Several Arsenal ship concepts

[sferrin]

The Ohio SSGNs are pretty much taking up this role (minus the SAMs)

 

[Skybolt]

I saw a concept of the Arsenal ship with a bow similar to an early XX century battleship. I look if I find it.

 

[Sentinel Chicken]

Some of those low-freeboard versions of the Arsenal Ship remind me a lot of the ironclads from the US Civil War! If I remember right, some of the designs had a variable freeboard where ballast tanks could raise or lower the ship's profile in the water to present less of a target when in the combat zone.

 

[pometablava]

Arsenal Ship: La Nave in Rete by Andrea Prati. Italian magazine Panorama Difesa. Ottobre 1996

 

[TinWing]

Arsenal Ship: La Nave in Rete by Andrea Prati. Italian magazine Panorama Difesa. Ottobre 1996

I realy like the "bottle shaped" deck plan, so obviously influenced by the Iowa class battleships. Oddly enough, the AOE-type Sacramento class replenishment ships also had a hull form similar to the Iowas - and the first two units each had half the machinery from the cancelled USS Kentucky.

I do have to wonder if this sort of complex design would conform with modern shipbuilding practices? Is this an actual proposal? Of course, some of the details, such as the bridge design, do conform to later designs such as the current Lockheed LCS?

 

[TinWing]

Here is a more utilitarian concept from 1999:

http://www.memach.com/nuhm/arsenal.htm

 

[pometablava]

Another concept from Panorama Difesa magazine

 

[Skybolt]

This is the concept I remembered

 

[JAZZ]

TinWing that rendering is the Bath Iron Works concept

 

[JAZZ]

Sea lance concept - missile barge

 

[Brickmuppet]

Does anyone know what the box launcher-like objects visible in replies 3&4 are?

Also, any ideas on dimensions?

 

[JAZZ]

Boxes could be for GMLRS - and ATACMs SSM. Lockheed Martin is developing POLAR- MLRS which is vertical lunch which would not require launch boxes as shown.

 

[canisd]

Add a smokestack and the stars n' bars to the flag pole and most of these arsenal ships would have a stunning resemblance to a Confederate ironclad like the Albemarle.

 

[dragon72]

Does anyone know what the box launcher-like objects visible in replies 3&4 are?

I believe they were RAM launchers that could retract into the hull for stealth.

 

[RP1]

The box-launchers are too large to be RAM - they are GMLRS.

Funny thing is that the German Navy is planning to fit a navilised MLRS to its' next class of frigate.

RP1

 

[thewanderingmind]

Here is a more utilitarian concept from 1999:

http://www.memach.com/nuhm/arsenal.htm

;DThanks for the link, TinWing! Looking at this, I think they've got the right idea! It's just getting the deadheads at DoD to grasp the concept that's the problem! This concept would work for a lot more than just arsenal ships, and the way they've got the process worked out is astoundingly clever. I love the "stubby" concept -- moving the bow and stern as a vessel by sea to the point they add the midships modules. This would work for our US vessels -- and a consortium of Euro/NATO shipbuilders could monopolize Europe's naval defense buys by spreading the work around like this. Sort of a seagoing Airbus...

 

[Triton]

Metro Machine Arsenal Ship concept:
http://www.memach.com/nuhm/arsenal.htm

What do people think of the ZonePak mission-module concept and ships that are mission-configurable swapping in and out modules based on requirements? Is this better than building additional dedicated ships?

 

[Sn1008]

I like the concept of the modular design by Metro Machine Team. What I have observed from naval history is that when hostilities start, you can never build enough ships to replenish the ones you lost. With their design you could have several types of vessels that can be build from a common hull. Another point is that the bow and stern can be separated from the hull. You could remove damaged parts from the vessel and attach new ones. I would love to see this concept developed where you could repair/refit a vessel out on the high seas.

 

[Lauge]

Metro Machine Arsenal Ship concept:
http://www.memach.com/nuhm/arsenal.htm

What do people think of the ZonePak mission-module concept and ships that are mission-configurable swapping in and out modules based on requirements? Is this better than building additional dedicated ships?

Some years ago, the Danish Navy designed the Standard Flex 300 series of patrol ships (some have now been donated to Lithuania, I believe): http://www.navalteam.dk/ships/std_flex_concept.aspx

These ships used interchangeable mission modules that allowed each hull to serve as a fisheries protection ship, a patrol ship, a missile boat, an environmental protection vessel etc. Good ships, although a wee bit small for sustained blue-water operations. The same concept is applied to the two new frigate-size Command Support Ships, HDMS Absalon and HDMS Esbern Snarre. They use a so-called "flex-deck" design, where the rear lower-deck area of the ship can be configured for troop and materiel transport, command & control, field hospital, etc.

Regards & all,

Thomas L. Nielsen
Denmark

 

[Triton]

Arsenal Ship Master's Thesis by LT Dawn H. Driesbach, USN:
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/rsnlship.htm