Transports and Auxilliaries

[buglerbilly]

Pentagon Contract Announcement

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued January 28, 2010)

Austal USA, Mobile Ala., is being awarded a $204,238,728 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2217) to exercise options for Ships 2 and 3 of the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program.

The JHSV will provide high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies, and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army.

Work will be performed in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to be completed by July 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (ends)



Austal Awarded Construction Contract for JHSV 2 and 3

(Source: Austal; issued Jan. 29, 2010)

The US Navy has exercised contract options funding the construction of two additional Austal Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) – as part of an existing 10-vessel, AUD$1.8 billion program.

Austal previously received US Navy funding for long lead-time material, including diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears, for these two vessels in June 2009. The additional work is valued at approximately AUD$225 million.

Intended as the US Department of Defense’s next-generation multi-use platform, the two 103 metre high speed vessels will be constructed at Austal’s US facility, located in Mobile, Alabama.

Austal was selected as Prime contractor for the JHSV program in November 2008, which included construction of the first JHSV and options for nine additional vessels to be exercised between FY09 and FY13. Construction of the first Austal JHSV commenced in December 2009.

Austal Managing Director Bob Browning commented: “By exercising Options 2 and 3, the US Navy has signalled its support of this important and significant multi-vessel program.”

“The JHSV program could serve to extend the United States' ability to provide humanitarian relief globally and Austal is pleased to be able to contribute to this effort through the speedy delivery of this highly flexible, low-cost vessel.”

Similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the US Marines for the past nine years, but with the addition of a helo deck, the JHSV will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, operating in shallow waters, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded.

Two other Austal USA-built high-speed vehicle ferries, “Alakai” and “Huakai”, are currently supporting the ongoing relief operation in Haiti. The JHSVs will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Austal USA’s President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Rella commented, “The Navy's decision to proceed with full construction of the second and third JHSVs will serve to underpin the momentum in our shipyard and support Austal USA's objective of driving greater efficiency and associated cost controls in its shipbuilding programs."

Construction is also underway at Austal USA on a second 127 metre Austal-designed and built Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the US Navy, with the first, “USS Independence”, commissioned earlier in the month. The US Navy continues to express a commitment to a 55-vessel LCS program.

Austal USA’s new state-of the-art 35,000m2 Modular Manufacturing Facility (MMF) facilitates the concurrent construction of both JHSV and LCS platforms. Austal USA’s workforce is expected to grow to more than 1500 as a result of the JHSV program.

Austal is teamed with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems who will design, integrate, and test the ship’s electronic systems, including an Open Architecture Computing Infrastructure, internal and external communications, electronic navigation, aviation, and armament systems.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Support Ships Take On Multiple Roles

Apr 14, 2010

By Andy Nativi
Genoa

Support vessels may not be at the top of an admiral’s wish list, but these workhorses are becoming more important as many navies try to build blue-water fleets, and those with the capability seek to better manage extended missions far from home waters.

France and the U.K., for example, are planning new replenishment vessels, Italy wants two refueling ships, Turkey wants one, and Greece and Spain have just added support ships to their fleets.

The U.S. Navy is also modernizing support forces. The recently released U.S. Quadrennial Defense Review depicts a medium-term force structure of at least 30-33 combat logistics vessels and 17-25 command and support vessels, on top of the 51 RORO (roll on/roll off) ships tasked with strategic sealift.

As demand for service vessels grows, many shipyards are entering the market, which is dominated by national programs. Efforts aimed at combining requirements (as is the case for the U.K., France and Italy) may clash with local industrial needs, but a basic design can be sold and customized to meet the requirements of several customers, as happened with the French Durance-class and Italian Etna-class ships.

One factor affecting the specification of support ships is environmental policies which, combined with International Maritime Organization regulations, are making older, single-hulled tankers and oilers obsolete. Environmental regulations ban single-hulled oilers starting in 2015. Government ships that are not involved in commercial services are exempt, but many navies are making a good-faith effort to meet environmental rules, even if it means replacing older vessels with expensive double-hulled versions, which, for a given displacement, have less capacity.

For the time being, Western navies are only considering double-hulled designs for new replenishment ships. The current downturn in commercial shipbuilding is also moving some governments to provide a helping hand to their shipyards by ordering support vessels, most of which conform to green design rules. The result is a trend toward costly acquisitions: more than $200 million for a large AOR (area of responsibility) vessel, and double that for large, fast, specialized support ships.

The only common requirement is that most of these ships be built under merchant standard classification, reducing construction costs. But navies have different requirements. Some paint merchant oilers battleship gray; others design specialized vessels.

There is a trend to use support vessels in multiple roles, replacing specialized ships with multimission vessels. Some navies, including those of France and Italy, use large AORs as command vessels, fitted with sophisticated communication suites and equipped with command and control systems and workspaces, as well as berths for additional personnel. The Italian ship Etna, for example, accommodates an 80-man command staff and is a NATO Maritime Component Commander ship.

These ships also play roles in delivering humanitarian aid. Witness the deployment of the USNS Lewis and Clark T-AKE dry cargo ship—technically a Combat Logistics Force Underway Replenishment Naval Vessel—among others, in support of Haitian relief. Many support craft can add hospital facilities, provide power, water and technical and mechanical shops, move massive amounts of cargo and deploy heavy-lift helicopters.

These vessels also participate in combat operations and maritime patrol and interdiction duties, enabled by the electronics, sensors and helicopters they can carry.

During the Cold War, support vessels were high-value targets. They were fitted with self-defense systems including electronic warfare equipment, decoys, medium-caliber guns and missiles. The threat now is asymmetric and ships are being equipped with relevant sensors and defensive systems that include machine guns and rapid-fire gun mounts, but few high-end weapons.

The main goal of a replenishment ship, though, remains high-speed automated replenishment operations at sea that provide simultaneous (both sides and sometimes the stern) and multiple services to several vessels, reducing by half the time needed for restocking. In advanced designs, a replenishment craft is a one-stop ship, rapidly providing everything a support vessel needs.

[Unicorn]

The result is a trend toward costly acquisitions: more than $200 million for a large AOR (area of responsibility) vessel, and double that for large, fast, specialized support ships..

WTF! I shake my head at some of the drivel spewed out by today's so-called Defence journalists.

[Gubler, A.]

INCAT have released the brochure (available online) for their new 130mm fast cat. I don't know how they can call something with 36 MW of high speed diesels an "ecoship" but it is certainly a very big, very fast ferry: 1,700 tonnes of deadweight.



http://incatmarketing.realviewtechnologies.com/?iid=35675&email-analytics=incat-130m

[McDethWivFries]

INCAT have released the brochure (available online) for their new 130mm fast cat. I don't know how they can call something with 36 MW of high speed diesels an "ecoship" but it is certainly a very big, very fast ferry: 1,700 tonnes of deadweight.



130mm?!? big?!? You'd be lucky to fit one of my son's matchbox trucks on it at that size (o;

[edit] on a more serious note, was it Incat or Austal that had some plans of building a baby carrier using a cat? I remember seeing something about it in one of ASPI's docs online, think it was the "Pay the money, pick your capability" one they had back before 05 or something. Looked impressive but how feasible would something like that be?

[buglerbilly]

It was INCAT and its highly debatable whether they could have pulled it off.............IF given the go-ahead........

There are feasible possibilities related to UAV's/Armed UAV's/UCAV's plus a small helo force including Unmanned..........think Littoral warfare and Surveillance

Buy the Trimaran from AUSTAL though..........its called LCS!

[McDethWivFries]

Buy the Trimaran from AUSTAL though..........its called LCS!

Ah but what that journo said in the LCS thread, its not as good as the LM one because it doesn't feel like a navy ship (o;

[buglerbilly]

Ah but what that journo said in the LCS thread, its not as good as the LM one because it doesn't feel like a navy ship (o;

A subjective view means doodly squat! :wave

[Gubler, A.]

It was INCAT and its highly debatable whether they could have pulled it off.............IF given the go-ahead........

I seem to recal the ~100m (not mm! lol) cat-carrier was a favoured idea of APA... While no doubt possible to fly a F-35 or two off a flat deck cat the extreme limitation in consumables in such a small platform (by carrier standards) would make for a limited capability. Kind of like those WW2 Jap submarine carriers designed to launch one or two floatplane bombers against the Panama Canal. So one might as well just load missiles. Now if Incat or Austal or someone else can build a light metal cat or tri that has a deadweight of at least 5,000 tonnes and a flat top then maybe we can have a legitimate cat-carrier.

[buglerbilly]

Northrop Grumman Gear Elements Enable Fast Combat Support Ship to Operate at Top Speed for the First Time in Three Years

(Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.; issued July 7, 2010)

SUNNYVALE, Calif. --- During recent sea trials, the USNS Arctic (T-AOE-8) fast combat support ship reached its top speed for the first time in three years because of the remanufactured high-speed gear elements designed and built by Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The high-speed gear elements manufactured for the Arctic by another supplier developed cracks, limiting the vessel's ability to operate at the speeds necessary to keep up with the carrier battle groups it is designed to support. In addition, the gears were plagued with high bearing temperatures and an unreliable instrumentation system. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) solicited a new set of first reduction gear elements through a competitive procurement, and awarded Northrop Grumman a contract in January 2008.

Northrop Grumman designed new high-speed gear elements, more robust and reliable bearings, and a new temperature monitoring system, all of which performed at or above requirements during the recent sea trials. As a result, the Arctic will now be able to return to unrestricted service. The vessel was first commissioned in 1995.

"Designing, manufacturing and installing brand new gear elements to solve performance issues in an existing ship is a tough technical challenge," said Glenn Perkins, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Marine Systems business unit. "By working with the MSC and the Navy, we were able to overcome those challenges successfully, as sea trials proved, and help the Navy re-establish full capability to support the fleet. This success demonstrates Northrop Grumman capability to deliver critical solutions in the surface ship gear market."

The T-AOE fast combat support ships are designed for rapid logistics support of Navy vessels that are in combat. Their ability to transport heavy supply loads efficiently and quickly requires powerful reduction gears for ship propulsion.

Northrop Grumman has extensive experience in propulsion and power generation, including design and delivery of high-quality naval reduction gears. The company is the current supplier of high-performance reduction gears for the Navy's submarine fleet, and has provided more than 120 gear sets to the surface fleet over the past three decades.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Navantia Delivers ‘Cantabria’ Supply Ship to Spanish Navy

(Source: Navantia; dated July 29, web-posted July 30, 2010)

(Issued in Spanish; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)



The Combat Supply Ship (BAC) "Cantabria", built by Navantia in the San Fernando-Puerto Real shipyard, was officially handed over on July 29 to the Spanish Navy during a ceremony that took place at the Naval Base Rota.

The event was chaired by the Chief of Staff Admiral of the Navy (AJEMA), Manuel Rebollo, and was attended by the President of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria Miguel Angel Revilla, and his wife, Aurora Diaz, who served as godmother at the christening of the ship. Also present were the President of SEPI and of Navantia, Enrique Martinez Robles, and Aurelio Martínez Estévez, respectively.

The "Cantabria" will significantly increase the operational logistic support capability of the Navy and therefore the ability to project naval forces to conduct sustained operations over large distances.

The ship has a length of 174 meters - making it the second-longest Navy ship - and a full-load displacement of 19,500 tons. Its top speed exceeds 21 knots and its range at 13 knots (economic speed) is 6,000 nautical miles. It also has a flight deck and hangar from which to operate three AB212 medium helicopters two SH3D or NH90 heavy helicopters.

Through its five refueling stations (one in the stern) it can provide 8,000 cubic meters of fuel to ships and 1,500 cubic meters to aircraft. It can also supply ammunition, supplies and food to a force at sea and deliver fuel to three ships simultaneously at full speed.

The ship has a hospital with a ten-bedcapacity, a fully equipped operating room with facilities for the implementation of telemedicine by videoconference, an X-ray room, a dentist, laboratory, sterilization, medical consultation and central gas reserves. This equipment enables the "Cantabria" to intervene in humanitarian aid to disasters.

Featuring a double hull to respect the environment, complying with laws and international conventions in this field, although by virtue of his military ship is not legally obliged to, "Cantabria" has also been designed for environmental protection actions, and it can address situations such as risk of pollution from spills of cargo and / or fuel resulting from shipping accidents.

The crew includes 122 people, but the ship has the capacity to accommodate another 136, including the crew for the on-board helicopters.

Approximately 2,000 workers have participated in building the ship in its different phases. This project took four million work hours in the Bay of Cadiz shipyards, of which two and a half million have been direct Navantia and the rest for its subcontractors.

Countries like Norway and Canada have already expressed interest in the acquisition of vessels with similar characteristics to the "Cantabria".

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Austal Awarded Construction Contract for JHSV 4 and 5


The JHSV is capable of reaching more than 35 knots fully loaded.

Contract Options Come Less Than a Month after JHSV 2 Construction Launch

07:36 GMT, October 13, 2010 Austal received word today to move forward with the construction contract for the fourth and fifth vessels of the U.S. Department of Defense’s next generation multi-use platform, the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), as part of a program potentially worth over US$1.6 billion. Austal received funding previously from the Navy, valued at US$99,557,548, to acquire long lead-time material, to include diesel engines, water jets and reduction gears, for these two vessels in June 2010. The additional work is valued at approximately US$204.6 million.

Austal USA’s President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Rella remarked, “The full award for the fourth and fifth JHSV’s further demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to the program and their confidence in our performance. I am proud of our shipbuilding team and look forward to the continued success of this program."

As Prime contractor, Austal was awarded the construction contract for the first 103-metre JHSV in November 2008, with options for nine additional vessels expected to be exercised between FY09 and FY13. The Austal JHSV team includes platform systems engineering agent General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems who is responsible for the design, integration and test of the ship’s mission systems, including internal and external communications, electronic navigation, and aviation and armament systems.

Austal received authorisation from the Navy to start construction on the first U.S. Army vessel of the contract, Spearhead (JHSV 1), in December 2009 after completing the rigorous design in a 12-month period. A formal Keel Laying Ceremony was held for Spearhead at Austal’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard on July 22, 2010, and it is on schedule for launch in June 2011 and delivery in December 2011. Construction on Vigilant (JHSV 2), the first Navy vessel, began in Austal’s Module Manufacturing Facility on September 13, 2010.

The JHSV is similar to the Austal-built “WestPac Express” operated by the U.S. Marine Corps for the past nine years, but with the addition of a flight deck for helos and a slewing vehicle ramp on the starboard quarter which enables use of austere piers and quay walls, common in developing countries. The JHSV will transport medium-size operational units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to provide troop transport for an infantry battalion, allowing units to transit long distances while maintaining unit integrity. The vessel will also be capable of supporting humanitarian relief efforts, operating in shallow waters (under 4 metres) which will further enhance theater port access, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded. The Joint High Speed Vessels will be a joint-use platform operated by both the United States Army and Navy.

Austal USA employs over 1,800 highly qualified shipbuilders, engineers and support staff. Austal is also currently building a second Independence-class 127-metre Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the U.S. Navy, Coronado (LCS 4). USS Independence (LCS 2) is currently being put through trials by her crew after the U.S. Navy officially took delivery in December 2009 and she was commissioned earlier this year in January 2010. As prime contractor, Austal has recently completed final proposal revisions for the next LCS 10-ship contract which should be competitively awarded by the U.S. Navy before the end of the year.

----
This news item is part of the defpro.focus “US Navy Shipbuilding Programmes - FY10 and Beyond” which can be accessed here: http://www.defpro.com/focus/profile/us_navy_shipbui/.

[buglerbilly]

U.S. Buys More High-Speed Vessels, Orders More

By CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS

Published: 13 Oct 2010 17:28

Two virtually unused high-speed ferries once planned for service in the Hawaiian Islands have been acquired by the U.S. government at apparently bargain-basement prices.


The Hawaii Superferries Huakai, foreground, and Alakai laid up at Norfolk, Va., in August. (CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS / STAFF)

The two ships, named Alakai and Huakai, belonged to the now-defunct Hawaiian Superferries project once headed by Reagan-era Navy Secretary John Lehman.

The ships are the largest commercial vessels built by Austal USA which is one of two competitors bidding for the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. Austal USA already is building as many as 10 Fortitude-class Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSVs), which are similar to the Superferries, for the Army and Navy. Austal specializes in the design and construction of all-aluminum, high-speed ships.........................

Read more here: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4900835&c=AME&s=SEA

[buglerbilly]

DCNS Presents New-Generation Support Vessels

(Source: DCNS; issued Dec. 14, 2010)



PARIS --- Speaking to international experts gathered in London on 9 and 10 December for the Afloat Support and Naval Logistics conference, DCNS gave a presentation on its new-generation BRAVE (Bâtiment RAVitailleur d'Escadre) underway replenishment tanker and support vessel under development for both the French Navy and international customers.

By increasing export sales, the Group hopes to increase revenues by 50 to 100% over the next ten years.

The BRAVE support vessel is the latest addition to DCNS’s product portfolio. The concept was unveiled at the Euronaval 2010 show in Paris in late October, where it attracted considerable attention, presumably for the simple reason that underway replenishment is the key to naval logistic support.

The multi-purpose BRAVE concept covers caters for missions currently performed by up to three types of French Navy ships. These include the underway replenishment of dry goods, munitions and fuels along with at-sea maintenance and repairs. According to DCNS studies, four BRAVE vessels would enable the French Navy to reduce its support fleet and crews by 50% while increasing total payload by 30% and cutting operating costs.

The BRAVE concept has been designed from the outset with international customers in mind. The basic design can be adapted to yield versions with a length overall ranging from 165 to 195 metres. Shipboard volumes and areas can also be readily tailored to increase tank capacities or accommodate a naval force command team, troops and equipment or additional hospital beds for humanitarian missions.

All navies need to get heavier payloads to distant locations more quickly while reducing the risks associated with underway replenishment. This is precisely the reason the BRAVE design features two mixed rigs, each designed to handle both fuels and dry cargo.

In recent decades, DCNS has designed and built a dozen support vessels for the French Navy as well as the Navy of the Argentine Republic, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Most of these vessels are still in service.

-ends-