VIRGINIA Class Payload Module Low-Cost Hybrid Fairings

The objective of this effort is to further refine and develop gateway technologies, techniques, and processes and demonstrate that cost effective design and manufacturing solutions are achievable with acceptable risk for faired structures fabricated from composite and/or hybrid material systems. This task addresses high priority defense and Navy needs, attacks pervasive manufacturing issues, and addresses manufacturing technology beyond the normal risk of industry. Several innovative technologies used either individually or in conjunction with one another, are under consideration for use in VIRGINIA Payload Module (VPN) configurations. Each would employ the use of enhanced composite materials with integrated stiffness and damping, or a combination thereof, to form the fairings that make up the boundary of the VPM. Active Office of Naval Research development efforts are being leveraged in support of this ManTech project.

Successful incorporation of the above technologies into the VPM design has the potential to provide significant acquisition and life-cycle savings to the VIRGINIA Class submarine (VCS) platform for Block V and following ships. Acquisitions savings have been estimated to be between $4 and $12M and life-cycle savings for all of the options included have been identified to be between $18.9M and $20.7M, depending on the options selected during the initial down-select. These values include the incorporation of composite fairings in conjunction with the hybrid fore/aft fairings. They also assume incorporation of these concepts in each of the 20 hulls remaining in the VIRGINIA Class starting with the SSN 802.

The component down-selection phase of this project is expected to be complete in 2016 to support VPM arrangement design schedules. Technology development was pursued during the initial six months of this effort and will entail four tasks that address requirements definition, material, and construction options, attachments and interfaces, and inspection and repair solutions. The fabrication of full-scale prototype(s) will be completed by fall of 2016. Over the subsequent months, technology demonstration will consist of two tasks that will identify critical aspects of the proposed solutions from Segment I as well as the development and manufacture of full-scale prototype(s). After successful completion of the project, technology will be incorporated into the design of the VCS VPM. It is expected that it will also facilitate consideration for similar technology insertion into OR Class components and structures of comparable design/function. Implementation targets are SSN 802 and VCS Block V.

*Prepared under ONR Contract xxxxxx-xx-x-xxxx as part of the Navy ManTech Program.

*DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. DCN# xxxx-xxx-xx