Sea Fighter
Encyclopedia
Sea Fighter (FSF-1) is an experimental littoral combat ship
under development (2005-2008) by the United States Navy
. Its hull is of a small-waterplane-area twin-hull (SWATH) design, provides exceptional stability, even on rough seas. The ship can operate in both blue
and littoral
waters. For power, it can use either its dual gas turbine engines for speed or its dual diesel engines for efficient cruising. It can be easily reconfigured through the use of interchangeable mission modules. Helicopters can land and launch on its deck. Smaller water craft can be carried and launched from its stern. The vessel is being developed under the program title Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (LSC(X)) with a hull type designation Fast Sea Frame. The first vessel has been assigned the hull classification symbol
FSF 1 and also has been referred to as the X-Craft. The vessel was designed by British company BMT Nigel Gee Ltd (formerly BMT Nigel Gee and Associates Ltd) who continue with a role in the development of the vessel.
Sea Fighter's hull is of a SWATH design, constructed out of aluminum
. The SWATH design gives Sea Fighter exceptional motion characteristics, even in high seas. This is accomplished by placing most of the ship's displacement below the level of the waves (like a submarine) out of the way of the kinetic energy of the sea surface. Conversely, ships with traditional hull designs have most of their displacement in the wave level of the sea, causing them to roll and pitch in the waves. Some of the aluminium panels have been prefabricated from aluminium extrusions using the innovative friction stir welding
process.
With twin gas turbine engines, twin water jets, and a streamlined hull, Sea Fighter is capable of speeds of 50 knots (98 km/h) and greater. It is designed to be a sea frame that can carry interchangeable mission modules resembling shipping containers
. These modules allow it to be easily reconfigured to meet a variety of mission requirements, including mine warfare
, anti-submarine operations, amphibious assault support, surface warfare
, transport and logistical missions, cruise missile launch, and special forces interdiction operations. The mission modules are easily loaded and stored on Sea Fighter’s inner deck.
The vessel has the capability of launching small craft up to 11 m in length from the stern, including assault craft and submersible
s by means of a custom dual purpose ramp that also enables Ro Ro operations for HUMMWV and other vehicles. The vessel also has a twin-pad helicopter
deck capable of operating aircraft up to the size of an H-60
type, including unmanned aerial vehicle
s, and landing helicopters while traveling at speeds of up to 50 knots (98 km/h). A special deck lighting system has been developed for Sea Fighter using low intensity green lighting around the vessel's edges and helipads. This lighting is particularly effective when using night vision goggles, making landings on the vessel easier than on conventional warships, even at the higher speeds in which Sea Fighter operates.
The basic design has a displacement of 1,100 tons while measuring 79.9 m (73 m at waterline) long and 22 m broad. Power is provided by a CODOG arrangement comprising two MTU 595 diesel engine
s and two LM2500 gas turbine
s. Diesel power is used for cruising while the turbines provide high power output for high speed operation. The two gas turbines power the vessels twin water jets, drawing water from the bottom stern of each hull and powering it through large water turbines, which are responsible for the vessel's remarkable speed. Each water jet has thrust vectoring and thrust reversers making it possible for Sea Fighter to move sideways while docking, or even traveling in reverse. Thrust vectoring also makes it possible for Sea Fighter to make dramatic evasive maneuvers while traveling at high speed. This would prevent the craft from being forced to shore or into the path of enemy vessels.
"Sea Fighter's" forward superstructure consists of a bridge on the lower deck, and a flight operations station on top. The bridge is relatively small, and generally manned by a crew of three. The bridge control stations incorporate glass displays using the latest in navigational aids to assist Sea Fighter in patrolling coastal areas while operating at high speed. Maneuvering Sea Fighter is more reminiscent of the operation of a Landing Craft, Air Cushioned
(LCAC) than a conventional warship. Above the bridge is a small flight operations station with room for only one operator. This glass enclosed station provides an excellent view of the entire flight deck, and allows the operator to coordinate the approach and landing of helicopters, and loading of the vessel's mission containers, as well as providing visual aid for navigation.
The ship has a modern computer system to control its systems and for navigation. Steering and throttle control are done by wire
rather than mechanical linkage.
The first vessel of the type (FSF 1) was constructed at the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders shipyard at Freeland, Washington
, under contract to Titan Corporation, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications
. Nichols Shipyard was selected because of their previous experience in the construction of aluminum-hulled high speed ferries.
as a testbed for technologies related to the Navy's littoral combat ship
effort, as well as direct testing of the hull design. Once trials are completed, the Navy will have the option of outfitting the vessel for operational deployment.
The Navy and Coast Guard are jointly exploring the possibility of further development of Sea Fighter-type vessels for use in patrolling U.S. coastal waters. With an effective range of 4400 nautical miles (8,148.8 km) unrefueled the type could also be deployed quickly overseas for similar duties. Sea Fighter is expected to pave the way for a future line of fast, long range destroyers capable of travelling fast enough to avoid or out maneuver most of the current generation of torpedoes. Such vessels would be capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean
unrefueled, and have a very low radar signature, making detection difficult. They would be able to respond quickly to targets located by air or satellite and aggressively attack surface and submerged vessels using their speed to evade torpedo and missile attack.
, they melt at a lower temperature than steel. Some lay concern has been expressed about aluminum hulls actually burning, but only aluminum dust or powder is slightly flammable
Littoral combat ship
A Littoral Combat Ship is a type of relatively small surface vessel intended for operations in the littoral zone . It is "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals." Two ship classes are the first...
under development (2005-2008) by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Its hull is of a small-waterplane-area twin-hull (SWATH) design, provides exceptional stability, even on rough seas. The ship can operate in both blue
Blue-water navy
The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges...
and littoral
Littoral (military)
Littoral combat is a term in military and naval warfare. It refers to operations in and around the littoral zone, within a certain distance of shore, including surveillance, mine-clearing and support for landing operations and other types of combat shifting from water to ground, and back.The...
waters. For power, it can use either its dual gas turbine engines for speed or its dual diesel engines for efficient cruising. It can be easily reconfigured through the use of interchangeable mission modules. Helicopters can land and launch on its deck. Smaller water craft can be carried and launched from its stern. The vessel is being developed under the program title Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (LSC(X)) with a hull type designation Fast Sea Frame. The first vessel has been assigned the hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
FSF 1 and also has been referred to as the X-Craft. The vessel was designed by British company BMT Nigel Gee Ltd (formerly BMT Nigel Gee and Associates Ltd) who continue with a role in the development of the vessel.
Description
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
. The SWATH design gives Sea Fighter exceptional motion characteristics, even in high seas. This is accomplished by placing most of the ship's displacement below the level of the waves (like a submarine) out of the way of the kinetic energy of the sea surface. Conversely, ships with traditional hull designs have most of their displacement in the wave level of the sea, causing them to roll and pitch in the waves. Some of the aluminium panels have been prefabricated from aluminium extrusions using the innovative friction stir welding
Friction stir welding
Friction-stir welding is a solid-state joining process and is used for applications where the original metal characteristics must remain unchanged as far as possible...
process.
With twin gas turbine engines, twin water jets, and a streamlined hull, Sea Fighter is capable of speeds of 50 knots (98 km/h) and greater. It is designed to be a sea frame that can carry interchangeable mission modules resembling shipping containers
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
. These modules allow it to be easily reconfigured to meet a variety of mission requirements, including mine warfare
Mine warfare
Mine warfare refers to the use of different types of explosive devices:*Land mine, a weight-triggered explosive device intended to maim or kill people or to destroy vehicles...
, anti-submarine operations, amphibious assault support, surface warfare
Surface warfare
Modern naval warfare is divided into three operational areas: surface warfare, air warfare and submarine warfare. Each area comprises specialized platforms and strategies used to exploit tactical advantages unique and inherent to that area....
, transport and logistical missions, cruise missile launch, and special forces interdiction operations. The mission modules are easily loaded and stored on Sea Fighter’s inner deck.
The vessel has the capability of launching small craft up to 11 m in length from the stern, including assault craft and submersible
Submersible
A submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
s by means of a custom dual purpose ramp that also enables Ro Ro operations for HUMMWV and other vehicles. The vessel also has a twin-pad helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
deck capable of operating aircraft up to the size of an H-60
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972...
type, including unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s, and landing helicopters while traveling at speeds of up to 50 knots (98 km/h). A special deck lighting system has been developed for Sea Fighter using low intensity green lighting around the vessel's edges and helipads. This lighting is particularly effective when using night vision goggles, making landings on the vessel easier than on conventional warships, even at the higher speeds in which Sea Fighter operates.
The basic design has a displacement of 1,100 tons while measuring 79.9 m (73 m at waterline) long and 22 m broad. Power is provided by a CODOG arrangement comprising two MTU 595 diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s and two LM2500 gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
s. Diesel power is used for cruising while the turbines provide high power output for high speed operation. The two gas turbines power the vessels twin water jets, drawing water from the bottom stern of each hull and powering it through large water turbines, which are responsible for the vessel's remarkable speed. Each water jet has thrust vectoring and thrust reversers making it possible for Sea Fighter to move sideways while docking, or even traveling in reverse. Thrust vectoring also makes it possible for Sea Fighter to make dramatic evasive maneuvers while traveling at high speed. This would prevent the craft from being forced to shore or into the path of enemy vessels.
"Sea Fighter's" forward superstructure consists of a bridge on the lower deck, and a flight operations station on top. The bridge is relatively small, and generally manned by a crew of three. The bridge control stations incorporate glass displays using the latest in navigational aids to assist Sea Fighter in patrolling coastal areas while operating at high speed. Maneuvering Sea Fighter is more reminiscent of the operation of a Landing Craft, Air Cushioned
LCAC
The Landing Craft Air Cushion is a class of air-cushion vehicle used as landing craft by the United States Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force...
(LCAC) than a conventional warship. Above the bridge is a small flight operations station with room for only one operator. This glass enclosed station provides an excellent view of the entire flight deck, and allows the operator to coordinate the approach and landing of helicopters, and loading of the vessel's mission containers, as well as providing visual aid for navigation.
The ship has a modern computer system to control its systems and for navigation. Steering and throttle control are done by wire
Fly by Wire
Fly by Wire: The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson is a book written in 2009 by William Langewiesche about US Airways Flight 1549 with emphasis on the role played by the advanced fly-by-wire flight control system of the aircraft....
rather than mechanical linkage.
The first vessel of the type (FSF 1) was constructed at the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders shipyard at Freeland, Washington
Freeland, Washington
Freeland is a town and census-designated place in Island County, Washington, United States. At the time of the 2010 census the population was 2,035. The town received its name based on its origins as a socialist commune in the early 1900s—. Literally, in the eyes of its founders, the land of...
, under contract to Titan Corporation, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. is a company that supplies command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training devices and services, instrumentation, space, and navigation products. Its customers include...
. Nichols Shipyard was selected because of their previous experience in the construction of aluminum-hulled high speed ferries.
Role
The Sea Fighter is destined for employment by the Office of Naval ResearchOffice of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
as a testbed for technologies related to the Navy's littoral combat ship
Littoral combat ship
A Littoral Combat Ship is a type of relatively small surface vessel intended for operations in the littoral zone . It is "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals." Two ship classes are the first...
effort, as well as direct testing of the hull design. Once trials are completed, the Navy will have the option of outfitting the vessel for operational deployment.
Future development
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
unrefueled, and have a very low radar signature, making detection difficult. They would be able to respond quickly to targets located by air or satellite and aggressively attack surface and submerged vessels using their speed to evade torpedo and missile attack.
Concerns
Some concern has been raised with regard to the use of aluminium alloys almost exclusively in the construction of Sea Fighter’s hull, as well as future vessels based on the design. While aluminum alloys have a high specific strengthSpecific strength
The specific strength is a material's strength divided by its density. It is also known as the strength-to-weight ratio or strength/weight ratio. In fiber or textile applications, tenacity is the usual measure of specific strength...
, they melt at a lower temperature than steel. Some lay concern has been expressed about aluminum hulls actually burning, but only aluminum dust or powder is slightly flammable
See also
- Sea SliceSea SliceHSV Sea Slice is an experimental United States Navy vessel, built by Lockheed Martin. Based on a variant of the SWATH hull design known as "SLICE", the Sea Slice is characterized by four teardrop-shaped submerged hulls, double the number seen on most previous designs...
- Sea Shadow (IX-529)Sea Shadow (IX-529)Sea Shadow is an experimental stealth ship built by Lockheed for the United States Navy to determine how a low radar profile might be achieved and to test high stability hull configurations which have been used in oceanographic ships....
- USS Independence (LCS-2)USS Independence (LCS-2)USS Independence is the lead ship for the Independence class of littoral combat ships. She will be the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the concept of independence...
- USS Freedom (LCS-1)USS Freedom (LCS-1)USS Freedom is the lead ship of the Freedom class of littoral combat ships . She is the third vessel of the United States Navy to be so named for the concept of freedom. She is the design competitor produced by the Lockheed Martin consortium, in competition with the General Dynamics-designed USS...
- La Fayette class frigateLa Fayette class frigateThe La Fayette class units are light multi-mission frigates built by DCN and operated by French Marine Nationale...
- Visby class corvetteVisby class corvetteThe Visby is the latest class of corvette to be adopted by the Royal Swedish Navy after the Göteborg and the Stockholm class corvettes. The ship's design heavily emphasizes "low visibility" or stealth technology. The first ship in the class is named after Visby, the main city on the island of Gotland...
- Milgem class corvette
- Braunschweig class corvetteBraunschweig class corvetteThe K130 Braunschweig class is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. They supplement the Gepard class fast attack craft that are currently used.-Technical details:...
- F125 class frigateF125 class frigateF125 is the project name for the Type 125 Baden-Württemberg class of frigates, currently in development for the German Navy by ARGE F125, a joint-venture of Thyssen-Krupp and Lürssen...
- Sachsen class frigateSachsen class frigateThe F124 Sachsen class is Germany's latest class of highly advanced air-defense frigates. The design of the Sachsen class frigate is based on that of the F123 Brandenburg class but with enhanced stealth features intended to deceive any opponent's radar and acoustic sensors and incorporate also the...
- Skjold class
- Type 022Houbei class missile boatThe Houbei class missile boat is a class in the People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Qiuxin Shipbuilding Factory at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and wave-piercing catamaran hulls...