Future Surface Combatant (FSC)
In November 2004 the MOD cancelled the FSC project as it had been envisaged until that point. The DPA announced on 25 November 2004 that it was developing ideas for a possible two-class solution to the requirement for a multipurpose warship, having decided not to proceed with the FSC as originally planned. The FSC concept had grown continuously in size, tonnage, scope, capabilities, technology, sophistication and projected cost since its origin as simply the next class of frigate to succeed the Type 23.
The Future Surface Combatant (FSC) program was not cancelled. However, the project is being reviewed together with all other military maritime programmes as part of the Maritime Coherence study, and a range of options is being considered. The project is still in its concept phase and no decision has yet been taken about the time scale for delivering the FSC capability, nor about the platform solution.
The two class solution would include the Versatile Surface Combatant, expected to enter service around 2023, and a 'Military Off The Shelf' variant known as the Medium Sized Vessel Derivative expected to enter service between 2016–19.
Two major new developments to come with the FSC are the possible incorporation of a trimaran hull and the implementation of electric motors to power the ship.
A trimaran (three-hulled) ship would be a high profile, revolutionary design that would offer the benefits of being more stable in rougher sea states, more efficient in the water (less drag) and give more deck space to install weapons systems and allow more area for landing helicopters on the flight deck. As well as being more comfortable for the crew operating the FSC, greater stability allows communications equipment to be stored higher in the ship, which would improve the performance of the transmitters and receivers.
The other alternative is a monohull based around the existing Type 45 hull. There would be significant financial savings by converting this current design for the FSC.
The other major technological breakthrough the Royal Navy could benefit from is the use of Electric Propulsion motors. Defence Procurement Minister Baroness Symons said: "The introduction of electric ship propulsion may be as significant as the change from sail to steam. It could mean the warships and submarines of the future would be more effective, would be better places for their crews to live and work on, and would be built and operated at a lower cost to the taxpayer. The work now underway will place the Royal Navy and the French Navy at the forefront of this exciting technological development.
Priot to cancellation, plans envisaged a new class of surface combatant which will enter service from around 2013 when the later Type 22 and Type 23 frigates pay off. The UK expected a contract for the Future Surface Combatant to be placed with a prime contractor in 2007 following competition. The FSC should benefit from the innovative ideas arising from the Type 45 and CVF procurements and it will also exploit emergent technical innovations and concurrent engineering practice to achieve SMART procurement objectives. The cost of replacing 20 Type 22/23 frigates in the Royal Navy after 2010 falls within the responsibility of the Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The pre-design stages of the Future Surface Combatant began with Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) undertaking trials with the only steel construction powered trimaran in the world, the 90-meter long RV Triton. This was to see whether a trimaran design would be more suitable for any future warships. Other designs being considered for FSC is a ship modeled on either basic Type 45 hull or another mono-hull but fitted out for anti surface (ship and ground) and Anti submarine warfare.
Ship operational considerations comprise mission profiles and operational requirements. Mission duration is 45 days. From historical data, it is estimated that the FSC will spend 22% of its time in refit, 41% at sea, 14% in maintenance, and 23% in other activities.
UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) concept architecture for ship Integrated Full Electric propulsion (IFEP) is already partially implemented on the British Royal Navy's Type 23 and SRMH [FMP1] classes. The first of the MOD's Future Surface Combatant (FSC), with the fully-implemented IFEP, is scheduled for delivery in 2010.
