Defense Technology International - March 2008 - (Page 34)

WARFARE ATLAS ELEKTRONIK NAVAL DM2A4 test round is made ready for shipment by Atlas Elektronik factory in Germany. picture during its run. The Astra seeker can also be used as an additional remote sensor for the sub’s combat suite, which in the case of Portugal is supplied by competitor Atlas Elektronik. A little over a year ago, French battery specialist Saft was awarded a major contract by DCNS to supply advanced battery systems based on its aluminiumsilver oxide (Al-AgO) technology to power the Black Shark. DCNS assembles Al-AgO batteries into PB50 electric propulsion systems for Black Shark torpedoes that are sold to Chile, Malaysia and Portugal. The Saft Black Shark battery powers an electronically controlled, high-rpm. brushless motor that drives a skewed, multi-blade, pump-jet propulsor capable of speeds above 50 kt. for 15 min., during which time the weapon can cover 12.5 naut. mi. At slow speeds the range is signiﬁcantly greater. The battery also powers onboard control, guidance and countermeasure systems. Aluminum-silver oxide was the selected technology that came out of a late-1980s joint feasibility program between France, Germany and Italy to deﬁne a new electric propulsion system for heavyweight torpedoes. Germany decided to stay with silver-zinc technol34 ogy, but France and Italy embraced the new system. According to Saft, this is because for the same mass and volume, an Al-AgO system delivers twice as much energy and power as a conventional AgZn battery—a claim that Atlas disputes. Al-AgO batteries also have a long, maintenance-free storage life—up to 12 years. Saft claims it is the only battery manufacturer with Al-AgO technology. Of the other main players in heavyweight torpedoes, BAE Systems has focused on developing upgrades for the high-performance Spearfish anti-submarine/antishipping weapon it supplied for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines. These are mostly shallow-water versions. Spearﬁsh is a high-end, high-cost, high-security system. Mainly for these reasons BAE, the owner until 2006 of Atlas Elektronik, left the export ﬁeld to its German subsidiary. BAE handed over the ﬁnal series production Spearfish in November 2003, signaling the end of a £677-million (currently $1.3-billion), nine-year contract for the Underwater Systems Div. in Waterlooville, Hampshire, England. Spearﬁsh will be in service with the Royal Navy until 2025. According to BAE, Spearﬁsh has proven to be a “quiet, intelligent weapon with unsurpassed speed, endurance and maneuverability.” Saab Underwater Systems has been manufacturing the hydrogen peroxidefueled Torpedo 2000 heavyweight system, which arms Swedish navy submarines. The 6-meter-long weapon weighs 1,450 kg., runs at more than 45 kt., and has a range of over 50 km. Saab claims it can destroy or disable all types of surface vessels or submarines, and operates in very shallow or very deep (below 500 meters) waters. Raytheon has the largest customer base of any heavyweight torpedo manufacturer, due to the fact that the U.S. Navy and several allied navies (including Australia and the Netherlands) use its Mk 48. Raytheon is the sole-source design contractor and producer of the Mk 48 Adcap (advanced capability) and upgrades. The latest Mk 48 Adcap version, the Mod 6 AT (advanced technology) torpedo, is designed to handle threats in littoral and deep waters. Based on proven Mk 48 components, the 5.86-meter-long, 1,572-kg. Mod 6 AT is claimed to be e ective and low in total ownership cost. The torpedo uses Mk 48 Adcap sonar, guidance and control, an electrical power system and quieting technology to maximize e ectiveness and reduce cost. The torpedo is capable of autonomous operation or control via wirelink. The Mod 6 AT features state-of-the-art sonar and an advanced digital signal processor for improved low-Doppler target detection and a search volume of over 1.6 billion cubic meters. Software-based guidance and control enables autonomous operation, ﬁre-and-forget tactics, simultaneous multiple-target engagement and close-in attack. Mk 48 Adcap quieting technology applied to the Mk 48 Mod 4 propulsion system reduces self-noise enough to enable covert deployment and minimize detection. All Mk 48 torpedoes use Otto Fuel II as a propellant. Raytheon says that the storable fuel, which expands to gas to drive a turbine or swashplate engine, is “an inexpensive and safe alternative to hydrogen peroxide-based fuels and electric propulsion,” based on 30 years of use in U.S. submarines. According to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Otto Fuel II is a distinct-smelling, reddish-orange, oily liquid, a mixture of propylene glycol dinitrate (the major component), 2-nitrodiphenylamine and dibutyl sebacate. Raytheon adds that the Mod 6 AT is designed for occupational safety, can be safely stored for decades, and its use does not require special construction or isolation. “Otto Fuel II is a stable, safe, high-energy-density fuel providing longrange capability.” The U.S. Navy supports spiral software improvement for the Mk 48 Adcap torpedo via the Advanced Processor Build system. This promotes the competitive selection of software algorithms for maturation, test and weapon integration during periodic software block upgrades. The Navy backs Mk 48 Adcap Mod 6 AT supportability through 2026, Raytheon says. I To see additional photos, go to DTI’s homepage, AviationWeek.com/dti, and click on ‘Extras for this issue’ under ‘DTI Interactive.’ AviationWeek.com/dti DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2008 http://www.aviationweek.com/dti http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

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Defense Technology International - March 2008 Contents Sweden Cancels SEP; Israel Launches Imaging Satellite; Geotextiles Secure Ammo Dump U.S. Navy Taps Neural Architecture Software to Assure Job Satisfaction Shrapnel-Like Pieces of Reactive Materials Increase Explosive Force of Bombs Technology is Rapidly Closing the Gap Between Sensors and Shooters Italian Army Program Aims to Develop a Fully Networked Land Force Political and Military Uncertainties Plague U.S. Defense Budget Democrats Put Pentagon on Notice Over Spending and Policy at DTAR Conference Russian Combat Vehicle Protects Tank Formations from Anti-Armor Weapons European Battlelabs Use Simulation to Verify Technologies and Stretch Defense Funds Malaysia Accelerates Fleet Modernization to meet Long-Term Goals U.S. Navy Says Composite Raiding Boat May Reduce Injuries From Wave Shocks Seeing Isn’t Believing When it Comes to Deciphering Funds for Secret Projects Advances in Sensors and Propulsion Make Torpedoes Ever More Lethal FAA is in No Rush to Approve Rules that Let UAVs Fly in Civil Airspace USS Truman Carrier Strike Group Patrols a Rough Neighborhood 24/7 U.S. says Sino-Russian Space Disarmament Plan is Riddled with Pitfalls Hyperspeed Projectile; “Sound Cloak” Hides Subs; Improving Nuclear Forensics Dutch Air Commodore Theo ten Haaf Analyzes the Impact of Rotary-Wing Operations One Soldier’s War is a Behind-the-Headlines Look at Russia’s Campaigns in Chechnya Black Budgets are Huge and Growing, and Often Conceal Amazing Failures

Defense Technology International - March 2008

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