Steller Systems unveil ‘Fearless’ Multi Role Support Ship conceptFollowing confirmation that the Royal Navy’s MRSS programme will go ahead, Steller Systems has announced their Fearless concept as an alternative approach to the design and a starting point for discussion.
Fearless is designed not just to enable littoral strike operations but is relatively heavily armed and intended to survive in very contested A2AD environments. This is rather at odds with the RNs “non-complex warship” stated ambition for MRSS but is well worth considering.
Amphib
The 170m long vessel is approximately 15,500 tonnes at full load and has a capacity of around 800 lane-metres for vehicles, containers or off-board systems. (This compares with 1,200 LnM of the Bay class auxiliaries and 500 LnM for the Albion class LPDs). The vehicle deck is accessed by optional side-doors or the stern ramp but there is no well dock.
The stern ramp allows the launch and recovery of vessels up to 20m in length and 30 tonnes in weight. This could include Commando Insertion Craft, USVs, UUVs, XLUUVS or vehicles discharged onto mexeflotes or similar. While not as versatile as a well dock, this arrangement saves space and weight but can be safely utilised further offshore. Flooding down a vessel to use the dock is also only really viable in light sea states and low-risk environments.
Commando Insertion craft make use of the stern ramp while Steller System’s innovative Inflatable Launch and Recovery System (ILARS) is used to deploy USVs over the side.Upper deck space is available for up to 5 TEU containers/PODS or additional weapon systems. The hangar can accommodate two Merlin-sized helicopters or a mix of helicopters and UAS. Fearless can comfortably handle the mothership role already performed by the Bay class and support missions as varied as mine warfare, seabed warfare, ASW and Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief.
FastThe hull has been designed using Steller System’s HullTune optimisation suite to ensure the best balance between hydrodynamic efficiency and stability. Combined with an advanced propulsion system,
a mix of conventional shaft lines and azipods, the ship could achieve up to
30 knots – much faster than typical amphibious vessels. This turn of speed would enable the vessel to reposition rapidly to deliver raiding sorties across a broad theatre before then delivering effects to the beach. The vessel could then quickly leave the threat area to conduct other operations or reload with additional or alternative forces.
The propulsion system uses azipods and contra-rotating electrically driven shafts that combine with a hydrodynamically efficient hull design to allow the vessel to move at 30 knots whilst using less power than a Type 23 frigate.
Combined azipod and conventional shaft. The aizipod provides great manoeuvrability at low speed. At high speed they are locked and steering is via the rudder on the centreline (Photo: Navy Lookout).
ArmedThe heavy armament indicated in the concept comprises two medium-calibre guns. The 127mm Mk4 would enable Naval Gunfire Support while the 76mm Super Rapid is an all-rounder that can also offer air and missile defence with advanced ammunition. Additionally, there is a VLS silo indicated for various missile options. Close in defence is well covered with a mix of 30mm cannon, Phalanx CIWS and DragonFire LDEW mounts. This is complemented by a frigate-size primary radar and soft-kill defensive systems.
This is very much a concept only and if taken forward, would require much more detailed design work and nuanced equipment choices to be made by the customer. It might make more sense to align the equipment fit with Type 31 frigate and select the same weapons, sensors and CMS for commonality, reducing logistic support and training costs.
PositioningFearless is a hybrid design blending frigate armament with amphibious capabilities. Perhaps best summarised as a cross between an enlarged Danish Absalon-class logistics combatant and the BAE Systems’ Adaptable Strike Frigate concept. While the RN budget for MRSS is unlikely to stretch to such a heavy armament there is an argument that this approach would give the fleet much-needed additional surface combatant mass. When employed in the littoral strike role it could operate in higher-risk areas, reducing the need for precious escorts for protection. Fearless has been designed to disaggregate to smaller more capable vessels rather than as direct replacements for the Albion and Bay classes. More platforms creates more uncertainty in a mind of the adversary about where they may strike. The concept has also been developed with export in mind and the level of armament is entirely up to the customer.
The multi-role vessel concept will always be controversial as many argue it is better to build specialist ships rather then ‘jack of all trades’ platforms that trade excellence in a particular capability for flexibility. A vessel with this level of complexity would also require the skills of industrial partners with high-end combat system integration experience whereas a more bare-bones MRSS could be built by a wider number of shipbuilders.
Like the BMT Ellida concept, Fearless provides another useful option for discussion around MRSS and it is likely other entities will make proposals soon. Whether the MRSS design will emphasise aviation, logistics, armament, overall flexibility or be dictated primarily by budget parsimony remains to be seen.
(Imagery: Steller Systems)
https://www.navylookout.com/steller-systems-unveil-fearless-multi-role-support-ship-concept/
