TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO SHIPS Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) (PMS-501) - ACAT 1D

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a modular power generation and management system to supplement Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mission system power services.

DESCRIPTION: The next generation of Navy combatants will utilize modular mission packages to provide focused mission capability and facilitate technology refresh. The LCS seaframe�s ship service electrical plant is designed to handle power generation and management requirements for known mission systems in their respective module stations. While this ensures that LCS will be able to effectively support current mission modules, future systems that demand more power cannot be accommodated without significant ship system redesign, and module placement may be limited to specific stations. A modular power generation and management module can leverage the flexibility of the LCS modular mission bay to augment ship service power for increased mission module loads and placement flexibility without impacting current ship design and performance requirements.

A power generation and management module is required to produce, condition, and route both module generated and ship service power to multiple module loads in flexible locations and configurations. The module should maximize power generating capacity, as well as: a) comply with LCS Interface Control Document (reference 1) to facilitate module loading, handling, and stowage in Support Type module zones, b) internally generate power as required to supply loads, c) condition, synchronize, and distribute ship service and self generated power to multiple loads, d) quickly reroute power supply to mission modules in various locations, e) satisfy Navy operational, safety, fire fighting, and damage control requirements.

PHASE I: Develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a detailed concept for a power generation and management module that will provide the above features. Provide a prototype design, including a concept of operation and projected capabilities, system descriptions, drawings, weight and cost projections and any projected manning/Human Systems Interface (HSI) requirements, and interface requirements. Consideration should also be given to, and summaries developed for, operating sequences, emergency procedures, logistics support, shock and fire safety, qualification plans, and test plans.

PHASE II: Finalize the design, fabricate and demonstrate a prototype of the system developed in Phase I. Through land-based testing, demonstrate the functionality of the module in each of its required functions, including generating capacity, efficiency, power quality, and load reconfiguration and management. Develop detailed concept of operation and projected capabilities, prototype descriptions, production drawings, operating sequences, emergency procedures, logistics support plan, weight breakdown, system cost estimates (both acquisition and lifecycle), and manning/Human Systems Interface (H.S.I.) requirements.

PHASE III: Working with the Navy, develop transition plans and demonstrate the commercial and shipboard uses of the power generation and management module. Build and deliver to the Navy a LRIP module and conduct shipboard feasibility testing with Navy guidance to evaluate performance in the operational environment. Develop plans for and support shipboard certification and full acquisition and lifecycle cost estimates. Develop the production unit detailed concept of operation and projected capabilities, drawings and specifications, operating sequences, emergency procedures, logistics support plan, weight breakdown, system cost estimates (both acquisition and lifecycle), and manning/Human Systems Interface (H.S.I.) requirements.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: There are a wide variety of naval, maritime, and land based applications for a modularized system capable of generating and managing power to a variety of loads. Specific applications might include container ship refrigerated module supply, module power supply while in storage ashore, and land based power supply for military, emergency response, homeland security, and construction operations.

REFERENCES:
Available at http://www.navysbir.com/ via the SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS) web link

1. "Interface Control Document (ICD) for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Flight Zero Reconfigurable Mission Systems," Baseline 1.0, 18 February 2005.

KEYWORDS: Power; Distribution; Generation; Module; Shipboard; LCS

TPOC: Mr. Larry Murphy
Phone: 301-227-3664
Fax: 301-227-3396
Email: [email protected]
2nd TPOC: Mr. Tom Owen
Phone: 540-653-7614
Fax: 540-653-7193
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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