The technology revolution at sea: a case study of small combatants

Abstract

The U.S. Navy doctrine '...From the Sea' anticipates that future naval confrontations will likely occur in the littoral regions of the world in support of operations ashore. One of the challenges facing naval forces are corvette or light frigate warships incorporating advanced technologies. In this thesis, a review of the historical developments of these limited displacement warships is presented. World War 2 escorts of the Allied forces formed the backbone of many of the navies which formed after the war. Technological improvements have allowed corvettes and light frigates to develop from being ships of limited capabilities to being the capital ship for smaller navies. It was determined that while more countries, particularly Pacific Rim countries, are producing warships, the number of producers of technologically advanced weapons and sensors is still primarily limited to the countries of Western Europe. The antiship missile is expected to continue as the primary weapon, however, its capabilities are going to increase as higher speeds, lower radar cross sections, and passive seekers are incorporated.