Shipbucket

So, continuing my illustration of UCL DRC design projects:



This is a carrier for 6 CAT-VL UCAVs broadly the same size as the X-47A but trading some warload and range for VL. The ramp forward is to allow operations in rough weather, as this ship is too small to use a catapult only.

Displacement about 7300 te. Weapons are FLAADS(M) with a CAMM battery forward and a notional MRR on the foremast, with IRST fore and aft. This is backed up by two DS-30B / LMM / Starstreak combination mounts, proposed a couple of years ago. Plus, the usual ESM, decoys and a Lynx for communications and self defence ASW.

Note the antenna farm on the superstructure (offset to stbd, containing the hangar and maintenance space). The exact design of the upperworks wasn't a focus of the project, but would need some work if a large number of communications channels were to be included.

Maximum speed 28 knots, cruise speed 18 knots for 7000 nm. CODAG in an IFEP architecture.

This design was developed as part of an internal study to revisit previous examination of the concept, and was presented at RINA's Warship 2009 conference.

- RP1

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"Yes siree, the excitement never stops." Togusa, Ghost in the Shell

Very interesting work, the possibility of developments of this project are plenty...
For the question of antennas I think personally that a satellite antenna will be better, cause the UCAVs usually operate far away from the carrier, in many case they are controlled from the HQ via GPS (the example of the Global Hawks over the Afghanistan, controlled from the US), and some antenna like the one that is already there for the take-off/landing procedures.

Excellent work!!!

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( http://shipbucket.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8293 )

Huh, well, I'll give it to them, it actually does look like a Type 45 derivative.

good drawing of an nice design!
btw... is there some more information on those starstreak/seastreak mounts available?
also nice it uses an dutch radar

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As always, a really interesting drawing from RP1. Is there any further information on this project?

From my archives. Sources not noted (d'oh!). Various dates, I think. Neither matches what RP1 has shown, but that doesn't mean his GMLS is incorrect.





I love the drawing, RP1. Very funky.

Thanks for the comments, chaps.

RE the gun / missile combination: It's not those mounts. I posted those images to SP way back. They are pure Starstreak / Seastreak mounts - and I've previously Shipbucketed the more complicated one (it was a contender for the UK variant of CNGF). The 30mm is a modified version of the MSI-30B, which removes the manual control position in favour of a laser beam projector and 7 round pod for Starstreak and LMM (a unitary warhead version of Starstreak planned as a weapon for Flynx). The mount was originally proposed with a 70mm rocket pod (no, really) on one side back in 2006 as a way of mashing up FIACs and the LMM variant was in Janes about 18 months ago. It made us all terribly excited at the time, since a single mount can now pack in three flavours of bang.

RE Type 45 derivative: Nope, although the hull is similar.

RP1

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"Yes siree, the excitement never stops." Togusa, Ghost in the Shell

I presume that the cat is a short EMALS?

Edit: I'm curious as to what the manning levels end up being, as I have heard that because of deck handling issues UAVs don't have appreciably lower manning requirements.

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@TimothyC: Yes, it's a short EMALS or long EMCAT. It terminates before the ramp. The use of the ramp has an interesting effect in that the UCAV really shouldn't be flying when it goes up the ramp, so this might limit the speed. I wonder if the UCAV could be programmed to reverse it's elevators at the appropriate point.

Manning estimations are nightmarish. Estimators and designers can be living in two completely different worlds and the system we have at UCL makes use of existing manning schemes, which contain a lot of inherent assumptions (so many crew needed for DC&FF, so many crew needed to push an airplane around the deck etc...).

In this case, the total complement was 216 (including flight), which was sized based on conventional FF data. The limitation is that only one UCAV can be maintained / re-armed at once. This limits the number of UCAV that can be carried to 6, as any more would need an additional aircrew. It was also assumed that current developments in UGVs will lead to handling robots - the UCAVs are only about 3 tonnes so automatic handling equipment should become practical.

RP1

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"Yes siree, the excitement never stops." Togusa, Ghost in the Shell

Ought it not carry Artisan instead of SMART-S?