High-speed sealift technology

This paper describes a process that is currently being used within DoD and industry to examine the possibilities offered by technology to enhance the transport performance of high-speed commercial and military sealift. Technology projections are presented for both the near-term and the far-term. The impact of technology projections on transport performance properties is assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. These assessments provide significant insight into the overall transport performance potential of hullforms and other technologies of interest, considerably in advance of detailed design studies. The quantitative assessment uses a derivation of the empirical method published by Kennell [1](4), which provides simple parametric relationships between mission requirements, expressed in terms of speed, range and payload, and design characteristics, expressed in terms of displacement, installed power and fuel weight, to compare the various hullforms and other technologies of interest. The qualitative assessment applies an established decision-making method to ascertain the relative capabilities and relative risks of hullforms and other technologies of interest for significant aspects of sea transport, other than speed, range and payload. While the methods used are generic, the data selected and results presented are aimed at ships capable of rapidly transporting heavy cargo over long distances.