Comments on: FDR – Maritime (Repair and other Support Capabilities)

By: B.Smitty

B.Smitty — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:09:22 +0000

Here’s another candidate,

http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/blue_giant/

It’s a bit bigger than the Rolldock and has berthing for 199 as well as a helipad.

I really like these crane-equipped dockships for their flexibility. They can carry small craft, barges, pontoon segments, containers, bulk cargo or combinations. Midsized dockships like Rolldock and Blue Giant even have reasonably shallow draft (non-submerged), allowing them to get in to places where larger ships can’t.

By: Euan

Euan — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:22:43 +0000

I think by the looks of it for the repair part at least we agree a large Flo/Flo would be ideal as part of the plan. I would like to see a large Flo/Flo how large is something to discuss but I would ideally like something Blue Marlin sized which I guess is what BMT are getting at which is a good idea. The advantage of a ship so big is basically because in the repair role it can pick up an entire surface combatant e.g. USS Cole when needed. So it could also carry a pretty massive repair barge heck it could carry RFA Diligence or a wide variety of other vessels. An option could be that the Flo/Flo could bring the damaged ship to the barge rather than taking the barge to the damaged ship reverse thinking so maybe a bit crazy but possible nonetheless. For example the heavy lift ship could take the barge to theatre and drop it off somewhere safe like in a sheltered bay and then go and get damaged ships and bring them back for repair. Or the barge could be kept on the Flo/Flo and both stay alongside the damaged vessel to do repairs or the barge could be tied up alongside the damaged ship while the Flo/Flo does something else or the damaged ship could be loaded onto the Flo/Flo with the barge floating alongside.

Jed, I see what you mean at the rate the Royal Navy is going down the toilet there will be no need for a repair ship as there will not be much to repair and the C3’s should not need the support ship. I don’t really know what to say about the Hovercraft :-) but I do see it as an option as a single large Flo/Flo could carry quite a few. I’ve no idea about the effectiveness of a Hovercraft in the MCM role and I have doubts although I know they can survive a mine going off under them or nearby. The Hovercraft do have the handy ability to be dual role as you pointed out clearing a way in and then moving people and equipment ashore later improving the assault capability.

By: admin

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:31:53 +0000

I know what you are saying Jed, I wanted to finish the FDR maritime section with an outrageous flourish :D

By: jed

jed — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:11:59 +0000

Very interesting. Especially as I have served on both MCMV (Hunt class) and as part of the Naval Party onboard RFA Diligence when she was being used in MCM support and command ship role.

C3 is the MCMV of the future is it not ? Far more deployable than Hunt’s / Sandown’s does it need a support ship ? Do we need a ‘repair ship’ for our smaller fleet ?

I would like to see us invest in a British designed technology, in which we are actually still world leaders – Hovercraft ! Sure by a big commercial designed Flo-Flo as a hovercraft mothership. The RM uses small hovercraft already, and their manufacturer Griffon Hovercarft has merged with British Hoverworks who design and build the craft used as Isle of Weight ferries (and here in Canada as ice breakers on the St Laurence sea-way). The current largest designs have a payload of 22 tonnes and an endurance of 6 hours – payload could be traded for extra fuel. Hovercraft have obvious potential for raiding with the RM, not the small ones it uses now, but the biggest variants, capable of carrying 2 Vikings across the beach. Hovercraft were also proved as a useful MCM platform by the RN trails unit as long ago as the 70′s and 80′s – apply the new UUV’s to a ‘Half well deck’ BHT160 with a hydraulic crane – excellent deployable littoral MCM asset. Add helicopter dipping sonar and torpedos for a littoral ASW version etc etc…..
Please note these are diesel powered craft, not honking great, fuel sucking gas turbine powered behemoths like the U.S. LCAC.

A hospital barge is all very well, but a containerised field hospital on a JSS bought to replace RFA Argus would appear to be far more flexible.

In short, I love the out-of-the-box thinking, but am not won over by the barge transporter / barge combination.

For info GriffonHoverworks new site:
http://www.griffonhoverwork.com/