This past May, U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts, Sue C. Payton, met with Singapore's Minister of Defense, Teo Chee Hean, to hand over a 7-meter Spartan Scout unmanned surface vessel (USV) for testing by Singapore.
Spartan unmanned vessels are products of an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and developed through international cooperation between the United States, France, and Singapore. An earlier version of the system was successfully employed aboard the cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) during her 2003 deployment to the Persian Gulf.
Spartan unmanned vessels are now being tested in 7 and 11-meter designs that have an endurance of 8 and 11 hours respectively, can carry 3,000 or 5,000 pound payloads and are capable of maximum speeds of over 32 knots for the smaller craft and 40+ knots for the 11-meter design. Currently, the French defense research agency, La Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA), is testing an anti-submarine warfare variant equipped with the FLASH dipping sonar. The United States and Singapore are testing an ISR Force Protection variant armed with advanced sensors and a .50 caliber machine gun (right) while a mine warfare variant, fitted with the AQS-14/AQS-24 mine countermeasures sonar is also undergoing testing. Spartan and other USVs will likely become a common sight aboard future generations of naval craft, including the littoral combat ship.
In recent months, the internet has played host to dozens of low-resolution digital photographs depicting a new type of Chinese guided missile attack craft. Though details remain sketchy, it seems that the first of a new class of fast patrol craft, numbered 2208, was launched during April 2004 at Qiuxin Shipyard in Shanghai. Since 2004, at least three gray-hulled sister ships numbering 2209, 2210, and 2211 have also been sighted. It is clear that these new vessels are optimized for high speed and stealthy, short-range maritime operations. Sources indicate that up to thirty craft are now planned, with construction to take place at five different Chinese shipyards. The vessels are apparently fitted with at least one 30-mm gun and perhaps four anti-ship missiles. Though some reports indicate that the class carries a short-range surface-to-air missile system, none appears fitted in plain sight in any of the available photographs. With an estimated length of 50 meters and a top speed of 45 knots, the Chinese ships are half the size, though similar in appearance, to several Australian designed high-speed catamarans (such as the experimental Joint Venture) recently popularized by U.S. Navy transformation efforts.
During the first few months of 2005, the Turkish Navy celebrated the commissioning of two important warships. The fourth Kiliç-class guided missile patrol combatant, Tufan, illustrated right, entered Turkish service in May. Though initially delivered in 2003 by German shipbuilder Friedrich Lürssen Werft, Tufan underwent two years of sea trials and systems integration prior to her commissioning. She is the fourth of a ten-ship class to enter service. Meanwhile, Alanya, the first of the six-ship Alanya-class of coastal minehunters, was commissioned into Turkish service in February 2005. She took part in joint maritime operations throughout the springtime before sailing for Turkish waters in June.
Combat Fleets
By Eric Wertheim, Editor, <i>Combat Fleets of the World</i>