidance.

Bofors 120mm/50 M50

They had two fully automatic twin 12 cm m/50 guns in turrets fore and aft, more advanced than those on the öland class (12 cm/50 (4.7″) M/44 Model 1942). They were initially aimed from a central fire control later replaced with a new artillery radar connected to the main radar. These guns were of a new type with more automation for a rate of fire of up to 40 rpm versus 10 rpm for the M42 of the öland class.

⚙ specifications Bofors 12 cm/50 M50

Full turret and mount weight 67,000 kg (148,000 lb).
Barrel length L/50 including breach, for 120 millimetres (4.7 in) cal.
Shell: 120 × 835 mm R 23.35 – 23.5 kg
Action: Automatic extraction with integrated autoloader
Elevation/traverse: -9°/+85° at 25°/s and 360° at 22°/s
Rate of fire: 2 × 42 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity: 835–850 m/s (2,740–2,790 ft/s)

Torped 613 (TP613)

Unlike the Visby/öland and previous classes, both destroyers were not completed with two triple torpedo tubes banks (albeit still located aft amidships), but two quadruple banks. Later this was changed for a quintuple bank forward and triple bank aft. Early plans plans show two quadruple banks and a ramp for the early Saab missile type, but when the Robot 08 arrived the ramp fitted bank was reduced to a triple bank. They were initially setup to fire the Typ 14 (Torped 14) on which little info exists, but later they were upgraded to the Torped 60 or 613.
In the mid-1950s HTP torpedoes appeared, in service from 1960 when first test firing were done leading to the Torped type 61. They were guided, not straight as a patent was issued for wire and radio control from aircraft, purchased by the Swedish navy in 1946. Not completely reliable with radio, focus turned on wire control only.

The Halland-class’s eight torpedo tubes in two torpedo banks, but when the new Saab Robot missile system was installed, the arrangement was changed so that the forward was given three tubes and the aft one five tubes. Torpedoes were fired from using gunpowder charges to safely reach over the edge of the deck.

Torped 61 Specs

1,8t, 7 m long, 533 mm caliber, Warhead 300 kg HE with proximity fuze.
Powered by Alcohol and HTP (piston engine) at 50kts over 20 km, wire guided with controlled homing.

The Halland class were able to fire the wire-guided Tp 142 but against submarine here was the Tp 27 introduced in 1960 as the Tp 271, followed by the Tp 272. In 1960, Sweden acquired from UK details of High-Test Peroxide (HTP) designs developed from the Mark 12 abandoned in 1959. Considerable problems with HTP ended this development in UK but not in Sweden, which managed to complete the program leaging to Tp 61 family of anti-surface vessel torpedoes. The first version appeared in 1966 as the wire-guided Tp 611. Next appeared the Tp 612 (and a derivative of the Tp 618) exported as Tp 617. In the late 1980s FFV (later Bofors Underwater Systems) started development of the dual-purpose heavyweight Torpedo 2000, designated Tp 62, scheduled to enter service in 1995, but the contract was not signed until 1997 with deliveries in 2000. Needless to say they were not installed on the Swdeish Destroyers.

Bofors 57mm L/60 M/50

The 57 mm sjöautomatkanon L/60 (57 mm SAK 60)) or 57 mm/60 (2.25″) SAK Model 1950 was developed as a solidary twin barrel mount capable of very high AA performances (also adopted by France and installed on destroyers, frigates and the battleship jean bart). But the Dutch were the initial users of the new automatic guns, installed on the De Ruyter class cruisers among others. The Swedes adopted it for the Halland class at forst as 57 mm automatkanon m/50 and then as torndubbelautomatpjäs m/50 (57 mm tdblapjäs m/50).

Bofors 57mm specs

Turret+Mount Mass 24 t. Barrel 60 calibres 3.420 m (11.22 ft)x 57 mm (2.2 in), crew 8
Shell: 57 × 438 mm R (m/50) 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) HE
Elevation/Traverse -9°/+90°, 30°/s, -360°, 30°/s.
Rate of fire 2× 130 rpm, muzzle velocity 850–920 m/s (2,800–3,000 ft/s)
Effective range 13km (43,000 ft), 5km (16,000 ft) practical, 5,5km (18,000 ft) ceiling.

Bofors 40mm M/48

Same system, as for the öland class. Three pairs.
The Bofors fired an AB 40 mm L/60 HE-T weighting 2.05 lbs. (0.93 kg) full, complete round 17.60 in (44.7 cm) and about 0.661 lbs. (0.300 kg) propellant for the HE 4.63 lbs. (2.1 kg) which carried 0.150 lbs. (0.068 kg) TNT for the HE-T 7a.
Muzzle velocity was 2,789 fps (850 mps), with a barrel life between 9,600 and 10,000 Rounds. Bofors produced 11 Naval guns for the Swedish Royal Navy, 61 for export prewar and in wartime 320+ guns for the Swedish Royal Navy alone, 38 postwar, production ended in 1954. Some of the twin water-cooled mounting had integral 1.25 m or 2.0 m Hazemeyer rangefinders.

As for the 20mm/66 M40, they were Bofors’s answer to Oerlikon but both had similar German roots. The automatkanon m/40 was basically a scaled down version of the 25 mm found on the Tre Kronor class cruisers. These single mounts weighted 313 kg and fired a 20×145R 0.29-0.3 kg round at 815-845 m/s and 360 rpm, max range 5 km. Unlike the drum or belt-fed 20 mm/70 Oerlikon they were reloaded by 25 round magazine.

It seems however confusion in dates let to believe this difference, whereas it was a later upgrade. Indeed photos shows the same three twin mounts on both ships, and later both had instead seven 40 mm (1.6 in) guns in single water cooled and power operated Hazemeyer stabilized mounts. The former twin power operated mount had air cooled guns and there was a single hand-worked mount at the bow. The Twin mountings were protected by splinter shields as well.

ASW systems

Forward ASW launcher on Smalland
For anti-submarine warfare, the Halland class were setup with a sonar housed in a retractable dome under the bow. Its placement ensured it was disturbed by the destroyer’s own propeller. But it lost its relevance above 20 knots. The main weapon was a set of eight 100-kg charge rockets fired from the two quad banks forward, directed from the fire control center. These 37.5 cm anti-submarine rocket M/50 had a range of 300–1200 meters creating a circle pattern above and below the target. See the previous öland class for more. This was completed by two depht charge racks aft dropped from inside the transom stern’s inner chutes, and a pair of depth charge throwers in a central projector arrangement.
When modernized, a single Bofors 375 mm ASW quad rocket launcher was retained. The ships also had rails on the aft deck for 60 mines which went into special cutout poop chutes, to be dropped lowe, avoiding adverse effect of the transom stern’s turbulences.
Overall, a pretty well rounded ASW suite, reinforced later in the 1970s with new ASW guided torpedoes launched from the tubes.

Bofors 375 mm anti-submarine rocket

375 mm (14.8 in) caliber, Solid fuel rocket.
Maximum firing range 3,625 m (11,893 ft)
Warhead: High explosive, with Acoustic Proximity Fuse

Depht charge throwers on HMS Smalland

Saab Anti-ship Missiles

The Halland class were the first and only Swedish destroyer class equipped with automated antiship missiles. Attempts were first made with Saab’s Robot (Rbs)315, but after about 80 tests the project was discontinued and the ramp removed. The destroyers were later armed with Robot 08, a long-range jet-powered missile with a radar target seeker. It was developed by Saab together with the French company Nord Aviation. When fully developed, it became the Western world’s first fully autimated antiship missile. Over the horizon strikes were helped by aicraft mid-course but at first, by the main air search radar aft. The launch system consisted of command chassis with dual ramps. So a single launcher could deploy two such missiles. The size of the missile made it unlilely the ships carried more.

Saab RB08 Specs:

Mass: 900 kg (2,000 lb) missile, 315 kg (694 lb) rocket.
Dimensions: 5.72 m (18.8 ft) lenght, 0.66 m (2 ft 2 in) diameter, 3.01 m (9.9 ft) wingspan
Warhead: High Explosive 250 kg (551 lb) with contact fuze
Engine: Turbomeca Marboré turbojet, 900 km/h (560 mph), range 70 km (43 mi)
Guidance: Initial radio command, terminal Active radar homing.

The Colombian Variant

Class: D06 SIETTE DE AGOSTO (Gotaverken Nov 1955, 19.6.56 comp. 31.10.58, ex-Trece de Funto), D05 VEINTE DE JULIO (Kockums, Oct 1955 26.6.56 15.6.58).
Ordered in 1954 these modified Swedish Halland class destroyers mounted a different armament, more electronics, different interior arrangement, and were built on purpose at Gotawerken and cockums from 1955 to 1958. July 1957 saw 3 de Junio renamed 20 de Agosto, and both were refitted in the US in 1975-76, included a machinery overhaul, 25 kts top speed, new Dutch electronics, M4 radar director.

Career of the öland class

Halland was built at Götaverken, Gothenburgn launched on 16 July 1952 and christened by Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland. After a long outfitting she was delivered to the Navy on 8 June 1955. In early career she formed with her sister Småland a destroyer division. When HMS Tre Kronor and HMS Göta Lejon were decommissioned in the early 1970s, they both retook the lead as the the largest and most powerful ships in the Swedish fleet. They became then lead ships for each of their destroyer fleets. No records ufortunately published yet. Will be searched for and pulished in a next update.
Halland was decommissioned in 1982, mothballed until 30 June 1987 (cold war obliges) and eventually decommissioned. In 1988 she was sold for scrapp in Spain.

HMS Småland was built at Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstads AB in Gothenburg and launched on 23 October 1952. She was christened by Admiral Helge Strömbäck. After a long outfit she was delivered on 12 January 1956. Småland and her sister Halland formed a destroyer division. When the Tre Kronor class cruisers were decommissioned they retook the lead as primal capital ships of the country and leaders of their own formation. Småland was placed in reserve in 1979 and decommissioned on 1 July 1984. In 1987, she was handed over to Gothenburg’s Maritime Centre which converted her as a museum ship. She still lies here as such, the only Swedish destroyer of her generation to have been preserved. In 2000, the Gothenburg hard rock band Hardcore Superstar recorded a clip on her decks, acting as officers. The video was nominated for a Grammy. Again, not full logs available yet. Will be procured for a future update.

The Colombian 20 de Julio class

20 de Julio (D-05), built by Eriksberg, Gothenburg. Commissioned 1958. During her 26 years of operational use the unit did not participate in any major actions, except for periodic exercises with US Navy ships. She was decommissioned in 1986 and later scrapped.

7 de Agosto (D-06) (ex-Trece de Junio) (D 06), built by Götaverken, Gothenburg. Commissioned 1958. After a career that spanned almost 30 years, the ship was scrapped in 1984.

Gallery

Read More/Src

Borgenstam, Curt; Insulander, Per; Kaudern, Gösta (1989), Jagare : med svenska flottans jagare under 80 år (2:a), Karlskrona: Västra Frölunda CB Marinlitteratur, ISBN 91-970700-41
Ohrelius, Bengt (1984), Från regalskepp till sjörobot : svensk marinmateriel under 350 år : Kungl. Amiralitetskollegium 1634, Stockholm: Försvarets Materielverk, ISBN 91-38-08333-7
von Hofsten, Gustav; Waernberg, Jan (2003), Örlogsfartyg: Svenska maskindrivna fartyg under tretungad flagg (1:a), Karlskrona: Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek, ISBN 91-974015-4-4
Widfeldt, Bo; Hall, Åke (2005), Svenskt militärflyg 1911-2005, Nässjö: Förlag Air Historic Research AB, s. 220, ISBN 91-975467-1-2
Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1947-1995

Links

https://www.navypedia.org/ships/sweden/sw_dd_halland.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20170210032831/http://www.maritiman.se/en/the-fleet/destroyer-smaland
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halland-klass
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halland-class_destroyer
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Halland_class_destroyer
https://web.archive.org/web/20100814170842/http://www.robotmuseum.se/Mappar/Robothistorik/ARM_rb_08.htm
Folke, Leonard (1983). Amiraliatetskollegiets historia Band V, 1920-1968 (in Swedish)

Model Kits

None found

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