Highly Automated Testbed for Future Technologies
Navantia has unveiled SMART 8000, the latest design in its range of concepts for future ships at the Indo-Pacific 2022 exhibition.
According to Juan Antonio Clemente Fernandez from the company’s Engineering Digital Transformation, Ship Concept Design Office, the SMART 8000 is an 8-10,000t “light frigate,” intended to be a testbed for future technologies that may be introduced within a 10-year horizon. It builds on Navantia’s SMART 4000 mid-sized 4,000t surface combatant concept, launched last year. In SMART 8000, there are some similarities to the US Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyer with the tumblehome bow design, reduced radar cross-section, smaller bulb, and enclosed weapons spaces.
SMART 8000 is 162m long, with a draft of less than 6m and a maximum speed of 27-30kt depending on the propulsion arrangement. Range is 6,000nmi at economic speeds.
Fernandez told MON that the design hosts more automated systems, has a reduced complement of 120 and has features enabling it to act as a mothership for a variety of unmanned systems. It has pod propulsion and uses a new shaft line arrangement from Voith.
SMART 8000 is a multi-mission platform that can undertake a variety of roles, including ASW, AAW, ASuW and BMD operations. The model features two compartments for VLS cells, a 5in gun forward, with a large flight deck at the stern that can be accessed by a shiplift from below, where helicopters and unmanned systems are stored – a change from the more common topside hangar arrangement on most warships. The intention is to combine manned helicopter and UAS operations. Meanwhile, a stern door can be used to launch and recover unmanned surface or underwater vehicles, and there are side doors on either side for launch and recovery of unmanned systems or RHIBs.
The combat system is developed around the company’s C4IP concept, with an integrated bridge and combat information centre amidships. Navantia is proposing variants of its Integrated Service System modular cabin accommodation, currently at the prototype stage and to be fitted into the Spanish Navy’s new F110 frigate.
Fernandez emphasised that crew comfort and connectivity are going to become more important as future generations of sailors will want to have communications with home when on deployment. This means that there is wireless installed in the rooms, within an adaptive lighting module that is also larger, with en-suite wash facilities and large screens that act as virtual windows. “The idea is to minimise the differences between the ranks,” he explained.
Tim Fish reporting from Sydney for MON
