The new MEKO A-100 design unveiled at MSPO 2015. The variant shown here is the Mine Counter Measures (MCM) one.
NavyRecognition is reporting that the German ship builder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), is offering a new hull form for its OPC- sized MEKO A-100 to meet Poland’s projected requirement for six Offshore Patrol Vessels. It is claimed that the new design will allow the ship to go 1.5 knots faster with no increase in installed power.
Two major differences are apparent,
- The raked stem and bulbous bow are replaced by a vertical stem which appears to provide a longer water line length.
- The fin stabilizers are missing.
Increasing waterline length does have the effect of decreasing wave making resistance which is predominant at higher speeds. Conversely increased length tends to result in increased wetted area which would make ships less efficient as slower speeds by increasing skin friction. Deleting the fin stabilizers would have the benefit of reducing wetted surfaces. There may also be some less obvious changes, not apparent in the artist’s rending.
The original post has a nice side by side comparison of the conventional corvette and TKMS’s proposal to meet Poland’s Mine Countermeasures OPV requirement.
