ERIKS will supply electrically actuated valves and other equipment for the Type 31 frigate programme.
Industrial engineering news website ‘Production Eneingeering Solutions’ were first to report this here.
It is understood that the electrical actuator packages and valves being supplied by ERIKS will be used ship-wide to control a wide range of process fluids, including water and heating and ventilating systems.
“The company will also be supplying filtration equipment, which will be used as part of the Mud Boxes on each warship; these protect marine systems from damage by removing debris and large particles on both suction and discharge lines.”
PES say that this is one of the biggest single contracts ever awarded to ERIKS in the UK and is an important recognition of the company’s parts supply and specialised engineering services.
Andy Silver, director of flow equipment and services, at ERIKS, was quoted as saying:
“By comparison, the electrical actuators and valves that we will be supplying are easier to install and maintain; they are also far safer in operation and, crucially, can be networked, with advanced diagnostics, as part of a new generation of ship-wide automation and digital control systems. These are important factors in the Royal Navy’s programme to introduce a new generation of warships that offer sophisticated defence and offense capabilities with low through-life costs.”
Ha, Got all excited then, thinking Lasers, VLS, ASM and the likes !!!
Sadly not every piece of major equipment goes bang, at least not intentionally
Probably thought (as I did) that ‘major contract’ covered something a bit more substantial than electric actuators.
Just a touch over sensationalised to draw the punters in
True, Some just Leak and flood the ship !!!!
Personally, I pop around the corner to DAVES.
Well, might not be whosh bang stuff, but actually highlights that work on the hulls cannot be far away. First steel is scheduled to begin this year so this demonstrates that momentum is being maintained / building.
Good, if un-spectacular, news.
Cheers CR
I would expect to see some official news on the steel cutting and the naming of these new ships soon
I wonder when they will announce who won contract for the sink plugs?
To be fair, These Ships are being built to a strict budget and such luxuries like these are being done away with, together with Medium Calibre Guns, Decent ASW, meaningful numbers of VLS and the most important of all…. Chains, in case some future Government pulls the “Plug” on them. cough cough.
All joking aside – and I am not going to beat a dead horse here – but it is well accepted that these ships are anemic at best on weapons fit. Is it the RN’s intention to maintain the basic weapons load to meet the fixed cost per ship and then increase the weapons carried after acceptance into the fleet? Or is the intention to not up-arm at all and just keep what they have when commissioned?
Who knows mate ? Personally I’d like to think that It’s all part of some well thought out plan but something tells me it might not be that simple.
Fitted-for-but-not-with guns, missiles, torpedoes, hmm… sonar, radar?