MEKO 360

afaik the aspide launcher is reloaded from a magazin which is directly under the long range radar and the aft fire control radar. there is a large hatch which is lowered towards the launcher to close the distance to the launcher. the magazin with 16 missiles is than driven towards the launcher. afaik the hole process fully automated.

You may be right, looking at that earlier shot of Meko 360 from the rear, there is a door in the ‘box’ on which the rear STIR sits. There is a variant though which load from a lower deck. It’s the installation as on the carrier Guiseppe Garibaldi and Durand de la Penne DDG. Meko 200P and Meko 200T just have a launcher, no reloads, no reloading system.

afaik the aspide launcher is reloaded from a magazin which is directly under the long range radar and the aft fire control radar. there is a large hatch which is lowered towards the launcher to close the distance to the launcher. the magazin with 16 missiles is than driven towards the launcher. afaik the hole process fully automated.

Correct, the reload missiles are stowed horizontally, not vertically and line up with the back of the launcher to reload. This reload system is unique to Albatros and is not used with NATO Sea Sparrow which, except for the Canadian version were all manually reloaded.

F123 has 16, not 32 VLS cells though there is room for 32. There is only one launcher module area on F123 vice 2 on MEKO 360 Mod 3. F123 is also 13 meters longer and 1.7 meters greater in beam so let us not pretend we are comparing apples to apples here.

IIRC, one the MEKOs with an Aspide launcher in the rear, these could carry up to 24 rounds: 8 in the launcher, 2×8 reloads stored vertically in a loading system underneath the launcher. I think that whole package was the size of a single weapons container. This space fits 2×1 8-cell Mk41 tactical.

afaik the aspide launcher is reloaded from a magazin which is directly under the long range radar and the aft fire control radar. there is a large hatch which is lowered towards the launcher to close the distance to the launcher. the magazin with 16 missiles is than driven towards the launcher. afaik the hole process fully automated.

Below a schematic for the Meko 360 H1 and an Thales image of H2. When compared to a graphic of the basic MEKO A200, the similarities are apparent.
More on MEKO here

IIRC, one the MEKOs with an Aspide launcher in the rear, these could carry up to 24 rounds: 8 in the launcher, 2×8 reloads stored vertically in a loading system underneath the launcher. I think that whole package was the size of a single weapons container. This space fits 2×1 8-cell Mk41 tactical.

Keeping in mind the eventual F123 has 4x Mk41, the stretched Meko 360 in the artist impression may well have a similar fit, which makes 2 forward of the bridge and 2 more in the rear sound plausible to me, possibly more so then 2 forward and 4 in the rear. F123 is designed for 2 helicopters, so I would expect the stretched Meko 360 to be like the 360H2 variant, with a large hangar. Which would seem at odds with using that space in the superstructure for an extra couple of Mk41 (even with a stretch).

But this is just reasoning, not evident. May I suggest both gentlemen attempt to upload the drawing/image they are referring to onto the board?

It should be obvious that the drawing in question is of a much lengthened Meko derivative. The drawing depicts an unbuilt proposal, not the Meko 360 as built.

Yes, see my detailed post about the Mod 3 above. The plug is forward of the bridge, not aft of the funnel. The module size for the aft missile launcher is the same as every other MEKO model.

And I have a high resolution photograph of the official Blohm & Voss display model taken from above where I can distinctly count each individual cell.

There are 16.

That beats your line drawing.

This only makes sense since 32 cells absolutely will not fit in this location on this or any other MEKO design with a similar layout. To do that you need a longer and/or wider boat which MEKO 360 Mod 3 does not provide in this part of the hull, or you need to lose some other piece of equipment like the hangar and VSR.

It should be obvious that the drawing in question is of a much lengthened Meko derivative. The drawing depicts an unbuilt proposal, not the Meko 360 as built.

The physical evidence is a deliberately downsized, low resolution image. I have the full resolution image, and yes, the aft VLS has 32 cells.

And I have a high resolution photograph of the official Blohm & Voss display model taken from above where I can distinctly count each individual cell.

There are 16.

That beats your line drawing.

This only makes sense since 32 cells absolutely will not fit in this location on this or any other MEKO design with a similar layout. To do that you need a longer and/or wider boat which MEKO 360 Mod 3 does not provide in this part of the hull, or you need to lose some other piece of equipment like the hangar and VSR.

Any excuse to get my Trafalger celebration photos out 😀

It was Meko Alley down there what with the ANZAC, Aradu as well as a Greek and Turkish example of the type. Remember I uploaded those pictures of the Sea Zenith mount Ja.

Aradu was rather beat up with a sodding big dent down the side, if I remember she had been laid up prior to coming to the UK and they had only just repaired her for the journey. I do wonder how many of her systems were actually active!

P.S. Notice it was taken off the deck of the Romanian Type 22 (which one slips me I’m afraid) and INS Mumbai.

I’ll trust the physical evidence thanks. The module size aft is the same as it is on all the other MEKO 200/360 models – 16 cells just as shown in the builders model put on public display back in 1985.

The physical evidence is a deliberately downsized, low resolution image. I have the full resolution image, and yes, the aft VLS has 32 cells.

Trust me, the aft VLS has 32 cells.

I’ll trust the physical evidence thanks. The module size aft is the same as it is on all the other MEKO 200/360 models – 16 cells just as shown in the builders model put on public display back in 1985.

Thanks, Ja… I did mean the full-length top/side drawing to a similar scale as your stern section posting.

How do you get 32 VLS cells in a 16-cell sized hole? Again I find myself staring at an actual photograph of the actual, official, Blohm and Voss display model shown on the intermational arms show circuit shot from above which clearly shows 16 forward, 16 aft.

The after superstructure did not suddenly get longer or wider. The size of the weapons module that plugs into that slot is the same size as the standard MEKO 360 module which is exactly the same size as the module that plugs into the same spot in the MEKO 200’s. In other words, 16 cells.

Trust me, the aft VLS has 32 cells.

Correction: a 16 cell VLS forward and a 32 cell VLS aft.

How do you get 32 VLS cells in a 16-cell sized hole? Again I find myself staring at an actual photograph of the actual, official, Blohm and Voss display model shown on the intermational arms show circuit shot from above which clearly shows 16 forward, 16 aft.

The after superstructure did not suddenly get longer or wider. The size of the weapons module that plugs into that slot is the same size as the standard MEKO 360 module which is exactly the same size as the module that plugs into the same spot in the MEKO 200’s. In other words, 16 cells.

Sorry to disappoint but it is 2×16 not 2×32 VLS cells. I have a very clear photograph of the model in a naval industry magazine taken at a 1985 trade show. It clearly shows two pairs of 8-cell VLS clusters (2×16) – one group between the CIWS guns and the bridge where the plug was added and the other where the Albatros launcher resides on the standard MEKO 360. Given the configuration shown on the model they had to be Mk 41. The other tell is that the module for a pair of Mk 41 8-cell units will be identical in size to that required for an Albatros or Mk 29 NSS mechanical launcher. 32 cells is going to require either a lot of extra length and/or a lot of extra beam at both positions – and a much larger module.

Correction: a 16 cell VLS forward and a 32 cell VLS aft.

Hi,

have a look to this link:

http://news.webshots.com/album/70359747PZVEsU

regards
Ayala Botto
Lisbon, Portugal

Here is a drawing, with two 32-cell VLS – although I don’t know if they are Mk48 or Mk41. Most of the proposals leading to the F123 seem to have been CODAD, with Germany and France sharing the same enthusiasm for all diesel propulsion in this era.

Sorry to disappoint but it is 2×16 not 2×32 VLS cells. I have a very clear photograph of the model in a naval industry magazine taken at a 1985 trade show. It clearly shows two pairs of 8-cell VLS clusters (2×16) – one group between the CIWS guns and the bridge where the plug was added and the other where the Albatros launcher resides on the standard MEKO 360. Given the configuration shown on the model they had to be Mk 41. The other tell is that the module for a pair of Mk 41 8-cell units will be identical in size to that required for an Albatros or Mk 29 NSS mechanical launcher. 32 cells is going to require either a lot of extra length and/or a lot of extra beam at both positions – and a much larger module.

That’s where I got my pic from too Tin, Badger I’ll resize it and send it to you via email mate, that’s about the best I can do under the circumstance.

Could one of you post a link to larger copies of the full drawing… like Ja’s stern section?

Sorry, the Meko 360 drawing is from an Argentine forum and I am not the original poster. Is that the one you’re talking about?

Could one of you post a link to larger copies of the full drawing… like Ja’s stern section?