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VT unveils new FSC concept
Monday, 10 September, 2007
VT Shipbuilding (Stand 654), part of VT Group, has unveiled a novel design tailored to meet the lower end of the UK Royal Navy’s (RN) projected Future Surface Combatant (FSC) programme, intended to recapitalise the service’s frigate and minor war vessel fleet out to 2035. It has also outlined a radical financing and support option based on experience of leasing ships to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Under current plans, the FSC programme is expected to comprise three tiers of ships — known as C1, C2 and C3 — to replace the RN’s Type 22 and Type 23 frigates, plus existing mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels and survey ships.
VT is unveiling its new C3 Ocean Capable Patrol Vessel (OCPV) design at the DSEi exhibition and is proposing to introduce the first of the new class into service as early as 2012. VT is initially targeting the C3 Ocean requirement, which envisages an initial eight OCPVs able to deploy worldwide to fulfil tasks including minehunting, survey work and patrol duties.
Leveraging the basic hullform of the Project Khareef ocean patrol vessel (OPV) under contract for the Royal Navy of Oman, the company has conceived a 100m C3 design with a displacement of just over 3,000 tonnes. Dieselpowered, with a maximum speed of about 25 knots, the VT design would offer accommodation for up to 76. The ships would be built in steel but with provision for composite materials in areas such as the masts. The ships would essentially be compartmentalised by having the assets of a patrol vessel forward, while aft the ship would be equipped for its MCM and/or survey role.
In its patrol role, armament would include guns of 76mm or 30mm calibre and provision for surface-to-air missiles. MCM resources would provide a task force with front-line minehunting capability rather than having to wait for slower dedicated minehunting assets to arrive.
The C3 design includes the option for a flight deck to accommodate a helicopter up to Merlin size and a weather-protected working deck to accommodate four 11m rigid inflatables or unmanned surface vessels. These could be deployed either by ship’s crane or via a stern ramp that would include an integral launch and recovery system.
But perhaps the most innovative feature of the offering is that VT is using the financing and support model successfully employed for the RN’s River Class OPVs. As such, VT would own the C3 vessels and charter them to the MoD. VT export sales director Sym Taylor told the DSEi Show Daily: “It makes more economic sense for the customer to contract for the lease of these ships over 10 years, as opposed to five years for the Rivers. However, the principle would remain the same, with the customer saving capital expenditure by paying for use on the basis of VT guaranteeing and delivering the required capability.”
 C3 OCPV |