High speed marine craft threat : buoyancy and stability requirements for a sub-launched weapon system

Abstract

Military intelligence has considered various coastal scenarios in which the submarine is the only platform -available to engage waterborne infiltration forces. Torpedoes are meant for large ships, and cruise missiles are strategic weapons not to be wasted on small craft. Therefore, the submarine does not have a weapons capability to engage and destroy high-speed marine craft (HSMC) that would be used for coastal infiltration. The most practical scenario would utilize a torpedo stow for a weapon system that would be tube launched, thus ensuring the maximum cruise missile capability of the submarine with a minimal sacrifice to anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The maintaining of the submarine's stealth will be paramount, therefore, an off-hull launcher is desired. The weapon *needs to be highly discriminative due to high shipping traffic in coastal waters. In all, the major factors associated with the design and employment of a sub-launched weapon system for engaging HSMC are the threat, the missile, the launcher and the deployment method. In a hostile coastal environment, there are numerous targets ranging from surface threats to air threats. Missile design is dependent on the threat and can be varied for different scenarios. However, the launcher and deployment of a tube launched weapon system are only restricted by the dimensions of the torpedo tube and the buoyancy and stability of the designed system. These parameters can be quantified and modeled. This thesis focused on designing a weapon system, SEABAT, to meet the basic buoyancy and stability requirements. The results of the SEABAT design prove its feasibility as a torpedo tube launched weapon system.