Topic: The first real X-ship?

[Rat Boy]

From Navy Newstand


It's unbalanced, I tellz ya!

[J. Carney]

Oh, God.

40 knots in sea state 4...

That is nothing short of *looks in dictionary to find adjective to use... finds none appropriate* WOW!!!

This thing could absolutely revolutionize many aspects of naval warfare... for instance, it would be the first time since WWII that a ship designed for ASW would be able to outrun and outmanuver the submarine. And the desiel/electric propulsion would make it VERY quiet- it would concievably be able to sneak up on a lot of the diesel/electric boats deployed by countries like North Korea and China.

And it would be a boon to the Coast Guard as well- a ship that combines a tremendously fast responce speed and a catamaran's increased stability would make the ultimate SAR boat for places like Alaska and the rough waters around Washington State.


Sounds like a winner to me! I wonder what the plans for an armed version look like?

[Ravok]

 It sounds like a Sub crew with all of the crosstraining.

 Can you guys imagine the things we will see in 10 years.

 Thanks Rat Boy 

[Jack Morris]

Total aluminum, bad mistake, ask the Brits in their DD class that got smakced in the Falklands war, or the early trils on thr tesat versions of the Bradley...

[toasty0]

Total aluminum, bad mistake, ask the Brits in their DD class that got smakced in the Falklands war, or the early trils on thr tesat versions of the Bradley...

It could be a new aluminum alloy?

Btw, someone posted 40 knots The article says it can do up to 50 knots: "They include achieving speeds of more than 50 knots with a full payload; being able to travel 4,000 nautical miles across the ocean without being refueled; being able to land helicopters in sea states four or five; being able to recover watercraft in sea state four at reasonable speeds over the stern ramp; and ensuring the vessel be habitable at sea states four and five for long periods."


*appluase*

[J. Carney]

Total aluminum, bad mistake, ask the Brits in their DD class that got smakced in the Falklands war, or the early trils on thr tesat versions of the Bradley...

It could be a new aluminum alloy?

Btw, someone posted 40 knots The article says it can do up to 50 knots: "They include achieving speeds of more than 50 knots with a full payload; being able to travel 4,000 nautical miles across the ocean without being refueled; being able to land helicopters in sea states four or five; being able to recover watercraft in sea state four at reasonable speeds over the stern ramp; and ensuring the vessel be habitable at sea states four and five for long periods."


*appluase*

I posted 40 knots AND I listed the fact that it could do that seas that would start affecting a small ship's top speed. 50 knots is not a really huge accomplishment- you can make regular boats go pretty fast (35+ knots), and since a cat has a lot slimmer hull profile which produces less drag, they get even faster.

The really big deal is that this little tub can manage a 40 knot flank bell with a 20+ knot headwind and 5-10 foot CONSTANT waves. You'll catch bigger swells and faster gusts of wind, of course. That's the kind of weather that keeps you from walking in straight lines and makes anything under 50-footers start thinking about going back in. Most charter boats around Gulf Shores/Orange Beach use that as the cut-off point for going out- any worse weather, and you get a raincheck.

This boat can go as fast in that weather as a conventional vessel it's size can manage in ideal conditions. That's QUITE an accomplishment.

[TheJudge]

One thing this article didn't mention was the flexibility of it's modular package spaces.  They can put anything from SAR packages to anti-sub to anti-air/anti-surface to forward deployment of marines combinations in these spaces.  The big issues are going to be the capabilities of the packages, forward deployment to meet operational needs that change rapidly once they are deployed.  There's a lot of logisitics involved, but logistics is one thing we do handle fairly well.

I've read some defense articles on these packages and they do look quite impressive and look like they'll meet the needs of the future far better than the current role-restricted combat vessels.  They won't be as capable as an Arleigh Burke or Ticonderoga at anti-air, nor as effective as any of the DD/DDG/FFG combinations at ASW, or an LPD/LPH/LHD at marine force projection, but they will be able to accomplish initial actions or holding actions until the big boys arrive. 

[toasty0]

Total aluminum, bad mistake, ask the Brits in their DD class that got smakced in the Falklands war, or the early trils on thr tesat versions of the Bradley...

It could be a new aluminum alloy?

Btw, someone posted 40 knots The article says it can do up to 50 knots: "They include achieving speeds of more than 50 knots with a full payload; being able to travel 4,000 nautical miles across the ocean without being refueled; being able to land helicopters in sea states four or five; being able to recover watercraft in sea state four at reasonable speeds over the stern ramp; and ensuring the vessel be habitable at sea states four and five for long periods."


*appluase*

I posted 40 knots AND I listed the fact that it could do that seas that would start affecting a small ship's top speed. 50 knots is not a really huge accomplishment- you can make regular boats go pretty fast (35+ knots), and since a cat has a lot slimmer hull profile which produces less drag, they get even faster.

The really big deal is that this little tub can manage a 40 knot flank bell with a 20+ knot headwind and 5-10 foot CONSTANT waves. You'll catch bigger swells and faster gusts of wind, of course. That's the kind of weather that keeps you from walking in straight lines and makes anything under 50-footers start thinking about going back in. Most charter boats around Gulf Shores/Orange Beach use that as the cut-off point for going out- any worse weather, and you get a raincheck.

This boat can go as fast in that weather as a conventional vessel it's size can manage in ideal conditions. That's QUITE an accomplishment.

And that's 50+ fully loaded...

I wonder if we're gonna sell it to China minor so they can take back the mainland?

[E_Look]

Toast,

... China minor...

+1 for that; I've never heard that one before!!