TheTarantul class and its variants are the most widely used corvettes
Acorvette is a smallwarship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or "rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of thefrigate, while the class below was historically that of thesloop-of-war.
The modern roles that a corvette fulfills includecoastal patrol craft,missile boat andfast attack craft. These corvettes are typically between 500 and 2,000 tons. Recent designs of corvettes may approach 3,000 tons and include ahangar to accommodate a helicopter, having size and capabilities that overlap with smaller frigates. However unlike contemporary frigates, a modern corvette does not have sufficient endurance or seaworthiness for long voyages.
The word "corvette" is first found inMiddle French, a diminutive of theDutch wordcorf, meaning a "basket", from the Latincorbis.[1]
The rank "corvette captain", equivalent in many navies to "lieutenant commander", derives from the name of this type of ship. The rank is the most junior of three "captain" ranks in several European (e.g.; France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia) and South American (e.g., Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia) navies, because a corvette, as the smallest class of rated warship, was traditionally the smallest class of vessel entitled to a commander of a "captain" rank.
During theAge of Sail, corvettes were one of many types of warships smaller than a frigate and with a single deck of guns.[2] They were very closely related tosloops-of-war. The role of the corvette consisted mostly of coastal patrol, fighting minor wars, supporting large fleets, or participating in show-the-flag missions. The English Navy began using small ships in the 1650s, but described them as sloops rather than corvettes. The first reference to a corvette was with theFrench Navy in the 1670s, which may be where the term originated. The French Navy's corvettes grew over the decades and by the 1780s they were ships of 20 guns or so, approximately equivalent to theBritish Navy'spost ships. The British Navy did not adopt the term until the 1830s, long after theNapoleonic Wars, to describe a smallsixth-rate vessel somewhat larger than a sloop.
Most corvettes and sloops of the 17th century were 12 to 18 m (40 to 60 ft) in length and measured 40 to 70tons burthen. They carried four to eight smaller guns on single decks. Over time, vessels of increasing size and capability were called "corvettes"; by 1800, they reached lengths of over 30 m (100 ft) and measured from 400 to 600 tons burthen.
Ships during the steam era became much faster and more manoeuvrable than their sail ancestors. Corvettes during this era were typically used alongsidegunboats during colonial missions.Battleships and other large vessels were unnecessary when fighting the indigenous people of theFar East and Africa.
During the arms buildup leading to World War II, the term "corvette" was almost attached to theTribal-classdestroyer. The Tribals were so much larger than and sufficiently different from other British destroyers that some consideration was given to resurrecting the classification of "corvette" and applying it to them.
This idea was dropped, and the term applied to small, mass-produced antisubmarine escorts such as theFlower class of World War II. (Royal Navy ships were named afterflowers, and ships inRoyal Canadian Navy service took the name of smaller Canadian cities and towns.) Their chief duty was to protect convoys throughout theBattle of the Atlantic and on the routes from the UK toMurmansk carrying supplies to theSoviet Union.
The Flower-class corvette was originally designed for offshore patrol work, and was not ideal when pressed into service as an antisubmarine escort. It was shorter than ideal for oceangoing convoy escort work, too lightly armed for antiaircraft defense, and the ships were barely faster than the merchantmen they escorted. This was a particular problem given the fasterGermanU-boat designs then emerging. Nonetheless, the ship was quite seaworthy and maneuverable, but living conditions for ocean voyages were challenging. As a result of these shortcomings, the corvette was superseded in the Royal Navy as the escort ship of choice by thefrigate, which was larger, faster, better armed, and had two shafts. However, many small yards could not produce vessels of frigate size, so an improved corvette design, theCastle class, was introduced later in the war, with some remaining in service until the mid-1950s.
In Italy, theRegia Marina, in dire need of escort vessels for its convoys, designed theGabbiano-class corvette, of which 29 were built between 1942 and 1943 (out of 60 planned); they proved apt at operations in theMediterranean Sea, especially in regards to their anti-air and anti-submarine capability, and were so successful that the class survived after the war into theMarina Militare Italiana until 1972.
Modern navies began a trend in the late 20th and early 21st centuries of building corvettes geared towards smaller more manoeuvrable surface capability. These corvettes have displacements between 550 and 3,310 short tons (500 and 3,000 t) and measure 55–128 m (180–420 ft) in length. They are usually armed with medium- and small-calibre guns,surface-to-surface missiles,surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and anti-submarine weapons. Many can accommodate a small or mediumanti-submarine warfare helicopter, with the larger ones also having ahangar. While the size and capabilities of the largest corvettes overlap with smaller frigates, corvettes are designed primarily forlittoral deployment while frigates are ocean-going vessels by virtue of their greater endurance and seaworthiness.[citation needed]
Most countries with coastlines can build corvette-sized ships, either as part of their commercial shipbuilding activities or in purpose-built yards, but the sensors, weapons, and other systems required for a surface combatant are more specialized and are around 60% of the total cost. These components are purchased on the international market.[4]
Many countries today operate corvettes. Countries that border smaller seas, such as theBaltic Sea or thePersian Gulf, are more likely to build the smaller and more manoeuvrable corvettes, with Russia operatingthe most corvettes in the world.
In the 1960s, thePortuguese Navy designed theJoão Coutinho-class corvettes as multi-role small frigates intended to be affordable for a small navy. TheJoão Coutinho class soon inspired a series of similar projects – including the SpanishDescubierta, the GermanMEKO 140, the FrenchA69 and the PortugueseBaptista de Andrade – adopted by a number of medium- and small-sized navies.
Finland has plans to build four multi-role corvettes, currently dubbed thePohjanmaa class, in the 2020s as part of its navy's Project Squadron 2020. The corvettes will have helicopter carrying, mine laying, ice breaking, anti-aircraft and anti-ship abilities. They will be over 100 metres (330 ft) long and cost a total of 1.2 billion euros.
The newGerman NavyBraunschweig class is designed to replace Germany'sfast attack craft and also incorporates stealth technology and land attack capabilities. The Israeli Navy has ordered four of these, namedSa'ar 6-class corvettes and a more heavily armed version of the type, deliveries commenced in 2019.
TheIsraeli Navy operates threeSa'ar 5-class corvettes. Built in the U.S. to an Israeli design, they each carry onehelicopter and are well-armed with offensive and defensive weapons systems, including theBarak 8 SAM, and advanced electronic sensors and countermeasures. They displace over 1,200 tons at full load.
Turkey began to buildMİLGEM-class corvettes in 2005. The MİLGEM class is designed foranti-submarine warfare and littoral patrol duty. The lead ship, TCGHeybeliada, entered navy service in 2011. The design concept and mission profile of the MİLGEM class is similar to theFreedom class of littoral combat ships of the United States.
In 2004, to replace theArdhana-class patrol boat, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to Abu Dhabi Ship Building for theBaynunah class of corvettes. This class is based on the CMN Group's Combattante BR70 design. TheBaynunah class is designed for patrol and surveillance, minelaying, interception and otheranti-surface warfare operations in the United Arab Emirates territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
The United States is developinglittoral combat ships, which are essentially large corvettes, their spacious hulls permitting space for mission modules, allowing them to undertake tasks formerly assigned to specialist classes such as minesweepers or the anti-submarineOliver Hazard Perry-class frigate.
Pakistan Navy has operates twoYarmook-class corvette with two more ships on order, besides one modifiedAda-class corvette, with three more ships on order.
Philippine Navy purchased an additionalPohang-class corvette from South Korea, but is awaiting transfer due to lack of funding.[citation needed] The Philippines have also ordered two new corvettes from Hyundai.[20]
Russian Navy is currently building corvettes in six separate classes, including: the Karakurt class,[22] Buyan-M-class,[23]Bykov class,Steregushchiy class,[24]Gremyashchiy class[25] andDerzky class[26] (the latter three classed as frigates by NATO).
ROKS Cheonan, aPohang-class corvette, was sunk by a North Korean submarine on March 26, 2010, and later raised, is on display inPyeongtaek, South Korea.
The collectionThree Corvettes byNicholas Monsarrat recounts the writer's World War II experiences on corvettes, starting as an inexperienced small-boat sailor and ending as captain.[citation needed]
The novelThe Cruel Sea (1951), also by Nicholas Monsarrat, about the life and death of a Flower-class corvette and the men in her, is regarded as one of the classic naval stories of World War II.
James B. Lamb's two books,The Corvette Navy andOn the Triangle Run, give an autobiographical and historical perspective of life onRoyal Canadian Navy corvettes in World War II. The author served on them for five years from Halifax to the beaches of D-Day.[citation needed]
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_participating_in_the_International_Fleet_Review_2022.jpg)
.jpg)
