Text 8b

THE NAVY IN THE 21^ST CENTURY

Sea warfare will never be the same again. The titanic mid-ocean battles that were the scenario of the Cold War will never be enacted. Instead, future naval battles will be fought along coastlines against developing countries or small regional powers. The navy of the future will be optimized for shallow water warfare, and in this respect minehunting vessels will come into their own, for mines will present a serious risk to inshore operations. There are mine-countermeasures vessels already in service, which are constructed from glass-reinforced plastic to give maximum protection.

‘Stealthy’ warships, capable of approaching a hostile coastline and operating undetected within sight of it, are already in an advanced stage of development. In 1997, British shipbuilders unveiled a ‘Stealth’ ship called Sea Wraith II, which employs various deception devices. For example, it has a mast fitted with various dihedral and trihedral shapes, which strongly reflect radar signals, masking the ship’s true radar signature.

Pic. 41. A futuristic ‘Stealth’ frigate “The Sea Wraith II”

Sea Wraith is also camouflaged in the thermal part of the spectrum, to defend against heat-seeking missiles. A ship’s thermal signature comes mainly from the engine exhaust, which heats up the funnels. To minimize this effect, Sea Wraith passes its exhaust fumes through sea water before expelling them, so that all that emerges from the funnels are cool gases.

Measures such as this, however, are not enough to confuse the latest generation of anti-ship missiles, which home in on their target using thermal video images. The only way to protect the ship is to hide it entirely. Sea Wraith has a cloaking device that hides the whole ship from sensors in the visible and infrared regions. The vessel will be fitted with thousands of tiny nozzles that spray atomized water into the air, enveloping the ship in a giant cloud of fine water droplets. This absorb both short- and long-wavelength infrared as well as visible light, but allows the ship’s radar to function normally.

Another project that might one day form a vital component of the Navy is the Stealth Trimaran Aircraft Carrier (STAC), which is being investigated as an option to replace the existing aircraft carriers. STAC will be faster, longer, wider, more stable and far less vulnerable to attack. Incorporating the latest ‘Stealth’ technology, it will have a radar signature similar to that of a fishing trawler. Displacing some 40,000 t, it will carry 55 aircrafts and have a maximum speed of 40 knots. Her hull configuration, almost 1000 ft (300 m) long with a flight deck of 328 ft (100 m) wide, permits up to 30 aircraft to be prepared for launch at one time. The two out-rigger hulls will protect the central hull from torpedoes and missiles, and will keep the carrier afloat in the event of severe damage.

Such advanced warships, like STAC for example, will cost about £3 billion per unit, which raises the question of whether even a developed nation can afford it. Whether these developments can help to make our dangerously unstable world safer is another matter.

Ex. 13. Answer the questions:

1. Whether the scenario of present and future sea warfare are the titanic mid- ocean battles? Is the American invasion of Iraq one of the examples of future naval battles?

2. What kinds of navy come into the sight in this respect?

3. Are there any ships to counteract such vessels?

4. The warships of what capacity are ready in an advanced stage of development?

5. What deception devices are used on a “Stealth” ship?

6. Has Sea Wraith II any resources to defend against heat- seeking missiles?

7. Does the cloaking device help to hide the ship entirely?

8. What does the latest “Stealth technology” consist of?

9. Will two out- rigger hulls protect the central hull of new STAC and do it less vulnerable to attack?

10. Could such new investigation in the navy safe our unstable world?

Ex. 14. Explain why:

1.The titanic mid- ocean battles ( that were the scenario of the Cold War) will never be enacted.

2. The navy of the future will be optimized for shallow water warfare?

3. Glass- reinforced plastic was chosen for construction of mine- countermeasures vessels.

4. A “Stealth” ship called Sea Wraith II can strongly reflect radar signals.

5. The engine exhaust of Sea Wraith emerges from the funnels are cool gases.

6. Such measures are not enough to confuse the latest generation of anti- ship missiles.

7. Sea Wraith II is invisible for both long- and short- wavelength infrared.

8. The Stealth Trimaran Aircraft Carrier is identified by a hostile radar?

9. The central hull of STAC is more inaccessible for torpedoes and missiles.

10. Even a developed country can hardly afford a warship like STAC.

Ex. 15. Develop the idea:

1. Sea warfare will never be the same again. Great battles of the XIX- th century, early XX- th century and even the Cold War scenario’s titanic mid- ocean battles are in the past. Politics is changing, and politicians consider another tactics and strategy.

2. Navy of future disposes the vessels of new generation, made of new materials, employing various deception devices.

3. The latest generation of anti- ship heat- seeking missiles home in their target using thermal video images. Some measures are developed to protect a ship from torpedoes and missiles.

4. New “Stealth” technologies can even deceive physical lows; confuse the detection systems. Not only a single ship but the whole aircraft carrier can vanish.

5. Military technologies ( like “Stealthy” technologies) are fantastic, tomorrow technologies. Great amount of money are spent for war aims. The cost of every warship of new generation is equal to the annual budget of a developing country.

Ex. 16. Make up a short summary of the text.

Ex. 17. Read and translate the text. Speak on the ways of ship future automation.: