A procurement project for floating platforms is usually a longer-term project in the armaments process and stands in contrast to the volatile security situation that has become the "new normal" in the last 10 years.
On the one hand, users must anticipate geopolitical developments when formulating their capability requirements, and on the other hand, procurement must take into account the current status of the users' day-to-day business. New ship designs such as the MKS 180/F 126 take into account the needs with increased modularity, which promise far greater operational flexibility.
The "Team Germany" - an association of several German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - has taken up the need for this high flexibility in order to design a modular capability carrier for the Navy. This can be used in the context of LV/BV, national risk and crisis management. The ability carrier also enables further growth potential to meet future challenges.
The team's fundamental belief is that combat boats of this size class that are available on the market cannot meet either today's or future requirements and threats.
A current example of the changing tactical threat situation is the first massive use of drones in the Armenian conflict. Sources are available reports and videos in which air defense systems classified as modern could be successfully combated by drones - despite activated radar systems. This threat is real and exists not only in the context of Area Access/Area Denial (A2AD) scenarios in the maritime environment, but also in asymmetric conflicts involving well-equipped militias without their own naval capabilities. Due to the range of these drones, such airstrikes also pose a serious risk for seagoing units. Boats available on the market currently do not – from the point of view of “Team Germany” – offer an effective approach against these threats.
Key technologies from Germany
The future threat situation results from far-reaching 3D surveillance, precise and low-delay point-to-point combat and closer surveillance, for example through locally effective electro-optical sensors. This requires a smart reconnaissance and combat platform. In this regard, the companies involved have incorporated their expertise in the realization of digital combat vehicles into the conception of the modular capability carrier. These new dangers loom particularly in operational areas of "confined and shallow waters", which are traditionally assigned to Operational Flotilla 1 in Kiel. As part of the LV/BV, the focus is now on the area of operation in the Baltic Sea again. With the geographical features of this region, a smart reconnaissance and combat platform can develop its full potential.
Right from the start, “Team Germany” viewed the boat platform as a means to an end, as a kind of nucleus of the concept of ABILITY TRÄGER and consistently developed it for modularity. With interchangeable or combinable (modular) capabilities, this capability carrier will offer a sustainable and assertive platform for current and foreseeable application scenarios that does not exist on the world market in this form. The focus of the team's considerations are initially the needs of the special forces.
A "base configuration" has already been designed to scaffold basic reconnaissance and weapons systems to survive in the field.
The concept is based on uniformly reduced ship signatures, especially in the areas of radar, infrared and acoustics. Flat sensor systems integrated into the superstructure (e.g. AESA radar surfaces embedded in the ship's side, each with 120° horizontal coverage) or extendable, passive sensor systems support this approach. The resulting reduction in self-signature and the ability for passive reconnaissance in broad areas of the electromagnetic and optical spectrum facilitate undetected deployment and tactically self-sufficient operations in the operational area.
The naval design of the platform represents a passive form of self-protection. Due to low signatures and a very low height above the waterline, the capability carrier represents a target that can hardly be hit by a "classic" anti-ship missile. For self-protection against guided "loitering munitions" are the integrated electronic support measures and electronic reconnaissance systems (EloUM and EloAufklSys) are provided. They take over the reconnaissance of the radio communication of the corresponding weapon type in order to then be able to initiate countermeasures.
reconnaissance ability
The modular integration of different sensors for a combined picture of the situation, such as AESA radar, EO sensors, laser, IR and radar warners, in conjunction with the available effectors (depending on the module configuration), provides an exceptional ability for combat boats to protect themselves as well as effectiveness.
EloUM and EloAufkl systems already planned for the Navy offer capabilities that other nations would tend to attribute to SIGINT ships and also serve to provide extended self-protection. It is possible to evaluate reconnaissance results either independently on board (as a single driver) or to make them available to other units through the modern communication options in the networked network.
The basic idea of a multifunctional mission deck of the MKS 180 was also included in the concept of the capability carrier and provided for moving equipment such as inflatable boats, smaller AUVs or underwater scooters without tools. The mission deck can further serve as an installation location for new or expanded effectors up to "Non-Line-of-Sight" missiles (NLOS) or as a high-firing effector. In addition, the mission deck with the corresponding load capacity should also offer the possibility of accommodating future systems on standardized scaffolding, if necessary on "Heavy Cargo Unit" (HCU) pallets. A corresponding supply of the mission load is made available via the on-board systems of the platform.
The combination of several capability carriers in different module configurations results in military projection possibilities that were previously reserved for much larger boats and ships. This, combined with an A400M shipment, means significantly faster response times for the German Navy and the Bundeswehr worldwide, since there is no need for a lengthy approach on your own keel. This is a major advantage at a time when conflicts arise very quickly and are ended just as quickly.
Large range and high speed, combined with a possible downtime of up to several days in the operational area, as well as the air loading capability, make it possible to keep high-quality platforms such as the K130, F125 or, in the future, MKS 180/F126 available for other applications.
"Off the shelf" vs tailored
According to the team, the use of "Military of the Shelf" units is not a viable interim solution for the special forces of the Bundeswehr. The systems as well as the platforms would have to be adapted to current requirements at great expense.
"Team Germany" is ready for the further development and implementation of a sustainable, smart, modular reconnaissance and combat platform that is up to the challenges of modern operational reality.
PLATH Corporation GmbH
Gotenstrasse 18
20097 Hamburg
Germany
www.plath-systems.de
Contact person: Markus Daiberl
Phone: +49 40 237 34-150
E-mail: markus.daiberl@plath.de
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