Warship Technology – News

Unstable design has stalled construction and compromised schedule for US Navy’s next-generation frigate

Unstable design has stalled construction and compromised schedule for US Navy’s next-generation frigate

The US Navy embarked on construction of its latest frigate design before the design was finalised, a decision that is creating ongoing problems. Design of the US Navy’s FFG 62 Constellation-class multi-mission frigate – a programme it embarked on because of failures in its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme – has slowed and construction has […]

Babcock, Saab collaborate on Sweden’s future surface combatants

Babcock, Saab collaborate on Sweden’s future surface combatants

Babcock has been selected by Saab to support the design of the Swedish Navy’s new Luleå-class surface combatant. Saab, which was commissioned by the FMV, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, will design four ships for the Swedish Navy. Babcock will initially provide engineering support, including structural design and auxiliary systems, supporting Saab to complete the […]

Topside testing initiated of second electromagnetic launcher for Ford-Class carriers

Topside testing initiated of second electromagnetic launcher for Ford-Class carriers

In February 2024, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) confirmed that its Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) had initiated topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on the US Navy’s aircraft carrier John F Kennedy (CVN 79). EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the US Navy’s Nimitz-class […]

Naval Group selected by the Netherlands for Walrus Class submarine replacement programme

Naval Group selected by the Netherlands for Walrus Class submarine replacement programme

The Netherlands Ministry of Defence has provisionally selected Naval Group – offering its Black Sword Barracuda design – to deliver a replacement submarine capability to succeed the Royal Netherlands Navy’s current Walrus-class boats. Announcing the decision on 15 March 2024, State Secretary for Defence Christophe van der Maat said that the French naval shipbuilding, support […]

AUKUS submarine build and sustainment partners announced

AUKUS submarine build and sustainment partners announced

The Australian government has selected BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd to jointly build Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines in the latest significant development in the AUKUS trilateral security pact. SSN-AUKUS is a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) being developed in partnership with the US and Australia to satisfy the needs of […]

Indonesian Government to acquire UK submarine rescue system

Indonesian Government to acquire UK submarine rescue system

A British company, Submarine Manufacturing and Products (SMP), a manufacturer and supplier of diving and subsea rescue equipment, has been awarded a contract to provide its new submarine rescue system to the Indonesian Navy. The rescue system will be hosted on a mothership designed by independent design and engineering consultancy Houlder and delivered by its Indonesian strategic […]

Cavitation-eliminating boss cap could provide big gains in efficiency

Cavitation-eliminating boss cap could provide big gains in efficiency

What is described as a ‘revolutionary’ propeller hub vortex cavitation-eliminating boss cap has successfully completed validation tests at a hydrodynamic research centre in Sweden. The propeller hub – which could provide gains in propulsive efficiency for a wide range of vessels, including warships – will now undergo ship model basin trials to verify the efficiency […]