BAE Systems future technology naval concept

SteveO said:
This has got me scratching my head. Any ideas? Small USV or something bigger?
From this video
View: https://youtu.be/GaCCZ_GtJNg
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I think based on the little sliding indicator along the right side that this is meant to be some sort of multi-domain vehicle, a semi-submersible wing-in-ground-effect vehicle or something similar. The sort of thing they let the engineers play with but have no intention of actually proposing for anything.
 
I think it's a radical trimaran surface vessel configuration. Note what appear to be four sets of paired liferaft containers beneath what's likely the bridge window aft - I think bridge because it clearly has a wraparound window and at drone scale the only reason for that would be a cute scanning red light like it's a Cylon or KITT.

The deep keel argues against a WIG design, IMO, especially with that shrouded propulsor. There appear to be (possibly retractable) countermeasures launchers or CIWS installations at the corners of the trimaran deck. I suspect there's a retractable medium calibre gun at the bridge end of the foc'sle/extended bow - look at the midship line on the final segment which isn't there on the other segments - I suspect the top splits in three, the forward triangle flipping forward and the two sides laterally to allow the turret to elevate into its operational position (I don't think the shrouded position is high enough for it just to unshroud). And there's possible space for a VLS immediately aft of that - I can't think of any other reason to have that discontinuity in the lines, which has to be bad from a stealth perspective.
 
Yeah, it's weird for sure but this certainly could be it. Maybe designed to "fly" with only the keel and propulsor submerged (and maybe tips/catamarans touching the water for stability)? It ought to have hydrofoils for that, though.

Edit: on rewatching, I think the little sliding scale could be showing the height of the point of view, not of the vehicle itself.
 
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Just noticed at the 1:41 point it shows a more conventional hull then swaps to the weird one. Looks like something out of the "Battleship" movie so maybe it jumps around and puts up a force field!
 
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SteveO said:
maybe it jumps around and puts up a force field!
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Makes as much sense as anything I can think of. Looks like an exercise in playing with some modeling tool, not even a real but off-the-wall design concept.
 
Yes, BAE Systems do come up with a lot of odd looking and unrealistic future concepts lately.
 
Interesting and curious concept.
What does such a keel deliver? Volume?
If so for what?
It's almost like a underwater tower for some flat panel sonar arrays?
Why the odd shrouded propulsion?
Not shrouded enough to deliver significant noise reduction surely?

Where is any radar on this?
 
All good questions. The shrouded propulsor could be for propulsive efficiency, or for sound reduction, or it could simply be to give them somewhere to mount the rudders. OTOH surely it would be simpler to do away with the prop-shaft and skegs and go for an electrically powered azipod.

Because there's a significant amount of keel below the shaft, I tend to think it's not simply for the normal reasons you have a keel - side area and roll-reduction. If you just wanted those you could make it longer fore-and-aft, without the limitations in inshore operations a deep keel is likely to cause. Sonar seems the likely answer - maybe a 360 degree version of a submarine bow sonar?

The inward angle on the submerged outrigger hulls could also be roll-reduction. As you roll to the side, that side's submerged hull becomes increasingly horizontal, potentially developing hydrodynamic lift, while the opposite hull becomes increasingly vertical, limiting any hydrodynamic lift, so operating to limit the roll. But given trimaran hulls already roll less, that's an awful lot of roll-reduction and must be there for a reason.

And radar is a good question. There are two sloped panels below the forward face of the bridge, and one vertical panel to the sides of the bridge projecting out onto the trimaran deck that could be phased array radars. But the forward pair are partially obscured by the bow/foc'sle.
 
TomS said:
I think based on the little sliding indicator along the right side that this is meant to be some sort of multi-domain vehicle, a semi-submersible wing-in-ground-effect vehicle or something similar. The sort of thing they let the engineers play with but have no intention of actually proposing for anything.
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AAMV, a maritime craft equipped with aerodynamic surfaces that may compensate for displacement at high speeds.
 

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