Integrated Ship Machinery Systems Revisited

Abstract

In the late 1980s, the world of U.S. Navy surface combatants is confronted with three new needs: to reduce ship signatures by factors of 10 to 1000; to provide ten‐gigawatt power pulses to new combat systems; and to reduce the high cost of hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E) systems by taking advantage of newly‐available technology. These needs have caused an active response of the surface‐ship community to the many apparent benefits of integrated machinery systems. The acoustic signature problem accelerated interest in integrated machinery systems. A substantial reduction in noise at cruise speeds requires the elimination of propeller cavitation and requires reductions in machinery noise. The use of contrarotating tractor propellers driven by bicoupled epicyclic gears and an alternating‐current electric motor in a pod which faces directly into the flow stream is potentially capable of such performance; even better would be a contrarotating superconductive electric motor in the pod. No other concept seems even remotely competitive with these. The major reductions in installed power, fuel consumption, and reduced displacement reported in the April 1980 Naval Engineers Journal are retained. Large reductions in infrared signature and further reductions in fuel consumption are provided by intercooled recuperated gas turbines. An integrated electric propulsion system provides the opportunity to temporarily “borrow” power from the propulsion system and transform it into pulses for advanced combat systems. Not only the power of the turbines, but also the kinetic energy of the ship are available.

A Regional Deterrence Ship Design

“…Two key factors drive the required maintenance support for this class of ship: (1) forward based maintenance assets are not anticipated, and (2) support flight operations of non-assigned joint forces helicopters Standardization of components will also synergistically benefit the total ship through greater availability of parts and the requirement to stock fewer parts. (2) Propulsion and Electrical Plant Volume (3) Power Plant Survivability (4) Sustained Speed Margin (5) Ship Top Speed (6) Ship Detectability (2) Surface Search Radar…”

“…(1) take place mostly in littoral waters off the shores of nations which are now frequently referred to as "third-world"; (2) be of a peacekeeping or tension-reducing nature; Navy ships will find themselves introduced into volatile areas for the purpose of "cooling" down adversary nations within a region (transition from "peacetime" conditions to active engagement may occur without warning); (3) be intended to remove U.S. nationals from trouble spots, or show U.S. resolve to protect its nationals as well as its other interests in the area; (4) be part of a collective security organization (e.g. UN) sanctionenforcement effort and take the form of trade interdiction or embargo; (5) consist of strike operations intended to "decapitate" an aggressor nation's war fighting capabilities, or opposed landings of limited size forces (up to Marine brigade size), or covert insertion of special forces; (6) be challenged by nations with modem equipment (probably purchased from "first world" powers) in limited numbers; but operated in a skilled and determined way.…”

“…(2) Propulsion and Electrical Plant Volume (3) Power Plant Survivability (4) Sustained Speed Margin (5) Ship Top Speed (6) Ship Detectability (2) Surface Search Radar…”

“…(1) operate in a forward-deployed mode, far from U.S. shores, for lengthy periods of time; (2) project power ashore via tactical air power and cruise missiles;…”

“…Requirements Setting (2) Threat Environment and Analysis (3) Combat System Definition (4) Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical Feasibility Tradeoff Studies (5) Preliminary Design and Cost Analysis (6) Design Evaluation…”