Leander-class - missing UA-8/9 and Type 668 antennas

[Northstar98]

Hi everyone,

 

All 3 members of the Leander-class are missing their ESM and ECM antenna.

The ESM antennas are located directly below the FH-5 HF/DF antenna, located at the very top of the foremast (as a side note, on HMS Ariadne the FH-5 is replaced by UA-13 - same electronics, but drastically different antenna, which kinda look like 4 Yagi-Uda antennas in an X-shaped configuration, with a cone on top. In DCS, they all have the same antenna). Immediately below the FH-5 antenna, there is the UA-8/9 bearing receiver, to the left of that is the UA-8 frequency analysis receiver and on the opposite side the UA-9 frequency analysis receiver. See the linked video below for a source.

For the Type 668 OECM antennas, these are mounted on either side of the foremast, at roughly the level of the funnel. [source]

All of the mountings are there, but the antennas are not.

 

See the spoiler below for images:

Spoiler

Here's a picture of HMS Achilles c. 1983, with the antennas marked:

(Copyright goes to Mike Lidgely)

 

Here's a clearer image of HMS Ariadne, showing (apart from the UA-13), the same antennas:

 

And here's a picture of HMS Achilles in DCS, showing where they all should be - note that all Leander-class frigates are identical in this regard in DCS (and so Ariadne has the wrong HF/DF antenna):

 

And here's a closer photo (of HMS Euryalus) showing the jammers more clearly (note, this has equipment present on both mounts on either side of the foremast, presumably both 667 and 668 jammers):

 

Here's a screenshot from the linked video below of the UA-8/9 bearing receiver antenna and UA-8 frequency analysis receiver antenna (the UA-9 frequency analysis receiver antenna is identical, but a fair bit smaller (UA-8 is E/F band, UA-9 is H/I band):

 

Before anyone says anything about sensitive information, classification or whatever - everything about the UA-8/9 ESM system (not only what the antennas look like and where they are, but how it works, what it can do, how to operate it and what its frequency range is) can be found here, in a publicly available video, provided by the Imperial War Museum. The same can be said for the Type 667 ECM system (which the 668 is an improved version of), video here - again from the IWM.

 

In any case the shape of the antennas are absolutely not classified (anyone with a photo can see them) and its not like ships in DCS have functional ESM and ECM systems present.

Not only that, but HMS Invincible has its ESM antennas present in the current version and the Condell-class frigates have their ECM systems present.

Edited August 7, 2022 by Northstar98