GUIDANCE FOR NAVAL SURFACE SHIPS MISSION ORIENTED MANOEUVRING REQUIREMENTS - Volume I (ED 1; To obtain please contact your national Defense Standardization Office or the NATO Standardization Office website: http:/ so.nato.int so@ Phone: +32 (0)2 – 707 555
Executive SummaryIntroductionThis ANEP contains results and conclusions from the NATO Naval group 6 Specialist Team on Naval Ship Manoeuvrability@ formed 1999 following a decision from NATO Naval Armament Group. The team@ comprising 12 NATO and Partner nations (Canada@ Denmark@ Finland@ France@ Germany@ Italy@ Netherlands@ Norway@ Poland@ Sweden@ United Kingdom and United States) was mandated to carry out a study aimed to investigate methods to establish requirements and criteria for manoeuvring abilities suitable for Naval surface ships. The initial discussions clearly established a harmonized need of some form of standardisation for minimum manoeuvrability capabilities in naval ships. Among the objectives of the study was also to create and establish a common understanding of the area of Naval ship manoeuvrability and to make an attempt to establish bounding values@ which could be used as criteria and requirements. A survey throughout the navies was to be a central part in finding these requirements and at the same time ensure to capture the end-users view.Naval Group 6 (NG/6)@ a subordinate group to NATO Naval Armaments Group (NNAG)@ formed a Specialist Team (ST) on Naval ship manoeuvrability in 1999. The initial discussions held in NG/6 as well as within the Team clearly concluded that there are numerous issues related to design of ship manoeuvrability@ and naval ship aspects in particular@ which could be improved.Naval Group 6 on Ship Design includes ship design standards in its programme of work. NATO Standardisation Agreements (STANAG) exists for a number of areas related to ship design@ but those for ship manoeuvrability are generally non-existent. Recently@ the International Maritime Organization (IMO) established manoeuvrability criteria for merchant ships. But these civil criteria are generally not applicable to the special requirements of naval ships.In the ship design process@ manoeuvrability is considered only after most other aspects are defined@ and then is often inadequately specified. The most common method for assessment is by model tests@ sometimes supported by computer-based simulation@ and these tests are normally late in the design process. Verification that the manoeuvrability specifications have been met can only be accomplished in first-of-class sea trials@ usually too late to make any significant changes in the design in follow-on ships.In addition@ multinational operations@ including the participation of Partner and other non-NATO navies@ are putting greater demands on interoperability and mutual confidence between naval commands and ships. Some form of standardisation is seen to be needed for minimum manoeuvrability capabilities for naval ships@ to ensure@ for example@ safe RAS operations. Other emerging requirements are also coming into play. Examples are the tactical concept of Surface ships conducting their own mine avoidance ??in-stride?? with operations@ the use of manoeuvres in missile and torpedo defence and signature reduction@ and the need for naval ships to be more independent of harbour/tug assistance when leaving or entering ports or other confined waters. Finally@ as more nations embark upon collaborative ship design and construction projects@ a common understanding and standardisation in ship manoeuvrability characteristics will become more necessary.A national inventory of the currently used manoeuvrability criteria and practices became the starting point of the study. This investigation revealed that the majority of the participating nations use the IMO Resolution and IMO HSC (Civil standards) as a basic minimum manoeuvring standard. With respect to Naval criteria most nations either apply a basic standard@ derived from the past performance of ??good?? vessels@ or simply apply the ??as good as a previously reputed vessels?? approach.The Terms of Reference for the Naval Ship Manoeuvrability study established a couple of corner stones on which to build the future work on. Of particular importance was to:??develop a common understanding??define relevant Naval missions??define relevant manoeuvring abilities??address Safety and Interoperability??ensure end-users@ the ship operator??s view??address ship types@ propulsion@ environmental conditions and other factors??develop a standardised format for onboard manoeuvring guidance?