Medium Displacement Combatant (MDC) Surface Effect Ship, Vol. 1 Technical Summary, Apr 81(0101)
A nominal 1000 Ton Surface Effect Ship concept design developed to fulfill postulated US Navy requirements is described. The ship design presented accommodates a particular combat suite having anti-submarine warfare as its primary mission. For this the AN/SQR-19 towed sonar is fitted, augmented by Lamps III helicopters. Surface and air targets can be engaged with Harpoon missiles, the Oto Melara gun, and a close-in weapons system (CIWS). Other combat system elements could be fitted with very little design change. Performance capabilities are shown, and the technical risk assessment of the design is presented. The design represents a concept capable of fleet introduction by the mid 1980s. The report is produced in two volumes. This is Volume I, which is the Technical Report presenting the ship's principal characteristics, performance, and description of the main sub-systems. A separate Volume II is a Cost Report presenting cost summary, cost details, basic construction cost estimating rationale, schedule, manpower distributions and appendices. The Cost Report contains estimates for a first-of-class ship only.