DefenseNews reports the Brits have seen the need for a shipboard machine gun simulator. Considering how many 7.62mm and .50 cal machinegun mounts the Coast Guard uses–certainly more than the Royal Navy, it might be worth considering.
The Navy’s experimental Countermeasure Anti-Torpedo launches from the fantail of USS George HW Bush in May. US Navy Photo
In an age where missiles can shoot down ICBMs, the only surprise is that this has not happened sooner.
The US Naval Institute News is reporting that the Navy is developing a small torpedo to intercept Russian/Soviet designed torpedoes that are immune to normal acoustic torpedo countermeasures, because they follow the target’s wake rather than passively homing on the ship’s noise. I would expect it to work against other types of torpedoes as well.
The existence of wake homing torpedoes has been known for decades. Not mentioned in the article, but the Germans were working on these in WWII and the British unsuccessfully attempted to make a wake homer before the first World War.
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of this hard kill system is expected in 2019 with fleet wide adoption by 2035. What are the implications for the Coast Guard, other than perhaps having the countermeasure on our largest ships?
This anti-torpedo torpedo (ATT) might be adapted to become the “ship stopper” I believe the Coast Guard needs to ensure the ability to stop determined terrorists in control of a medium to large ship. With its relatively small charge it might even be usable in more typical law enforcement situations. The Navy might also find it useful if they are engaged in a blockade operation. I wonder if it might also be useful against swarming small boats.
The ATT is only 6.75 inches in diameter, only slightly more than half the diameter of existing light weight ASW torpedoes. It probably weighs on the order of 100 pounds and the warhead is almost certainly less than 25 pounds, but it would likely suffice to destroy propellers and possibly the rudder of even a large vessel. The fact that it would likely stop a vessel without sinking it, might be seen as an advantage. It is also less likely to create collateral damage, and it would be less dangerous to own ship than the carriage of larger torpedoes. It would have a very small footprint and could be carried on even the smallest cutters.
Slide from a Naval Sea Systems Command presentation on the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense system. NAVSEA Image
MarineLog is reporting tests of a 99 meter catamaran ferry, built by Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania, that reportedly made 58.1 knots while fueled with Liquefied Natural Gas. It is claimed to be “…the world’s first dual fuel high speed ferry to operate on LNG as its primary fuel, and the fastest, environmentally cleanest, most efficient, high speed ferry in the world.”
“The vessel’s high speed can be attributed to the combination of Incat wave piercing catamaran design, the use of lightweight, strong marine grade aluminum, and the power produced by the two 22MW GE LM2500 gas turbines driving Wartsila LJX 1720 SR waterjets.”
“Incat has built 25 High Speed Craft over 5,000 gross tonnes with a top speed in excess of 45 knots.”
The similarities to the Navy’s new JHSV and China’s much smaller type 022 missile boat are apparent.
Incidentally, in spite of the advanced hull form, this still takes a lot of power, two 22MW GE LM2500 turbines equates to over 59,000 shaft horsepower, so its going to use a lot of fuel.
USCG photo, USCGC Mohawk (WPG-78) in her war paint
Some beautiful photography taken aboard the 165 foot cutter Mohawk. See the CNN report.
“The World War II ship has a rich history. Sixty-nine years ago this month, the USS Mohawk was the last vessel to radio General Dwight D. Eisenhower, later President of the U.S., informing him the weather was clearing for the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
“In May last year the USS Mohawk was blown up and sunk off the coast of Sanibel Island, to be used as an artificial reef attracting exotic marine life — including a mammoth whale shark.
“But before she was an underwater gallery, the grand old ship was an important part of the U.S. naval force, launching 14 attacks against enemy submarines in the Atlantic between 1942 and 1945.
“The 1,000 ton ship survived 14 Nazi attacks and rescued more than 300 survivors from torpedoed ships during the war.”
Thanks to Patrick for bringing this to my attention.
Marine Log has used the occasion of a reported contract for long Lead Time items for NSC#7, to give us a status report on the entire National Security Cutter Project.
This is in response to Bill Smith’s suggestion, ” I’d love to see 1 page with each of the design’s made public so far shown. It would make a great comparison of the concepts.”
No new information here, but it will, hopefully, make it easier to find some of the information already presented, including some that might have been given only in the comments.
Unfortunately the information is very limited. There have been almost no specifics provided for any of the designs. Only Vigor has chosen to discuss the details of their design, with its Ulstein X-bow. It is reported to have a length of 328 feet, a beam of 54 feet, a draft of 16.5 feet, and a max speed of 22knots. That is a relatively large ship. I do like its volume and the reconfigurable space they included. Their concept is discussed here: “Unconventional Contender for the Offshore Patrol Cutter”
VT Halter has partnered with DCNS. A concept that accompanied their announcement is discussed here: “VT Halter Marine and DCNS to Partner for OPC Bid.” Their proposal appears to be similar to the ships DCNS has designed to fulfill a Malaysian requirement for six “Littoral combat Ships.” Those ships are reported to be 107 meters long, a 16 meter beam, and 2,750 ton displacement.
The only information we have from Huntington Ingalls is this photo from a DefenseNews.Com report.
Bollinger seems likely to use a Damen design, as they did for the 87foot WPBs and the 154 foot WPCs. We have seen artists renderings of the Netherlands Navy’s Holland Class OPV in Coast Guard colors, and we have also seen a rendering of an upgraded Bollinger shipyard with a Holland Class under construction, but so far I have seen no announcement of what design they will actually build. I have always felt the Holland class was a bit more ship than the Coast Guard could afford for a class that emphasizes “affordability,” and is expected to cost about half of what the NSC costs. Damen has a large portfolio of designs that they discuss here: http://offshore-patrol-security.com/cms-assets/documents/59716-108335.damen-opv-presentation-portsmouth-2012.pdf Of the designs presented the 2400 and 2600 tons designs appear closest to Coast Guard specifications but even they would likely have to be modified. There is a rendering of a cutter in Coast Guard colors on the last page.
Marinette Marine‘s concept is reported here: http://www.marinettemarine.com/opc.html As part of the Fincantieri Group it appears they may be offering a modified version of the Italian Navy’s Commandante Class patrol vessel. An obvious difference is that the Marinette Marine concept has the bow raised a deck. No specs were provided for OPC concept. Below are the specs for the Italian vessels which would almost certainly have to be enlarged to meet the range and seakeeping requirements of the OPC program.
Eastern has published a conceptual rendering as a single page pdf discussed here: https://chuckhillscgblog.net/2013/06/11/easterns-opc-concept/ It is limited to some drawings depicting the interior and one exterior viewed as if the observer was in an elevated position off the ship’s starboard bow.
So far I have seen no information about the proposals from NASSCO or Bath Iron Works.
Incat Crowther and Marine Engineering Consultants (MEC) have started work on the construction of a 24m long-range catamaran patrol vessel that will work to protect the Great Barrier Reef, Incat Crowther said Wednesday.
Among its features are solar panels and storage batteries to relieve the generators of some of the housekeeping load and possibly for loiter propulsion.
For quite some time the Coast Guard has been planning on putting helicopter like Unmanned Aerial Systems on their ships. Interest has centered on the Navy’s MQ-8B Firescout. I suspect the hangar designs for the National Security Cutters and Offshore Patrol Cutters were based in part on the size of the MQ-8B.
United States Navy photo with the ID 100514-N-0000X-001, MQ-8B (smaller UAS) undergoing maintenance
Now DefenseNews is reporting the Navy is announcing they will stop production of the 3,150 pound max gross weight “B” model and go to a much larger 6,000 pound max gross weight “C” model based on the Bell 407 Jet Ranger. This aircraft is not only approaches the size of the H-65, it is actually longer.
Bell 407 Jet Ranger, photo from Gerry Metzler, IMG_383
The larger MQ-8C certainly offers advantages over the smaller “B” model, including the ability to maintaining 24/7 surveillance with only three flights a day. The Navy believes they will be able to deploy three on their frigates and two in addition to an H-60 on the LCSs. The NSCs probably have adequate space, but it is unclear if the space provided for in the specifications for the Offshore Patrol Cutters will allow them the emulate the LCSs’ aviation facilities or if they will be able to carry even one of these larger UAS in addition to a manned helicopter.
H_K found an Eastern Shipbuilding advertisement showing there conceptual design for the OPC. You can see it here: http://www.easternshipbuilding.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2013/06/ESG-OPCFullPageWeb1.pdf
Not a bad looking little ship. Looks like with the location of the stack, the hangar may be offset to port. I don’t like the fact that the 57mm is sitting low relative to the bulwarks of the bow.
As H_K noted this does look a lot like New Zealand’s Protector Class OPVs.
We have a report of the establishment of another Coast Guard. This time it is for Djibouti.
Apparently the USCG and France were also involved, but interestingly this is another example of the Japanese assisting in development of Coast Guards in other countries. They have also promised substantial aid to the Philippine Coast Guard.
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