Ikara Leanders

Cold War Royal Navy & Air Force, Modern Naval 1/3000th

This week I return to my occasional Cold War naval project, with a focus on two new Royal Navy frigates. In particular I look at what I consider one of the more unusual Leander-class upgrades, the Batch 1 Ikaras – of which there were eight vessels. There will be no surprise to regular readers that mine are in 1/3000th scale.

It is almost a year since I my first article on the Leanders. In that article I looked at the general history of the class before considering one of the sub-classes, the Batch 3 Seawolf and Exocet conversions. If you are interested the article can be found here. However, the Ikara Leanders were, without doubt, a specialised submarine hunter of the Cold War Royal Navy.

The Leander was designed as something of a general-purpose frigate. They carried a twin 4.5-inch Mark 6 gun turret forward, the Limbo anti-submarine mortar aft, a Sea Cat surface-to-air missile system, and the small Westland Wasp helicopter. It was an elegant, flexible layout designed for global policing and general fleet duties.

HMS Aurora with her Ikara position visible forward.

However, as Soviet submarine technology advanced, short-range weapons like the Limbo mortar (which could only fire out to about 1,000 yards) became increasigly obsolete. The helicopter of course could provide anti-submarine reach, but it took time to prepare and could only be launched in certain circumstances. The Royal Navy therefore needed a long-range weapon that could hit a submarine before it was in range of the Limbo, and if the helicopter was not available.

The weapon selected was the Ikara system, a rocket-powered, command-guided missile developed in Australia. Instead of carrying a traditional explosive warhead, the Ikara missile acted as a flying delivery vehicle for an Mark 44 acoustic homing torpedo. When a Leander detected a distant submarine, it could launch an Ikara rocket toward the target. The ship tracked the missile via radar, streaming steering commands over a radio data link. Once the missile reached the submarine’s projected location, it dropped the torpedo by parachute into the water. The torpedo then activated its own active/passive acoustic sonar to hunt down and destroy the submarine.

HMS Naida in 1981 or 1982. Note helicopter aft.

In Royal Navy service, the Ikara system was mounted forward, completely replacing the twin 4.5-inch gun turret. Placed on a covered launch deck, a single Ikara launcher was raised from an automated magazine. The system had a minimum range of 900 metres, while its maximum operational range was 10 nautical miles. Once launched, it maintained a relatively low-altitude flight path, gliding at a flight ceiling of about 300 metres above the water. The missile could reach a maximum boost speed of 700 km/h before settling into a cruise speed of around 650 km/h. The Ikara’s range was effectively doubled that of the contemporary American ASROC system.

Other weapons carried by the Ikara Leanders included eight Sea Cat missiles in two quad launchers, two 40mm Bofors single mounts, and two 20mm AA guns in single mounts. Royal Navy Leanders also carried 12.75-inch acoustic torpedoes via shipborne launcher tubes. These were later updated with the advanced Sting Ray torpedo, though these could not be fired directly from the Ikara launcher. They retained the Limbo mortar system after the Stingray torpedo introduction. Air operations were conducted by a single Wasp helicopter, which was later replaced by the Lynx helicopter in Royal Navy service.

Two Ikara armed Leander-class frigates – a similiar elevation to the previous photo.

As previously mentioned my models are in 1/3000th scale and are from the extensive Navwar range. Indeed, they can be found in their catalogue under N181A. As with most of these Navwar frigates, there are two models per pack. My castings were crisp with good detail, requiring little clean-up. That said the upper mast was not perfectly formed on one model. The models have an over-all length of 35mm. Mine are mounted on a 60mm x 20mm plasticard base. The dome-shaped Ikara housing is clearly positioned forward and is shown covered. For clarity this cover was made of canvas and was retractable.

The aft section of the model includes the hangar structure, a small flight deck, and the Limbo mount placed in a well. Finally, sitting on the very stern of the vessel is the Type 199 Variable Depth Sonar framework – all are clearly visible on the model. Close inspection will reveal the Bofors mounts port and starboard, two Seacat launchers over the hanger rear and various radar installations. I have used a transfer from the Flight Deck Decals on the small helicopter pad.

A view of the stern showing hanger, helipad & limbo. A helicopter is visible nearby.

The eight Leander-class frigates converted to this specialist Ikara anti-submarine role were: HMS Leander (1973), HMS Ajax (1974), HMS Galatea (1974), HMS Naiad (1975), HMS Aurora (1976), HMS Euryalus (1976), HMS Arethusa (1977), and HMS Dido (1978). None of these vessels saw active service during the 1982 Falklands War, though HMS Ajax deployed to protect the islands in 1984. A review of their service histories shows significant patrols across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific, as well as deployments to the Persian Gulf during the volatile Iran–Iraq War.

In 1985, Arethusa was equipped with a towed array sonar, making her the only ship of the Ikara sub-class to receive one. This passive array was towed far behind the ship to isolate the sensors from the noise generated by the frigate itself. The British-flagged Ikara conversions were progressively decommissioned between 1985 and 1989, with the sole exception of HMS Dido.

Dido was sold in 1983 to New Zealand, where she entered service as HMNZS Southland. Along with HMNZS Wellington (a gun-armed Batch 2 Leander), she helped modernize the New Zealand fleet, with Southland directly replacing the aging Type 12 frigate HMNZS Taranaki. New Zealand’s specific modifications included the complete removal of the stern Limbo launcher, though the Limbo well seems to have been retained.

HMNZS Southland (foreground) supported by HMNZS Canterbury & Wellington.

In New Zealand service, her first successful firing of an Ikara missile took place in July 1985 during fleet exercises. In 1986, she participated in major multi-national exercises alongside the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Invincible off the coast of Australia. She continued to be a common sight around the Pacific, conducting multiple flag-waving visits. In addition to her regular exercises with Australia, she joined training operations off Singapore and completed port visits to Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Inchon. Interestingly, in New Zealand service she did not operate her own organic Wasp helicopter until March 1988. Her last recorded test firing of an Ikara missile occurred in 1991. HMNZS Southland was finally placed in reserve in 1994 before being officially decommissioned in March 1995.

So closes another short, but hopefully interesting, look at a unique Leander conversion. I can envision these models seeing plenty of tabletop service, representing deployments from the cold waters of the North Atlantic, where they will be hunting Soviet submarines, through to the heat of the Persian Gulf. In New Zealand service, HMNZS Southland may even find itself involved in a hypothetical action in Southeast Asia. Only time will tell.

Decision at Orestias

BBDBA, DBA Ancient

With last week’s excellent ancients game fresh in our memory, it was decided that a rematch was in order. The Roman commander was clearly keen for revenge and equally eager to cement his understanding of the rules. As such, the figures were deployed and battle joined. At this stage, it seems fitting to hand over to our historian, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who described briefly the events proceeding the dramatic battle:

The embers of conflict have flared once again in Greece. Following the defeat of the Romans at Kallithea, the Mediterranean world held its breath. That initial encounter left the Roman legions bloodied but unbowed, forcing Consul Lucius Cornelius Lentulus into a winter of tense consolidation. Meanwhile, the Greek commander, Amyntas, struggled to cement his hard-won momentum. Once the threat of winter storms had passed, Roman reinforcements crossed the seas, bringing the enforced peace of winter to an end. Soon the next battle of this bitter war would be fought as the armies returned to the field. Indeed, battle was finally joined across the open fields near the Greek coast, just south of the vulnerable, unwalled town of Orestias. The legions of Rome were determined to overcome their wounded pride. Opposite, Amyntas deployed his army comprising veteran phalangites, elite cavalry, and a terrifying screen of war elephants.

The dramatic Battle of Orestias in 268 BC.

To bring this dramatic battle to life, we again deployed armies for battle with Big Battle DBA. We would pit two sprawling 36-stand armies against one another in what can only be described as a brutal test of generalship.

The resulting game was full of friction, chaos, and knife-edge tension. Will the flexible Roman maniples avenge their previous defeat, or will the weight of the Macedonian-style phalanx grind the legions into the dust? The full report can be found here.

The Road to Kallithea

BBDBA, DBA Ancient

This week, I thought it was time for another period of history, or at least a little wargaming inspiration from one. Regular readers will recall that periodically, I host an ancient or medieval wargame evening using the De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) rules. These have been extremely well supported by local players. The format frequently involves six or eight players engaged in several games over the evening, with each lasting around an hour.

One of the regulars, who hasn’t until recently played many ancient wargames, had been looking for a second-hand army for a while. He was recently rewarded with a couple of painted examples at a local second-hand sale. Not being familiar with his purchases he asked me to assist in sorting through his miniatures. It soon became apparent that he had the makings of not just two Early Imperial Roman DBA armies, but three! In due course the conversation shifted to Big Battle DBA (BBDBA), which he was particularly keen to try.

The Romans engage the Greeks at the Battle of Kallithea in 269 BC.

Therefore, we recently deployed two armies in what was something of an introductory BBDBA game for him and one other player. With his Early Imperial Romans not yet ready to deploy, my own miniatures took the field. They were a Macedonian Successor army who faced the legions of the Roman Republic – Polybian Roman to be exact.

What transpired was a stirring battle, magnified by the features of the larger game. In my mind the visual spectacle was enhanced by the increased number of miniatures deployed. Yet equally so were the tactical challenges. More than once I noted both players pondering events on opposite flanks as their armies came under pressure.

It seemed fitting to compile a report of the game, along with a few photos, which can be found here. Hopefully it proves of interest.

The Junta’s Silent Hunters

Argentine Navy & Air Force, Minor Navies, Modern Naval 1/3000th

This week we continue the series on my Argentine naval build-up. Indeed, the naval base at Mar del Plata has seen two Type 209 submarines departing the base to conduct manoeuvres. That these submarines now add their capabilities to my growing Argentine Navy must come as a concern to the Royal Navy. Now, while this article focusses on service with the Junta in 1982, I will also consider the Type 209 in other navies. After all, the models will also serve under a different flag at some point.

When discussing Cold War submarines, we often think of the nuclear-powered American or Soviet behemoths. However, a German submarine holds the crown as one of the most successful and widely deployed conventional submarine classes following the Second World War, the Type 209. In the late 1960s, German shipbuilder Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), alongside the engineering bureau Ingenieurkontor Lübeck (IKL), faced a dilemma with limited submarine requirements for the West German Navy. To sustain Germany’s industrial submarine shipbuilding they looked to the overseas market. Here, smaller or developing nations needed a reliable, cost-effective replacement for ageing World War II-era fleets.

A Type 209 submarine.

The Type 209 has seen 68 boats produced across a number of variants, though all were of a single-hull design optimised for stealth, high underwater manoeuvrability, and ease of operation with a crew of around 30 to 36 personnel. Powered by diesel engines which charge its electric battery, the Type 209 can achieve speeds of 21 to 23 knots when submerged. The length of the Type 209 varied by model but could be from 54m to 64m; the Oberons were, by comparison, 90m in length. The Type 209 also has a narrower beam than the Oberon, which together resulted in a smaller displacement. Diving depth was, however, deeper at 500m compared to Oberon’s test depth of 200m, while operational range and mission endurance were generally similar.

Armament varied depending on the the model and operator but can comprise German SUT/SST heavyweight torpedoes or American Mark 37 or Mark 48 torpedoes, all launched from its eight forward torpedo tubes. The total number of torpedoes carried is however limited to fourteen. These can be replaced by weapons capable of laying sea mines. Some countries have equipped them to launch UGM-84 Sub-Harpoons, or in the case of Chile, Exocet. Fired from the torpedo tubes, these missiles capsule-launch before the missile becomes airborne. If armed with Sub-Harpoons this allows allows surface vessels at ranges from 75 to 150 nautical miles to be engaged – depending on Sub-Harpoon models.

Two Argentine Type 209 submarines in 1/3000th scale.

Operators of the class and their first date of service entry include: Greece – 8 (1971); Argentina – 2 (1974); Peru – 6 (1974); Colombia – 2 (1975); Turkey – 14 (1976); Venezuela – 2 (1976); Ecuador – 2 (1977); Indonesia – 5 (1981); Chile – 2 (1984); India – 4 (1986); Brazil – 5 (1989); South Korea – 9 (1993); South Africa – 3 (2005); Egypt – 4 (2017). Of these, it is worth noting that Greece first operated Type 209s with Sub-Harpoons in 1993. South Korea followed in the late 1990s, and Turkey was next in the mid-2000s. India and Egypt finally followed in 2016 and 2017 respectively. At the time of writing the most recent boats to enter service were two Type 209/1400 in 2021.

To understand the variety of weapons that can be carried it is useful to compare a selection of countries. Argentina, equipped her boats with SST and Mark 37 torpedoes. In contrast Turkey currently equips hers with SST and Tigerfish, with the latter having range a of 21 nautical miles. Indonesia meanwhile initially used only SUT torpedoes but today uses SUT and Black Shark the last having a range 27 nautical miles.

My model Type 209s are by Navwar and of course are in 1/3000th scale, which can be found in the German section of the catalogue with code N315. They come five models per pack, though I decided to paint up just two models for now. The models themselves measure just 15mm in length, though this is misleading as a significant portion of the model is clearly underwater. I have mounted mine on 1.5mm thick plasticard bases which are 25mm long with a width of 15mm. They have been completed in a very dark grey with lighter highlights. Now, of course, in game terms they will generally be submerged and likely undetected, their general position represented by a marker. However, once located I will place the model on the table, the enemy having become aware of the submarine type at this point.

The submarines ARA Salta & San Luis escorted by an Argentine destroyer.

As noted above, Argentina became the second nation to adopt the class, commissioning two Type 209/1200 boats (Salta and San Luis) in 1974. In 1982, these modern boats supplemented two obsolete World War II-vintage GUPPY-class submarines. However, ARA Salta was non-operational during the Falklands War due to repairs, leaving only ARA San Luis to operate against the Royal Navy. Ordered into a combat patrol area surrounding the islands, she departed port on the 11th of April for a sortie that lasted 36 days. During this patrol, San Luis was involved in three attacks.

The first occurred on the 1st of May, when she attempted to engage the frigates HMS Brilliant (Type 22) and HMS Yarmouth (Rothesay-class). Operating roughly 20 nautical miles north of Port Stanley, San Luis fired a German-made SST-4 wire-guided anti-surface torpedo. The submarines crew were however fighting a losing battle against their own equipment. The submarine’s Dutch-made M20 fire control computer was broken, forcing them to calculate the intercept manually, and a crucial reversal in the torpedo’s electrical wiring caused the weapon to steer opposite to its intended path. Shortly after launch, the strained guidance wires snapped. The British ships detected the sounds of the attack launched a fierce, 20 hour anti-submarine hunt, but San Luis sat silently on the seabed and escaped unscathed.

HMS Brilliant & Yarmouth prior to be attacked by San Luis on the 1st of May 1982.

Her next attack occurred on the 8th of May after she located an unidentified underwater contact, which the crew believed was a British nuclear-powered attack submarine. Hampered by a system-wide mechanical error, where the periscope’s alignment sync was slightly off and feeding incorrect bearing data to the crew, the San Luis fired an American-made Mark 37 anti-submarine torpedo. After 12 minutes, the crew heard a distinct explosion along the target’s bearing. However, the Royal Navy suffered no submarine losses during the war. Post-war analysis indicates the misaligned system likely sent the torpedo off-course to strike the ocean floor or a whale.

Her final attack took place on the 10th of May when she attempted to ambush the Type 21 frigates HMS Arrow and HMS Alacrity. San Luis positioned herself near the northern entrance of the Falkland Sound to strike the ships as they exited the channel. She prepared a two-torpedo salvo but failure again struck. The first weapon suffered a mechanical malfunction and failed to leave its tube entirely. The second SST-4 was successfully launched, but yet again, the guidance wires cut out prematurely. Despite the wire snap, the weapon ran straight; it failed to strike its target only because it was successfully fooled by HMS Arrow’s towed acoustic decoy, which was found to be physically damaged when reeled back in by the British after the battle.

After the war, Argentina’s Type 209s suffered from a severe lack of funding. A late 1980s refit of San Luis was abandoned due to financial constraints. ARA Salta, having missed the war while undergoing repairs, re-entered service to become a workhorse of the Argentine submarine arm from the late 1980s through to the 2000s. However, she has now not sailed for years.

The Chilean submarines CNS Thomson & Simpson escorted by Chilean frigates.

While no other country has deployed their Type 209s in open warfare, some historical incidents have come close. Turkey, the largest operator of the type, has deployed them fully armed on combat-readiness patrols during periods of tension with Greece. Likewise, South Korea’s boats have frequently operated on active patrols under real-world rules of engagement. Finally, Indonesia’s Type 209s conducted active and clandestine intelligence gathering around East Timor between August and October 1999. Indeed, New Zealand’s Leander-class frigate HMNZS Canterbury detected an Indonesian submarine near the amphibious landings at Suai.

Clearly, these two models are a numerically minor addition to my Argentine fleet, yet they will, I feel, be very useful. They will certainly appear in some Falklands War scenarios where they will provide challenges for the Royal Navy. However, they could well appear in fictional ‘what-if’ scenarios, perhaps in Chilean service operating with Leander-class frigates – as shown above. They may even find themselves off the coast of East Timor with New Zealand and Australian ships hunting for them. Let’s hope that conflict doesn’t escalate into a shooting war…

Argentina’s Type 42s

Argentine Navy & Air Force, Modern Naval 1/3000th

This week we head back to the South Atlantic to take a look at the next group of Argentine ships for my Falklands War project. While my earlier Argentine naval posts have considered veterans from World War II, this week I look at more modern vessels. They are ARA Hércules and ARA Santísima Trinidad, both Type 42 guided-missile destroyers, which in Argentine service were members of the Hércules class.

In the early 1970s, the Argentine Navy sought to modernise its fleet and provide contemporary area air-defence for its flagship, the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo. Having secured a contract with the builders, a split-build programme was selected. One ship, Hércules, was built in the United Kingdom, while her sister ship, Santísima Trinidad, would be built in Buenos Aires. While Hércules was completed and entered Argentine service in 1977, Santísima Trinidad suffered severe delays. These delays were in part caused by sabotage from far-left guerrillas, who planted an underwater limpet mine whilst she was fitting out. Having suffered heavy damage, Santísima Trinidad would not enter service until July 1981.

ARA Hércules and ARA Santísima Trinidad in 1/3000th scale.

Hércules was, as built, virtually identical to the British Type 42 destroyers. However, she soon underwent minor modifications, while Santísima Trinidad had these structural modifications integrated during her construction. These changes altered the boat decks near the funnel, allowing the ships to mount Exocet missiles in addition to their standard armament.

Both ships had a displacement of 4,100 tons and a top speed of 28 knots. Their armament consisted of a single 4.5-inch gun forward and a twin Sea Dart launcher behind the main gun. Two single 20mm anti-aircraft guns provided close-in defence, and six 12.75-inch Mk 44 or Mk 46 anti-submarine torpedoes were carried. Hércules had four MM-38 Exocets mounted by 1978. Sources differ in respect to Exocet missiles on Santísima Trinidad. Some indicating she carried Exocet by the time of the Falklands War, while another that she did not.

In 1982, both carried a Westland Lynx helicopter for ASW missions. However, Santísima Trinidad’s Lynx suffered a mechanical failure which caused damage just prior to the invasion. It is worth noting that submarine detection by the Argentine Type 42s was dependent on the vessels’ own hull-mounted sonar, sonobuoys dropped by S-2E Tracker aircraft, or dipping sonar from Sea King helicopters operating from the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo.

Another view of the two ships – Exocets are visible by the funnel.

As is normal, my models are in 1/3000th scale and from Navwar, provided in pack “N96 Hércules”. They come two to a pack and are identical, with a length of around 39mm. The structure, gun and Sea Darts are are very well defined – with even the Sea Dart missiles on the launchers visible. Aft a helicopter is found on the helipad. Interestingly, the Argentine castings are different from the Royal Navy models of the early Type 42 batches (N165 Sheffield). On the Argentine Type 42s, the modifications around the boat decks near the funnel are clearly visible as are their Exocet launchers. It is worth noting the radar domes on the models, one forward and one aft. These protect the Type 909 fire-control and target-illumination radars. The castings are crisp though on one of my models the masts are shorter than the other model. Given they are thin this is I believe an understandable issue when casting. In conclusion two very crisp models that, I feel, paint up particularly well.

Now, to a potted history. At the time of the 1978 tension with Chile, only Hércules was in service. Given her radar and air-defence capabilities, she was likely to be a key component of Argentina’s screen for their aircraft carrier. Both ships were in service by the time of the Falklands War.

During the invasion of the Falkland Islands, ARA Santísima Trinidad sat at the vanguard of invasion force on the 2nd of April 1982, as part of Task Group 40. Serving as the flagship of the amphibious task force, she carried the tactical divers and amphibious commandos who made the initial midnight landings at Mullet Creek. Interestigly, the radio messages demanding the formal surrender of the British Governor, Sir Rex Hunt, were broadcast directly from Santísima Trinidad’s radio room. Hércules also covered the landings as part of same task group.

During the Falklands War the Argentine Navy faced a rather interesting situation. They would be fighting an enemy whose primary air-defence ships (Type 42s) were identical to their own. This familiarity enabled the Argentines to exploit critical data on how Sea Dart functioned, its radar frequencies, and crucially, its limitations against low-flying targets. This knowledge ensured the Argentine Air Force could confidently execute wave-top level attacks runs to bypass the Royal Navy’s Sea Dart envelopes.

ARA Hércules conducting training with A4Q Skyhawks from 3rd Naval Squadron.

Later in the war both would escort the Argentine carrier in her sortie against the British fleet. On the 1st of May, both ships tracked an encroaching Sea Harrier with their Type 909 fire-control radars, successfully forcing the Harrier to retire before any Sea Darts were launched.

The conclusion of the Falklands War marked the beginning of the end for Argentina’s Type 42 fleet. The United Kingdom immediately imposed a strict military and trade embargo. Cut off from engine components, radar assemblies, and Sea Dart spare parts, Argentine engineers had to resort to extraordinary ingenuity to keep the ships operational. However, in 1989, the decision was made to sacrifice ARA Santísima Trinidad. She was permanently sidelined and systematically cannibalised for spare parts to keep her sister ship operational.

ARA Hércules however enjoyed a much longer service life. Recognising that her air-defence missile systems were obsolete without British support, the she was modified into a fast troop transport between 2000 and 2004. Her aft superstructure was heavily modified, allowing the installation of an enlarged hangar capable of housing two Sea King helicopters and accommodating 238 marines. Interestingly, it would seem that these Sea Kings were able to carry two air-launched AM-39 Exocets, which gave the modified Hércules a potent offensive capability well into her twilight years. She was formally decommissioned in 2024.

Elements of Task Group 79.1 depart Argentina.

Given my focus currently is an Argentine fleet for the Falklands War, it seems fitting to showcase Hércules and Santísima Trinidad with some other vessels. Above, they can be seen operating with ARA Comodoro Py and Comodoro Seguí where together they formed part of Task Group 79.1 – along with the Argentine aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo.

So without doubt two additions to my growing Argentinean fleet which should prove useful in future Falklands War scenarios. Indeed, I wonder how the modified Type 42s with Exocet will perform on the table? But of course they may also find themselves engaged against Chile…