SEA POWER INTERNATIONAL
Rolls-Royce Establishes
U.S.-Oriented Naval Facility
By ANTONY PRESTON
Antony Preston, a London-based naval analyst and broadcaster, is cofounder
of the international newsletter NAVINT.
Rolls-Royce (R-R) has unveiled the structure of a dedicated U.S. marine
organization intended to showcase the company's complete range of products
and services for the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and naval defense
contractors. The Rolls-Royce facility in Walpole, Mass., that formerly
belonged to the Bird-Johnson Company has been selected as the lead-site
for Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc in the United States.
R-R officials said they believe that the company's U.S. naval business
will continue to grow. Customers are increasingly looking for companies
that can provide equipment and systems or service packages from a single
source. This simplifies the supply chain, facilitates greater product
integration, and reduces cost and risk. Since R-R acquired Vickers plc in
1999, its marine capabilities have expanded to include gas turbines,
propellers, podded propulsors, waterjets, stabilizers, steering gear, and
deck-handling equipment.
The company already is supplying new propeller technology to the U.S. Navy
for its Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and Harper's Ferry (LSD 49) classes of
amphibious ships; the R-R technology improves fuel efficiency by over 6
per cent, and saves on load-management and maintenance. R-R software
algorithms also control propulsion systems in Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51)
destroyers, Supply-class (AOE 6) replenishment ships, and San
Antonio-class (LPD 17) amphibious ships. The companies turbine overload
protection systems are also fitted in the Spruance-class (DD 963) and
Kidd-class (DDG 993) destroyers and Ticonderoga-class (CG 47) cruisers.
R-R also supplies the U.S. Navy with gas turbine generators, including
those installed on the Arleigh Burke-class DDGs. Almost 300 Model 501 gas
turbines provide auxiliary power for all U.S. Navy destroyers and
cruisers, and have logged almost 10 million hours of operating experience.
Among other R-R systems now used by and/or available to the U.S. Navy and
U.S. Coast Guard are the following:
* KaMeWa waterjets, ranging from 90kW to 50MW;
* The proven Mermaid 5-25MW electric pod propulsion system;
* Fixed fin stabilizers--standard in all Oliver Hazard Perry-class (FFG 7)
frigates;
* Brown Brothers' non-retractable stabilizers for various naval vessels;
* Steering gear of various types; and
* A range of automated, electrically powered underway replenishment
systems compatible with the all-electric-ship concept.
The AWJ-21, an innovative application of proven waterjet technology
configured for underwater discharge, is under development in cooperation
with the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research. The AWJ-21 offers markedly
improved cavitation performance, enhanced low-speed maneuverability,
higher efficiency, the elimination of exposed shafting, struts and
rudders, reduced draught and lower torque.
R-R is now carrying out hydrodynamic model tests on the AWJ-21; these will
be followed by a quarter-scale technology demonstrator program in which a
1.5MW AWJ-21 will be tested at sea in a 30-knot vessel powered by electric
drive. These tests will help to validate the system's powering,
maneuvering, and cavitation characteristics, and help to predict the
performance of larger units.
R-R also supports the Northrop Grumman advanced-cycle WR-21 marine gas
turbine. Northrop Grumman's Marine Systems Division in Sunnyvale, Calif.,
is the prime contractor for the WR-21 program and has overall
responsibility for engineering and systems integration. R-R designed and
developed the gas generator and power turbine.
WR-21 is currently being qualified for U.S. Navy applications, in
conjunction with the U.K. Royal Navy (RN) and the French Marine Nationale
(at its DCN Indret facility, near Nantes).
Related Note: Northrop Grumman and Rolls-Royce plc won a contract worth
about $120 million earlier this year from prime contractor BAE Systems to
supply 12 WR-21 gas turbine sets for the first six of the Royal Navy's
Type 45 destroyers.
Rand Corporation to Arbitrate
In British Shipbuilding Dispute
The U.K. Ministry of Defence (MOD) has asked the U.S. Rand Corporation to
help resolve the dispute between BAE Systems and Vosper Thornycroft (VT)
over construction of the Royal Navy's Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyers
(DDGs). VT was to build one of the first three ships, but Prime Minister
Tony Blair agreed to consider an unsolicited bid from BAE Systems to build
all 12 destroyers in its yards, which would give BAE a de facto monopoly.
The Rand Corporation performs research for the U.S. Department of Defense,
with particular emphasis on the Air Force, which was involved in its
establishment. British analysts say the appointment of Rand is an
indicator of how difficult it was for the MOD to resolve the dispute.
Rand's brief is to examine the whole of the British naval shipbuilding
strategy, not just the Type 45 DDG program. The aim is to complete the
study in a few weeks to allow a government decision on the dispute before
the U.K. Parliamentary Recess late this month.
STE Warship Designs
Prominent at Singapore Show
The electronics and marine sectors of Singapore Technologies Engineering
(STE) exhibited a full range of designs at IMDEX Asia, held in Singapore
in May.
Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine), the shipbuilding and repair arm
of STE, has built the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) new
Endurance-class 141-meter tank landing ships, Fearless-class 55-meter
patrol vessels, Victory-class 62-meter missile corvettes, and Sea
Wolf-class 45-meter fast attack craft, as well as 15-meter high-speed
inshore patrol boats, 45-meter Coast Guard patrol vessels, and a number of
fast utility craft (FCUs) and various amphibious craft.
ST Marine exhibited models of two new designs: an 81-meter offshore patrol
vessel (OPV) and a 27-meter Fast Craft--which was designed with special
operations in mind. The OPV and the Fast Craft both have been extensively
model-tested to achieve optimum hullforms for the best performance and
seakeeping characteristics.
The OPV is designed as a multipurpose platform to meet the varying needs
of the navies and coast guards of potential customers. The vessel--
designed for what is claimed to be "excellent performance including
speed, fuel economy, and seakeeping capabilities"--is capable of
sustained operations up to sea state 5. Its design includes a landing
platform for helicopters up to 10 tons.
The OPV is capable of speeds ranging from 23 to 30 knots, depending on the
propulsion system selected. Besides its low-observables features, the
vessel also is fitted with self-defense weapons for enhanced
survivability. Vital areas of the ship such as the major shipboard,
navigation, communications, and combat systems may also be hardened to
withstand a certain degree of underwater shock. Its mechanical and
electrical systems are arranged with what seems to be sufficient
redundancy.
The OPV is designed with a high degree of automation for low manning,
including a ship control, monitoring, and management system (SCMMS). The
design also allows for unmanned engine room operations.
The vessel can be fitted with different combat systems for a range of
capabilities ranging from coast guard functions to protection against
various threats including anti-surface warfare (AsuW), anti-submarine
warfare (ASW), and anti-air warfare (AAW).
The Fast Craft has a unique Vee-hull designed to provide optimum
performance as a high-speed interceptor even in prolonged operation in
rough sea conditions. The hull and superstructure of the Fast Craft are
constructed of a combination of marine-grade aluminum plates, profiles,
and extruded panels. The structural arrangement features an innovative use
of the extruded profiles on the exposed decks to provide a higher degree
of flatness that translates into a low radar cross section (RCS).
Designed as a versatile, multipurpose vessel, the Fast Craft can be
configured for various missions, ranging from light coastal patrol to
littoral warfare. Its waterjet propulsion system provides excellent
shallow-water capability and high maneuverability. Depending on the
selection of propulsion unit, the vessel is capable of speeds in excess of
35 knots. In its basic configuration it is equipped with two high-speed
diesel engines and two waterjets.
In a separate announcement at IMDEX Asia, U.S. underwater specialist EDO
confirmed that it has sold its new Advanced Low Frequency Towed Sonar (ALOFTS)
to the RSN. This active sonar is destined for installation on the RSN's
six modified LaFayette-type "corvettes" being built by ST
Marine, and is expected to significantly improve the RSN's ability to
detect and track quiet diesel-electric submarines.
Iran Launches New Craft
Fitted With Rocket Launchers
Iran has launched the first of a new type of locally built craft equipped
with "rocket launchers," according to Tehran Radio, which noted
that the ship had been delivered to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC)
by the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.
The same ceremony, presided over by Defense Minister Rear Adm. Ali
Shamkhani, saw the launch of two Barak-class oilers, of 1,000 tons
capacity, and one Karbala-class tank landing ship (LST). All were designed
and built by the Defense Ministry's naval industry department.
The report said that Shamkhani also had attended a ceremony inaugurating a
1,600-ton capacity shiplift "the size of five parking lots" that
also was designed and built by the naval industry department.
The landing ship is one of three Hormuz 21-type LSTs, and may be the one
launched at Boushehr in 1997. It is not clear from published sources what
type of oilers were launched--the same is true of the missile craft.
Iranian official statements seem designed to confuse rather than
enlighten, and the new craft could even be one of the reported trio of
1,200-ton corvettes under construction at Bandar Abbas.
On the other hand, descriptions of new ships generally err on the side of
optimism about capability, with a missile boat often being described as a
corvette, and a corvette promoted to a frigate.
Related Note: The Iranian Navy has successfully carried out repairs to one
of its submarines locally, according to Gholam Abbas Vahmani, a deputy
Navy commander in southern Iran. The repair work, which was carried out
over four months, allowed the boat to take part in exercises that began on
13 April. Iran owns three Russian-built Kilo-class SSKs.
Joint Indian/Japanese Exercises
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's 4,000-ton training ship Kashima
and ASW destroyer Yamagiri took part in a joint exercise in late spring
with the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet. The two Japanese ships were under
the command of Rear Adm. Yasui Nobuharu; the Indian ships were commanded
by Commodore P.R. Franklin.
The exercise area was off the coast near Chennai (formerly Madras). The
Eastern Fleet, which traditionally supports ships of Russian or Soviet
design, has its headquarters at Vishakapatnam. The submarine school INS
Satyavahana, the naval air station INS Dega, and the new-entry school INS
Chilka are collocated. Nearby, at Vijayaraghavapuram, is the service's
very low frequency (VLF) transmitter for communicating with submarines. A
major naval shipyard built and equipped by the Soviets during the Cold War
is being extended.
Among the ships based at Vishakapatnam are three Rajput-class DDGs (Kashin
types built in Russia) and the four Khukri-class missile corvettes (built
in India but armed with Russian weaponry) as well as four Kilo-class SSKs
and three of the surviving Foxtrot-class SSKs.
Kockums Announces Launch of
New Submarine Rescue Vehicle
Swedish submarine specialist Kockums (part of the German HDW Group)
announced at IMDEX Asia in May that it is launching a new submarine rescue
vehicle. A development of the Royal Swedish Navy's existing URF submarine
rescue system, the new vehicle uses an already proven system to offer a
whole range of operational benefits, Kockums says. "We have what is
probably the most effective submarine rescue system in the world,"
company officials said.
The new submarine rescue system, known as the S-SRV, can rescue an entire
crew of 35 men in a single lifting operation, a capability that can be
decisive when time is short. "Our system also makes it possible to
transfer a crew from the pressurized environment of a sunken submarine via
the S-SRV direct to the decompression chamber of the mother ship,"
said Lars Larsson of Kockums.
The second-generation S-SRV can rescue crews from depths over 2,700 feet.
The S-SRV's navigation aids, which are compliant with the new NATO
standard, include advanced sonars and underwater cameras. The system can
be transported by rail, road, various types of ships, and by air. It can
then be deployed from different types of surface vessels, and from some
submarines. *The U.S./U.K. Trimaran Trials Program
Leveraging Joint Research
Into the Warship of the Future
By GORDON I. PETERSON
Senior Editor
One of the world's most unusual and innovative warship demonstrators--the
triple-hull Research Vessel Triton--is progressing smoothly through
18-month collaborative sea trials cosponsored by the U.K. Ministry of
Defence (MODUK) and the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR).
The R/V Triton, which is owned and has been developed by the MODUK's
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), has been described as one
of the most significant developments in warship design since the ironclad
was introduced during the 19th century.
The "Navy After Next"
Measuring 91 meters (298 feet) in length at the waterline
and with a beam of 22.5 meters (74 feet), Triton is the world's first
motor-powered trimaran warship demonstrator. Built at the Vosper
Thornycroft shipyard in Southampton, England, she was launched in May 2000
and was turned over to DERA three months later.
According to an ONR spokes-man, the purpose of the U.S. Navy's
collaboration with the R/V Triton program is to reduce risk during the
office's analysis of different hull forms that might provide feasible
options for future U.S. warship designs.
"The trimaran hull is one of several designs we're looking at as
options for the 'Navy After Next,'" Rear Adm. Jay M. Cohen told Sea
Power. Cohen, the chief of naval research, indicated that research data
obtained from Triton's trials would provide valuable "risk
reduction" information when it is compared to data from other
possible sources for future warship design.
According to a DERA spokesman, the demonstrator will determine whether the
triple-hull form will be suitable for consideration for the Royal Navy's
future surface combatant program and/or replacement of current Type 22/23
frigates.
MODUK retains the lead in the trials program, but the planning and
research phases are collaborative efforts. ONR has invested approximately
$2 million to install a state-of-the-art Trials Instrumentation System (TIS)
on the demonstrator. The data gathered from R/V Triton's at-sea trials is
being provided to ONR for analysis. Engineers assigned to the Naval
Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) and the Naval Sea Systems Command are
participating in the project, and one or two of the engineers are normally
aboard during the trials.
Triton concluded a busy weeklong port visit to the Washington (D.C.) Navy
Yard in early June. A steady progression of U.S. sea-service officials and
naval attaches visited the vessel during her stay. Additional trial
activities were subsequently conducted with the U.S. Coast Guard in the
Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.
Matthew Grassman, a naval architect assigned to NSWC's Carderock Division
in Maryland, said the collaborative research program is going well.
"It has been a fabulous program," he said. "From a
collaboration standpoint it has been an awesome project, and I think it is
a really good demonstration of how we can leverage joint cooperation with
other governments."
"No Showstoppers"
The R/V Triton's hull structure is representative of a
warship and is similar in some design elements to a typical Royal Navy
frigate. Strain gauges, monitors, recorders, and on-board computers form
the basis for the TIS instrumentation package ONR has installed on the
ship. The TIS records more than 300 channels of
measurements--distributing, displaying, and archiving data continuously
from points located throughout the vessel.
Critical research data includes structural performance measured by strain
gauges; environmental data such as wind speed and direction, temperature,
and wave height and direction; and hydrodynamic data gathered from
accelerometers measuring the ship's motion. Video cameras monitor and
record water flow around the hull and in the vessel's wake.
To date, the R/V Triton has successfully completed docking trials at
Rosyth, Scotland; seakeeping trials off England's southwest coast;
human-factors trials conducted in conjunction with the seakeeping trials;
and naval evolutions with the Royal Navy involving replenishment-at-sea
and small-craft operations. The preliminary results are said to correlate
closely with earlier research using scale models at DERA's facilities in
the United Kingdom.
DERA's trimaran project manager offered an upbeat assessment of the trial
program's preliminary results. "All of the research has been
successful; no showstoppers have been identified," Robert J. Short
told Sea Power. "I know it sounds very boring, but everything is
going very well at the moment--touch wood--and we just hope it continues
to do so."
Key Benefits Projected
The warship demonstrator's trimaran design offers four key benefits,
according to DERA: (1) The slender hull form, with its two outriggers,
reduces drag at high speeds by 20 percent compared to an equivalent
monohull design; (2) The hull's lower resistance at operational speeds
will permit a reduction in the size of the propulsion plant (two engines
vice three), leading to lower life-cycle costs; (3) The twin side hulls
provide greater innate stability--offering growth potential for ship
systems and the ability to mount sensors higher above the water line to
improve early-warning missile-defense capabilities; and (4) The flight
deck area is increased by approximately 40 percent, offering more space
for hangars, larger helicopters, and weapons.
The R/V Triton displaces 1,100 tons and has a maximum speed of 20 knots,
with a range of 3,000 nautical miles. Her crew consists of 12 civilian
mariners and a complement of 12 scientists. Seakeeping characteristics
during Triton's maiden Atlantic crossing were judged by Short to be
"no worse than and perhaps a bit better than a conventional
hull."
The vessel is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) for
navigation. Triton's spacious bridge is outfitted with a Litton Industry
commercial-off-the-shelf Fully Integrated Bridge System enabling
"one-man" navigation and operations. The system features
electronic charts for piloting and navigating, an autopilot, and a fully
integrated and redundant system for monitoring key machinery spaces.
Computerized displays record and depict operating conditions for all
propulsion and ship's systems, auxiliary equipment, fire systems, fans,
and dampers.
A Candidate for Deepwater?
Several contemporary combat-control systems are installed
on Triton for demonstration purposes. They include an Alenia Marconi
Systems "Nautis 3" command-and-weapon-control system--a single
console that can be used for air, surface, and undersea applications.
"It is a low-cost system, because all the development has been done,
and we use all commercial-off-the-shelf equipment," said David Geale,
a naval systems manager for Alenia Marconi. "It is low-risk, and it's
available today--in service with both the U.S. and Royal Navies."
A BAE Systems Surface Ship Command System also is installed on Triton's
bridge. The system's open architecture, modular design, and provision for
third-party software-integration reflects an industry trend to develop
command-and-control systems that are both adaptable and easy to use.
Liberal applications of COTS technology help keep costs low while
simplifying future system upgrades.
Not surprisingly, the U.S. Coast Guard is following the progress of the
R/V Triton trials program closely, mindful of possible applications of the
trimaran hull design for future cutters in its Deepwater Program. The
cutter USCGC Campbell, a traditional monohull ship homeported in Little
Creek, Va., conducted side-by-side comparative hydrodynamic trials with
Triton in mid-June.
Rear Adm. Ronald F. Silva, the Coast Guard's assistant commandant for
systems, was one of several senior Coast Guard officials who visited
Triton during her call at the Washington Navy Yard. "This is very
interesting technology," Silva told Sea Power, "and we're
certainly looking forward to innovative ideas like this. I think it looks
very promising." *
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