ONR And Lockheed Martin Announce Cooperative Agreement For Advanced Hull Form Demonstration
BALTIMORE, MD, April 10th, 2001 -- Lockheed Martin's Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Marine Systems (NE&SS) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) have announced a ground-breaking cooperative agreement to jointly demonstrate ONR funded technologies which have been embodied in a revolutionary new ship called SLICE. The name SLICE refers to how the ship moves through rough waters. The ship has an advanced hullform that provides for outstanding stability and speed in high sea states. This unique hullform is a variant on SWATH (Small Water-Plane Area Twin-Hull) technology and has four separate underwater hulls that provide buoyancy, propulsion, and excellent hydrodynamic efficiencies. The ship is controlled by a patented PC-based canard and stabilizer steering and motion control system. This revolutionary ship has potential applications in both military and commercial markets.
West Coast cities currently under consideration for port visits from May to October of 2001 include Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, and San Diego. SLICE is expected to participate in the Seattle SEAFAIR Festival and Fleet Week events in San Francisco and San Diego. Navy League organizations in each city will be recruited to help host the ship and coordinate some of its activities. ONR and Lockheed Martin are still in the planning stages to continue the SLICE tour in 2002 along the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts, and in 2003 through the Great Lakes region.
"This is an exciting opportunity for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps because the visits allow us to demonstrate the products of our significant investments in advanced ship design technology, hydrodynamics, electric drive, advanced materials, sensors, electronics and other related disciplines. This tour will also give a boost to the Navy's new 'Accelerate Your Life' recruiting campaign," said Rear Adm. Jay Cohen, Chief of Naval Research.
Dale Bennett, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin NE&SS-Marine Systems in Baltimore said, "We look forward to partnering with ONR to demonstrate the benefits of cutting-edge ship technologies that are flowing from these two organizations. More importantly, we want to help ONR demonstrate the positive influence that science and technology programs like the electric drive and SLICE will have on future ship designs, improving the crew's quality of life, and the new and exciting missions that will be possible using these technologies."
Thomas Greer, Lockheed Martin NE&SS-Marine Systems
Telephone: 410-682-1140; Email: thomas.greer@lmco.com
Captain Dan Dayton, USNR, Office of Naval Research
Telephone: 703-588-2396; Email: daytond@onr.navy.mil
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