IMDEX Asia: ST Marine lifts veil on new platforms
is highlighting its latest Endurance 170 design, a landing helicopter assault (LHA) ship that measures 170m long, at IMDEX Asia 2017. It is an evolution of the Endurance 160, of which a scale model was on display.
Far more capable than the currently operated by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), ST Marine said it had a ‘potential customer’ for the Endurance 170. While the shipbuilder would not be drawn on who its client was, the RSN has talked since 2014 of acquiring a larger Joint Multi-Mission Ship.
There are five landing spots on the LHA’s full-length 4,200m² flight deck, plus a below-deck hangar deck can accommodate ten medium-sized helicopters.
Tan Ching Eng, senior vice president of ST Marine’s engineering design centre II, said, to save deployment time, helicopter rotor blades can be fully deployed before the aircraft ascend either of the LHA’s two elevators.
The Endurance 170 has a full load displacement of 19,000t, is 170m in length and 30.8m in width. Its ship crew numbers 140 plus 150 for the air crew. It can also carry up to 400 troops. Maximum speed is listed as 20kt, its range as 7,000nm and an endurance of 30 days.
The well deck can accommodate four landing craft plus up to 17 tanks on the vehicle deck. Another deck can fit 16 30t armoured vehicles. A 1,000m² medical facility, with three operating theatres, ten intensive care unit beds and 17 wards, is integral to the design.
Weaponry being promulgated, dependent on customer preference, includes a 76mm gun, 30mm remote-control weapon systems, close-in weapon systems and a vertical-launch missile system.
ST Marine is also promoting its Vanguard series encompassing an 80m patrol vessel, 95m naval research and support vessel, 105m OPV and 120m frigate. The company said the series of platforms ‘deliver multiple modular capabilities with one design’.
This commonality reduces design and engineering costs, allows a focus on mission systems development and reduces acquisition and life-cycle costs.
The newest design still being developed in-house is a 120m frigate with stealth characteristics, for which the Singapore shipbuilder is looking for a ‘launch customer’ and is fielding ‘ongoing enquiries’.
A feature offered on the Vanguard series is what ST Marine calls an Integrated Modular Mast (IMM) that optimises performance, minimises electromagnetic interference and enhances safety, according to Tan. This IMM can fit on any vessel of the class, reducing a ship’s radar cross-section in the process.
Also on offer for its family of naval vessels is ST Marine’s proprietary ship management system that employs open architecture and commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software. According to Sim Chee Chong, assistant director of EDC – automation at ST Marine, it ‘provides centralised control and monitoring of platform sensors and systems’.
Nerva manages all aspects of ship systems such as fire-fighting, propulsion and electrical system. As well as fixed consoles, a mobile tablet version is available to give the commander or other senior officers better situational awareness.
Another key aspect of Nerva is its sense-making system ‘able to perform equipment health monitoring and predictive diagnostics on platform machinery’. It converts data analysis into predictive advisory actions for the crew too by predicting component failure.
All kinds of data is sent ashore for monitoring and to allow fleet-wide analytics. In the event of a fire, for instance, an automatic SMS and email is sent to alert personnel ashore.
While Nerva can be retrofitted to vessels, it is particularly well suited to new-build ships.
