Alliance to construct new aircraft carriers

A tripartite alliance involving BAE Systems, Thales UK and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will be responsible for building two new aircraft carriers in a £2.7 billion ($4.3 billion) future carrier programme for the Royal Navy. This follows an announcement in January by Britain?s Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon MP, that BAE Systems and Thales UK will join in an ?alliance? with the MoD to build the carriers which are planned to enter service in 2012 and 2015. The two vessels are expected to displace around 60,000t each and will be the largest and most powerful surface warships ever built in the UK.

Each of the bids submitted by the two companies had particular strengths and, following detailed analysis of the proposals by the MoD, it was decided to harness the best aspects of each bid and create an ?alliance? led by BAE Systems as the prime contractor responsible for project and shipbuilding management, while Thales UK would be the key supplier for the whole ship design.

The MoD will participate in the three way alliance, managing appropriate risks and contingencies, as well as ensuring the provision of necessary assets such as trained manpower and aircraft. Work will now be carried through to spring 2004, when the final investment decision for the program is scheduled.

The design chosen is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the twin island lay-out submitted by the Thales team. This design was developed by Bath-based BMT Defence Services which, despite the fine balance between the competing bids for the aircraft carriers, has consistently been reported as technically superior and offering the more innovative solution.

It is currently envisaged that building work for the two carriers would involve four shipyards: BAE Systems at Govan, Vosper Thornycroft at Portsmouth, Swan Hunter on Tyneside and Babcock BES at Rosyth. The latter yard will be the final assembly facility where the large fully outfitted blocks will be joined together.

Other shipyards may become involved in due course, while Rolls-Royce is expected to provide the gas turbine engines, either the WR-21 rated at 25MW or the MT30 rated at 36MW. These turbines will be located in widely separated generator spaces and are likely to power an integrated full electric propulsion (IFEP) arrangement where a common power system is used for both propulsion and ship?s services.

Although no decision has been made regarding the final propulsion system, there is a strong possibility that podded propulsors will be used consisting of two azimuthing and two fixed units. An alternative solution could involve a system consisting of twin shaft propellers and two azimuthing pods.

An important aspect of this project is that it involves the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and the application of technology from other programmes, such as the Type 45 Destroyer and from other industries, such as commercial aviation and commercial shipbuilding. This innovative approach is claimed to produce solutions that add real value for money throughout the life of the aircraft carriers, which are envisaged to give the Royal Navy some 50 years of service.