Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 1993-09 The technology revolution at sea: a case study of small combatants Clarke, Stephen M. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/26294 iOXUBl ! 3TGRADUATE SCHOOI f CA 9: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION AT SEA: A CASE STUDY OF SMALL COMBATANTS by Stephen M. Clarke Lieutenant, United States Navy B.S. University of Southern California, 1986 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 1993 Department of National Security Affairs 11 . Unclassified SECURJTY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE i a. REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION lb. restrictive markings Unclassified —Unclassified 2aT SECURITY cTaSsTfTcTTIoT7 AUTHORITY J. D I S TRIBUTION/ AVAILABILITY OF REPORT - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. "2b IX:Us^IHCAT10N/DOWNURAMNG^UIEDULE PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) T.—MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUmBER(S) NaME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION &. OFFICE SYMBOL 7a. NaME OF MONITORING 0RGaNI2aT1oN Naval Postgraduate School (If Applicable) Naval Postgraduate School 38 6c. ADDRESS (city, state, and ZIP code) IS. ADDRESS (city, state, and ZIP code) Monterey, CA 93943-5000 Monterey,onterey, CALA v93943-5000394 j-mxxj 8a. NAME OF FUNDING/SPONSORING A. OFFICE SYMBOL 7.—PROCimEMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMbkk ORGANIZATION (If Applicable) "87 ADDRESS (city, state, and ZIP code) id. SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT TXSTT WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. 1 1. TITLE (Include Security Classification) THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION AT SEA: A CASE STUDY OF SMALL COMBATANTS. (U) ii. PERSONAL AUTHoR(S) Clarke , S tenhen M 13a. TYPE OF REPORT 13b. TIME COVERED 14. DATE OF REPORT (year, monikday) 15. PAGE COUNT Master's Thesis FROM TO 1993 September ma 16. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. TT COsaTI CODES IS" SUBJECT TERMS (continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) "FTeTd- GROUT 5UBGROUP Warships, Corvette, Light Frigate 19! ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) The U.S. Navy's doctrine "..Prom 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 anti- ship 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. 16. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21 . ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASS I FI CATION X UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED D SAME AS Unclassified RPT. J DT1C USERS 25a. NaME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL Ilk TELEPHONE flnclude Area lie. OFFICE SYMBOL JAN S. BREEMER Code) Code NS/BE (408) 656-3486 1 bb t'okM Tm 84 MAR 83 APR edition may be used until exhausted SECURITY CLASsWATONOF THIgPAGL All other editions are obsolete Unclassified ABSTRACT The U.S. Navy's 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 anti-ship 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. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 4 C. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH 5 H. WARSHIP ACQUISITION IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD 7 A. POST WORLD WAR II 7 1. Infant Navies 8 2. The Introduction of Cruise Missiles 8 a. Early Developments 10 b. Introduction of Styx Missiles 10 c. Early Platforms 11 d. First Kill 11 e. Overall Effort 12 B. CURRENT AND PROJECTED TRENDS 14 1. The World Since 1989 14 2. Limitations of FAC's and FPB's 14 3. Defining Corvettes and Frigates 16 4. Current Warship Programs 17 5. What the Future Holds 18 IV STGRAJ m. HISTORY OF CORVETTES/LIGHT FRIGATES 1.. 19 A. WORLD WARE 19 1. British Corvettes and Frigates 19 2. U.S. Escorts 21 B. POST WAR PERIOD 24 1. Conversions 24 2. Transfers of World War II Escorts 24 3. Corvette/Light Frigate Programs 1945-1965 26 4. Corvette/Light Frigate Programs 1965-1980 26 5. Corvette/Light Frigate Programs 1980-Present 27 C. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL: ISRAELI SA'AR 5 29 1. Design Requirements 29 2. Weapons Fit 31 3. Countermeasures 31 4. Electronics 32 D. CONCLUSION 33 IV. HULLS, WEAPONS, AND SIGNATURE MANAGEMENT 35 A. SHIP HULLS 35 1. Increases in Size 35 2. Modular Equipment Concepts 38 a. Blohm+Voss MEKO Designs 39 (1) Design Concept 39 (2) Advantages 39 (3) Initial Platforms 40 (4) Improvements 40 (5) The Future 41 b. STANDARD FLEX 300 Designs 41 (1) Background 41 (2) Mission Profiles 42 3. Alternative Hull Concepts 42 4. Producer Nations 43 B. SURFACE-TO-SURFACE ANTI-SHIP CRUISE MISSILES 43 1. Overview 43 2. Diffusion of Suppliers 44 3. Current Capabilities and Distribution 46 a. Exocet 46 b. Harpoon 48 c. Other Anti-ship Missiles 49 4. Supersonic SSMs 49 a. TheANS 49 b. Chinese Programs 50 5. Missile Associated Radars 51 C. SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEMS 51 1. Area Defense Missile Systems 52 2. Point Defense Missile Systems 52 D. NAVAL GUNS 55 1. Medium Caliber Guns 55 a. Five Inch Guns 55 b. Three Inch Guns 56 VI c. Other Sizes 57 2. Point Defense Gun Systems 57 a. 20-mm to30-mm Systems 57 b. Heavier than 30-mm Systems 58 3. Overall 59 E. SIGNATURE MANAGEMENT 59 1. Radar Reflectivity Management 61 a. Hull Shaping 61 b. RAM Materials 63 2. Acoustic Quieting 64 3. IR Management 64 4. Swedish Smyge 65 F. CONCLUSION 66 V. ELECTRONIC AND COMMAND DECISION SYSTEMS 68 A. ELECTRONICS 68 B. ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS 68 1. Defining Electronic Warfare 68 2. Producers and Consumers 69 3. Chaff and Decoy Launchers 71 a. Chaff Techniques 71 b. Other Decoys 72 4. Electronic Counter-Measure Devices 72 C RADAR SYSTEMS 74 1. Radar Basics 74 vn 2. LPI Technology 75 a. Uses for "Quiet" Radars 75 b. Operational Systems 76 (1) PILOT Covert Naval Radar 76 (2) SCOUT 77 D. ELECTRO-OPTIC SYSTEMS 77 E. COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS 78 1. Definition 78 2. Purpose 78 3. Fire Control Systems 79 4. Centralized vs. Distributed 79 a. Centralized Systems 80 b. Federated Systems 80 c. Distributed Systems 82 5. Current Systems 85 F. CONCLUSION 86 VI. CONCLUSIONS 87 A. CONCLUSIONS 88 LIST OF REFERENCES 90 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 93 vin LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1. INVENTORIES OF IMPORTED SEA LAUNCHED SSMs HELD BY SELECTED COUNTRIES 13 TABLE 2. WORLD WAR 2 BRITISH ESCORTS 21 TABLE 3. TRANSFERS OF BRITISH AND CANADIAN ESCORTS TO OTHER NAVIES 22 TABLE 4. AMERICAN DESTROYER ESCORTS (DE) OF WORLD WAR II .. 23 TABLE 5. TRANSFERS OF USN DEs TO OTHER NAVIES 25 TABLE 6. CURRENT CORVETTE /LIGHT FRIGATE DESIGNS 28 TABLE 7. EXPORTED ANTI-SHIP MISSILES AND THE COUNTRIES REPORTEDLY DEPLOYING THEM 45 TABLE 8. EXOCET CHARACTERISTICS 47 TABLE 9. CHINESE SUPERSONIC SSMs UNDER DEVELOPMENT 50 TABLE 10. PRINCIPLE POINT DEFENSE MISSILES 54 TABLE 11. CLOSE-IN-WEAPON SYSTEMS (20-MM TO 30-MM) 58 TABLE 12. TFnRD WORLD COUNTRIES WITH EW CAPABILITY 70 IX LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Growth of Third-World States and Navies 9 Figure 2. Space Allocation Differences Sa'ar 5 vs. Typical Warship 30 Figure 3. Corvette vs. FAC Acquisition Patterns 37 Figure 4. Methods of Hull Shaping to Reduce Radar Cross Section (RCS).... 62 Figure 5. Centralised Combat Direction System 81 Figure 6. Distributed Combat Direction System 83 Figure 7. Hughes H930 Mod 4 Modular Distributed Combat Direction System 84 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This thesis traces the origins of corvette and light frigate-size warships since World War II, with emphasis on their technological capabilities. Many of the navies formed after World War II acquired "second-hand" warships from the established "mature" navies. The ships which were made available were small compared to the newest ships entering the inventories of the mature fleets. Because of the level of sophistication available at the time, the larger fleets had little to fear from this horizontal proliferation of naval capabilities.