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Research system
Textron selected MacGReGOR hops
for T-Craft Phase 2 from ship-to-ship
Textron Marine & Land Systems (TM&LS), an MacGREGOR has been awarded a contract to design,
operating unit of Textron Systems, has announced build, and test the ‘test article vehicle transfer system’
that it has been awarded a Phase 2 contract by the (TAVTS) as part of the US Navy’s ‘Sea Base’ plan,
Office of Naval Research (ONR) in the USA to supporting Army and Marine Corps land forces.
continue development of the ‘Sea Base Connector’ The TAVTS being designed, built, and tested by
or Transformable Craft (T-Craft). As previously MacGREGOR is intended to allow large vehicles to
mentioned in Warship Technology (January 2008, pass from a large medium-speed ro-ro (LMSR) ship
pages 14-16) two other Phase 2 contracts were to a mobile landing platform (MLP) ship.
recently awarded to Umoe Mandal in Norway and
Alion Science & Technology in the USA. Recycling
T-Craft is one of several innovative naval prototypes
being developed by ONR to support the broad
Nuclear sub to be
objectives of the US Navy’s Sea Base programme.
dismantled
Its mission is to self-deploy from an intermediate
support base to a sea base area of operations. Once The UK and Norway are to join forces once again
in theatre, the T-Craft will take cargo, consisting under the Global Threat Reduction Programme to
primarily of wheeled and tracked vehicles, from ensure another aging Russian nuclear submarine is
the sea base to the shore without the use of port successfully dismantled, energy minister Malcolm
facilities. Wicks recently announced.
The transit will be made at high speed, and will end The UK and Norway will share the £3.9 million
with the delivery of cargo ‘feet dry’ on the beach in a cost to dismantle the decommissioned November
wide range of sea conditions and terrain. class submarine No 291, which will be de-fuelled
During a Phase I study, the TM&LS team developed and then towed to Nerpa Shipyard for dismantling.
a preliminary design of a craft that can operate as a Once dismantled to a single compartment unit
catamaran at low speed, a surface effect ship at high (containing the de-fuelled reactor), the submarine
speed, and as a fully amphibious air cushion vehicle will be transferred to Saida Bay for land-based
for cargo discharge. In addition, the air cushion is interim storage. Project management and technical
used to provide a powerful motion control system to advice for the UK Government will be provided by
stabilise the T-Craft during cargo transfer operations NUKEM Ltd.
at the sea base. Minister Wicks said: ‘The nuclear legacy of the
former Soviet Union still presents a serious risk. A
Contract nuclear accident in Russia or a terrorist incident using
DCNS to upgrade
radioactive material in a dirty bomb would have global
implications. International cooperation is vital to
ecuadorian subs
ensure these threats are addressed within an acceptable
timescale and it is in our interest to help Russia dispose
DCNS in France has signed two contracts with of its nuclear legacy and ensure risks are managed to a
Chilean naval shipyard ASMAR - one to modernise standard expected in the UK and Norway.’
the combat systems on two Ecuadorian Navy Type Through the Global Threat Reduction Programme,
209 submarines, the other to assist ASMAR with hull the UK has successfully dismantled three nuclear-
cutting to expedite the associated refits. powered submarines: two Oscars (Zvezdochka
The DCNS share in the contracts is worth more Shipyard) and a Victor (Nerpa Shipyard) including
than €10 million. The contracts were signed following documentation and infrastructure work at both
the Ecuadorian government’s decision to award shipyards. This is the fourth submarine dismantling
ASMAR a major contract to modernise and refit the project the UK has undertaken.
submarines. The Global Threat Reduction Programme includes
The combat system modernisation contract the UK contribution to the Global Partnership
was signed by UDS International, a wholly owned against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass
subsidiary of the DCNS group. It calls for the Destruction Programme, a US$20 billion 10 year
replacement of the submarines’ German-designed programme agreed at the G8 Summit at Kananaskis,
combat systems by the Submarine Tactical Integrated Canada, in 2002 to address the nuclear, chemical, and
Combat System (SUBTICS) developed by DCNS. biological legacies of the former Soviet Union.
Warship Technology May 2008 
WT May 08 - p4+5+6+7+8+10+11.ind7 7 23/04/2008 16:32:41
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