Danish Absalon-class frigate Esbern Snare returns home amid Ukraine crisis


According to information published by the Danish MoD on February 18, 2022, the Danish government decided to respond to a request from NATO to increase the readiness of the Absalon-class frigate Esbern Snare that has joined the NATO Response Force.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Absalon-class frigate Esbern Snare in the Gulf of Guinea during anti-piracy operation (Picture source: Danish MoD)


HDMS Esbern Snare (F342) is an Absalon-class frigate and is, along with her sister ship, the HDMS Absalon, amongst the largest combat vessels currently commissioned in the Royal Danish Navy.

The HDMS Esbern Snare has a length of 137.6 m, a beam of 19.5 m, a draft of 6.3 m, and a displacement of 6,300 tones. The ship is powered by two MTU 8000 M70 diesel engines driving two shafts.

She can reach a top speed of 24 knots (44 km/h) with a maximum cruising range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h). She has a crew of 169 people.

The HDMS Esbern Snare is armed with one 5 inches (127 mm) 54 Mark 45 mod 4 naval gun, seven 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, VLS (Vertical Launching System) with up to 36 cells RIM-162 ESSM/RIM-7 Sea Sparrow (Mk 56/Mk 48 VLS), eight Harpoon Block II SSM (Surface-to-Surface missile), two Oerlikon Millennium 35 mm Naval Revolver Gun Systems CIWS, MU90 Impact ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) torpedoes and four Stinger Point-defense SAM (Surface to Air Missile).