13418 [ARTIGO] The rise of the multirole vessel (MRV)

[NOTICIARIONAVAL]

The rise of the multirole vessel (MRV)
25 January 2012 by Dr Gareth Evans

4


The rise of the multirole vessel (MRV) has mirrored the evolving
nature of maritime power in the 21st century. Dr Gareth Evans reports
on how high-tech craft, capable of undertaking various roles, are
becoming the mainstay of modern navies as they address the evolving
nature of naval warfare, smuggling and piracy.

Modern navies are becoming more and more accustomed to dealing with
military operations other than war (MOOTW) and increasingly, the need
to deal with humanitarian relief in the aftermath of natural
disasters, provide emergency medical care, or establish a helicopter
platform for replenishment or evacuation, places new demands on
vessels and their crews.

At the other extreme of the MOOTW spectrum, the call for naval
involvement in border protection, piracy interdiction and long-range
counter-terrorist actions has never been greater in recent history -
that is quite aside of any involvement in actual offshore or littoral
war fighting.

The ability to offer a total force package which encompasses strategic
sea-lift and amphibious / air / sea operations capability from a
largely self-reliant mother ship, able to operate for sustained
periods at sea and across a range of mission profiles, has a clear
appeal and for smaller navies - and larger ones with their budgets
under squeeze - the logic is proving compelling.

The idea is not new, there are MRVs already at sea - the likes of the
Royal Danish Navy's (RDN) Flyvefisken Class (also known as 'Standard
Flex'), New Zealand's HMNZS Canterbury and others - but now, the
design concept is being taken even further.
Multirole helicopter dock ship (Blohm + Voss)
"Modern navies are becoming more and more accustomed to dealing with
military operations other than war (MOOTW)."

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems subsidiary Blohm + Voss played a
significant part in establishing the kind of flexibility that
underpins the modern MRV, bringing enhanced modularity and
standardised interfacing to weapons and electronics systems with their
MEKO approach back in the 1970s.

This technology went on to spawn a range of successful vessels,
including multipurpose frigates - most notably the MEKO 200 - which
have demonstrated the value of their inherent multimission
capabilities, reduced signature and high survivability over a quarter
of a century.

Based on proven super-fast ferry and fast monohull cruise liner
designs, the latest generations - their 4,000 ton small / medium MRVs
and 20,000 ton multirole helicopter dock ships (MRHDs) - are intended
to offer wide adaptability across a spectrum of mission scenarios.

The MRHD in particular offers exceptional scope, with floodable well-
docking for amphibious craft, 1,000 lane metres for vehicles and / or
containers, up to 4,000 square metres of main flight deck, six landing
pads and extensive helicopter hangar space adding up to impressive sea-
lift and sea-base capabilities - all independent of shore facilities.

Configurable for command and control operations, offering
accommodation of up to 920 berths for embarked naval / military
personnel, or to provide large-capacity hospital or temporary refugee
housing, with a range of 8,000 nautical miles at 16 knots, the 192-
metre MRHD is a serious contender in the multimission stakes.
Global combat ship (BAE Systems)

BAE is also developing a high-end, multirole craft in the form of its
global combat ship (GCS), which will be supplied in a range of main
variants, including the UK Type 26 - the first of two classes of
vessels to emerge from the Royal Navy's future surface combatant (FSC)
programme.
"The GCS's large flight deck can land a Chinook or similar heavy-lift
helicopter and the vessel's main hangar will take a light or medium-
lift helicopter."

Expected to enter service in the next decade, Type 26s together with
the second FSC version are tipped to account for half of the front-
line RN personnel by the mid-2030s.

While versatile, multimission adaptability is central to the design,
other factors have also been taken into account, including inherent
flexibility for anticipated future demands and affordability in terms
of construction and service-life support costs.

The potential exportability of the finished ships has not been
overlooked either, with selected international partners being invited
to play a part in helping influence GCS development.

According to the November 2011 reference design, the 148m long vessel
has an endurance of 7,000 nautical miles at 15 knots and affords a
total of 130 crew berths and additional accommodation for a further 36
embarked military or civilian personnel.

The GCS's large flight deck can land a Chinook or similar heavy-lift
helicopter and the vessel's main hangar will take a light or medium-
lift helicopter with provision for UAV operation, while flexible
mission space can accommodate four 12 metre sea boats, a range of
manned / unmanned air, submarine and surface vehicles together with up
to 11 'capability modules' in 20ft containers.

A range of appropriate weapons, sensor and radar systems can be fitted
to suit the required role and user requirements, rounding off BAE's
deliberately modular approach to design and integration to maximise
flexibility and facilitate upgrades as threats continue to develop.
MRV (Austal)
"At 80 metres long, it is less than half the length of the MRHD and
around two-thirds that of the Austal-designed US Navy's Independence-
Class littoral combat ship (LCS)."

Austal's MRV is another notable instance of adaptable, high-tech,
multirole craft design.

Considerably smaller than the preceding examples, it is based on the
company's unique and proven trimaran seaframe, blending impressive
speed and performance with unparalleled deck-space for a platform of
its size.

At 80 metres long, it is less than half the length of the MRHD and
around two-thirds that of the Austal-designed US Navy's Independence-
Class littoral combat ship (LCS), which shares the same three-hull
form. This has led some to describe it as an LCS 'on the cheap', but
despite the design similarities, operationally a fairer comparison
might be drawn with the earlier, and larger, RDN's Absalon-Class
vessels.

Onboard accommodation comprises 87 berths and the vessel has a range
of 4,500nm at 12 knots. Coupled with 500 square metres of mission
deck, 290 square metres of flight deck and hangar space for one NH-90
type helicopter, the extensive mission configurability of the MRV
offers significant offshore and littoral capacity in a relatively
small package, with all the inherent sea-keeping and efficiency
advantages of the trimaran hull-form.

While no single multirole vessel is ever likely to be able to out-
perform a specialist one for the given task - or replace a naval task
force, for that matter - the key advantage of the MRV lies in its
inherent flexibility and its ability to meet a wide range of needs,
adequately and in a timely manner.

Beyond its implications for the traditional role of naval force, and
aside from the ever-present need to be able to respond to disaster,
this in-built adaptability may also prove a significant benefit when
it comes to countering new threat scenarios as they evolve.

The allure of the MRV to the world's navies would seem assured for
some time to come.