High Tech Ship Concept Design Goubalt et al NSWC Carderock Oct 1994(0136)
The High Tech Ship (HTS) project was started in 1992 at CDNSWC, under ONR (Office of Naval Research) sponsorship, to develop the design of a futuristic ship. This ship was intended to "show-case" emerging technologies and, in keeping with the current Navy doctrine "From The Sea," it was to be an affordable corvette-sized vessel capable of quick response to crisis situations in remote areas of the world. The overall objective of the study was to provide inputs for the de-velopment of a Technology Investment Strategy for Hull, Machinery and Electrical (HM&E) systems, to satisfy the future needs of naval surface combatants, with a focus on: (a) improvements in affordability by satisfying required force capability with innovative and collective/synergistic application of emerging technologies, and (b) avoidance of technological surprise by keeping ahead of developing threats with emphasis on improved covertness, operational effectiveness and survivability. The HTS is a 2100-ton shallow-draft combatant dedicated to littoral surface warfare missions that is expected to face a threat from mainly third-world / developing countries. The HTS is designed to deploy up to 3000 nautical miles in less than four days, monitor the situation for up to ten days without support and deliver destroyer-level fire power. The HTS is not intended to replace larger combatants, but instead to provide a complementary capability at a more reasonable cost by exploiting the following emerging technologies: stealth features, reduced manning, low pollution, combat hardness, high firepower, advanced propulsion, advanced seakeeping hullform, modular hull and superstructure, affordability, increased area of operation.