EP0319934B1 - Navy relief ship - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a naval auxiliary ship, which is designed as a unit platform and for receiving containers and can be adapted to different tasks by changing containers.

Aid ships serve in the world's navies in various special functions as logistical support units for combat units. In the event of a conflict, there are also auxiliary ships in the form of armed merchant ships equipped with helicopters, for example, for convoy security tasks. Auxiliary ships of the latter type are described in detail in DE-Z "Soldier und Technik", 1985, pages 746ff in connection with the Arapaho and Scads projects. In both cases, the units used as auxiliary ships remain essentially Merchant ships that can carry out a certain support function, for example in the defense against submarines, by carrying containerized weapon and command systems.

These merchant ships, which can be equipped with a limited fighting force, are contrasted by auxiliary ships that serve, for example, as tankers, ammunition and mine transporters, as workshop ships, suppliers or tenders for the logistical support of combat groups.

The supply of supplies to combat ships at sea is carried out by the suppliers, who have all the necessary goods on board, from ammunition, fuel, fresh water, food and spare parts. For small boat associations, i.e. for speedboat, submarine and mine search squadrons, direct supply to large supply ships is not possible due to the size, the lack of transfer devices and / or the special types of use, which is why the units are operated according to the so-called tender concept. According to this, each of these squadrons, each consisting of approximately 10 small boat units, is assigned a so-called tender, which is tailored to the equipment and the area of responsibility of the squadron in question. This serves as a rear supply point for the squadron during its missions, whereby, following the mission concept of the small boat associations, it takes a position close to a coast that protects it from discovery. In comparison to the utilities, a tender takes on several additional functions: Since small boats are mostly only "single-handed ships", ie only have a "crew shift" and because of the small size of the units With practically no own repair capacities, the squadron's tender serves as a rest and repair point in addition to supply and disposal.

Using the example of the Federal Navy, there are currently three different tender classes available for fulfilling these tasks, the structure and equipment of which are tailored to the respective squadron type to which they are permanently assigned. For example, a submarine tender must have all submarine-specific, mostly non-magnetic spare parts and torpedoes ready and must also be equipped with a number of additional bedrooms for the rest periods of the submarine crews, since the submarines are not for everyone Crew member have their own bunk. A minesweeper or speedboat tender, on the other hand, does not require any additional sleeping quarters for the minesweeper or speedboat crews, as there are sufficient beds available on the respective units themselves. However, a minesweeper tender must also have entire clearing tools and mines ready in addition to other minesweeper-specific spare parts, and a speedboat tender must in turn contain the speedboat-specific spare parts and other types of ammunition. In addition, each tender type houses a system support group with the associated staff and workshops, which is specially designed for the boats to be looked after.

Such a tender system is essential for the use of small boat associations and contributes significantly to an increase in their sea endurance. It also has the advantage that the combat units can operate independently of their home port.

A disadvantage of the known tender classes is that the personnel and all equipment of the system support group must be transported more or less manually onto the tender before each use, for example a maneuver, since the system support group is at the times when the boat squadron is not located entirely at sea, housed in land-based workshops and accommodation. It is not possible today for the system support group to remain on the tenders due to a lack of space in the current tender classes. A further disadvantage is that each tender type is geared towards the care of a particular type of combat boat, and therefore it is not possible to substitute squadrons of different types - for example, during a ship's berth. Even between different squadrons of the same type, such a representation is associated with great effort, since the system support group in question, with all its spare parts and equipment - again, more or less by manual transport - has to set up on the representative ship.

The object of the present invention is to largely eliminate the great inflexibility of the previous system of naval auxiliary ships for logistical use, which is due to the needs of the different types of battleships and combat boats, also in terms of costs, without having to give up the advantages of the previous system.

In an embodiment of a naval auxiliary ship of the type mentioned at the outset, the solution to this problem according to the invention is defined by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

"Flats" in shipping are usually understood to mean pallets with standardized connecting elements for receiving and transporting freight.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that part of the flat has a frame equipped with corner fittings with standardized connection dimensions, that the flat is covered with a floor covering that can be walked on and / or driven on, and that each flat has the dimensions of a standard container corresponds.

It is also provided that a number of flats are designed as frame flats, each of which has a base frame equipped with corner fittings in accordance with the outline dimensions of a standardized container with a floor covering arranged thereon that can be walked on and / or driven over, and a three-dimensional frame superstructure with vertical supports at least at the corners of the floor frame and at the upper ends of these supports arranged horizontally extending cross members. It is preferred here that the upper crossbeams of the frame flats can be removed from the frame superstructure and, if necessary, the vertical supports of the frame flats can be adjusted in height and / or can also be removed.

It is preferred that some flats are equipped with hatches penetrating their floors and with stairs for connecting container levels lying one below the other.

For the operation of the auxiliary ship as a naval ship, it is advantageous to let in eight corner fittings in 10'-grid dimensions and the neighboring corner fittings in the middle of the surface of the 20'-container opposite the surface of 20'-containers belonging to the set of containers to support frame parts from flats or the like located vertically below in the area of the lower surface.

It is also advantageous that at least some of the containers from the container set are provided with eyelets for helicopter transportation.

When using the ship as a marine supply ship, spacer elements are advantageously used between containers of the container set arranged one above the other, the height of which elements can preferably be changed and corresponds approximately to the thickness of a flat.

Finally, when the ship is used as a marine supply ship, the gap between adjacent containers and between containers and solid parts of the ship, insofar as they are directly exposed to the weather, with inflatable sealing elements to protect the container interiors and the aisles between the containers is preferred Weather conditions.

While the well-known auxiliary ships according to the cited reference with the help of some containers from full-fledged Cargo ships become combined combat and cargo ships, i.e. give up part of their cargo capacity in favor of a certain combat strength, the decisive advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the auxiliary ship is either a full cargo ship for the transport of standardized containers or a full, logistical support of Combat forces serving naval ship is. The flexibility achieved can no longer be beaten:

As a military auxiliary ship, the solution according to the invention can effortlessly bring about any need for a specific configuration of a provider or the like. A quick adaptation of such an auxiliary ship to a changing need, for example in the event of a failure of a supplier, can be effected quickly and without any problems on the basis of the concept according to the invention, and without any wharfing aid or even lay time.

The unit platforms according to the invention can be produced in series and therefore comparatively cost-saving, whereas previous logistic auxiliary ships were largely individual constructions which required a corresponding cost.

Finally, it is of very considerable importance that the auxiliary ships according to the invention can be used as container freighters for the merchant navy in times of low tension and can earn money, whereas the previous supply ships of the navies as pure special units required the usual maintenance effort in such times without being able to reduce this effort .

The auxiliary ships according to the invention which are in the civil transport service can be used for military exercises for a few weeks each year and therefore only burden the taxpayer to the extent of the exercises. In the event of a voltage, the fleet of supply ships can then be quickly expanded to the necessary extent by converting the units according to the invention. The only container loading equipment required for this is part of the equipment and is on board.

A preferred embodiment of a marine support ship according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht eines Marine-Hilfsschiffes;

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf dessen B-Deck;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf dessen Hauptdeck;

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt des Marine-Hilfsschiffes;

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer möglichen Containeraufteilung innerhalb einer Containerebene unter Deck;

Fig. 6

eine Ansicht eines 20′-Containers oder einer 20′-Plattform mit einem dreidimensionalen Rahmenüberbau (Flat);

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht eines 20′-Containers mit bekannten Eckbeschlägen sowie mit zusätzlichen Eckbeschlägen im 10′-Rastermaß sowie zweier daneben angeordneter 10′-Container mit dazugehörigen Eckbeschlägen;

Fig. 8

eine Ansicht des Marine-Hilfsschiffes in der Verwendung als ziviler Containerfrachter und

Fig. 9

eine schematische Ansicht von übereinanderstehenden, militärisch genutzten Containern, zwischen denen sich Distanzelemente und Flats befinden.

The drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a view of a naval aid ship;

Fig. 2

a plan view of the B deck;

Fig. 3

a plan view of the main deck;

Fig. 4

a cross section of the naval auxiliary ship;

Fig. 5

a perspective view of a possible container division within a container level below deck;

Fig. 6

a view of a 20'-container or a 20'-platform with a three-dimensional frame superstructure (flat);

Fig. 7

a plan view of a 20'-container with known corner fittings and with additional corner fittings in 10'-grid dimensions and two 10'-containers arranged next to it with associated corner fittings;

Fig. 8

a view of the naval aid ship in use as a civil container freighter and

Fig. 9

a schematic view of superimposed, military containers, between which there are spacers and flats.

1, a naval auxiliary ship 1 has a number of containers 12 stacked below deck in hatches 5, 7, 9 and a further number of containers stacked on deck, partly on hatches 5, 7, 9, examples of which are Container 4 stacked on hatch 5 serves as at least part of the crew and / or for additional personnel to be embarked as a living area connected to foreship superstructures 3, container 6 stacked on hatch 7 containing 6 work boats, in particular connecting boats, containers stacked on hatch 9 8 contain additional life rafts and, for example, the tank container 10 located behind the chimneys 19. A crane 11 is used for loading and unloading containers, in particular for translating containers with supply goods onto larger units to be supplied and for launching and picking up the connecting boats. In addition to a closed bridge 21, the structures of the bridge deck also contain a portable container 2 for an operations center (OPZ). In addition, the naval auxiliary ship has an additional water-jet drive 15 with its own power plant 17 at the level of the fore-end, so that the ship can still be maneuvered and marched in any direction, even if the main propulsion position is damaged.

The arrangement and use of containers shown by way of example in FIG. 1 becomes even clearer on the basis of the top view of the B deck according to FIG. 2. Between the chimneys 19 is a 20'-ABC container 16, and on the hatches 5, 7, 9 each have a 10'-ABC container 18 is arranged. Based on the free spaces on hatches 5, 7, 9 it can be seen that 40'-containers can also be used.

3, the container 34 provided for the support of the helicopter 14, two refrigerated containers 20 and two tank containers 10 for combat boats to be supplied are arranged in the vicinity of the helicopter landing deck, for example. Furthermore, in the first container level under hatches 5, 7, 9 there are spare parts containers 22, workshop containers for the system support group (SUG) 24, tank containers 26 for various containers, which are summarized under the technical term "petrol, oil and liquids" (POL) Liquids, ammunition containers 28 for supplying combat ships and boats with ammunition and the containers 4 serving as living areas. Between the rows of containers or on the end faces of containers, aisles 30 are formed by inserted flats, which provide access to the containers used below. It is envisaged that the auxiliary ship will be assigned at least one set of containers and flats for its military use. Such a sentence can easily be exchanged for another sentence or - for civil use of the ship - removed entirely.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the ship's hull 23 and the arrangement of a number of containers 32, between which walkways are formed in the longitudinal direction of the ship by inserting flats 40. In the ship's side walls, a fixed pipe and / or supply line channel 31 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a fixed connecting passage 33 is provided on the other side.

A possible combination of some 20'-containers 36 with some 10'-containers 38 in a container level is shown in Fig. 5. Here are two the containers 36, 38 inserted to form the aisles 30 flat 40. For example, on one of the containers 36 doors 44, corner fittings 46 and the additional corner fittings 48 are shown in 10'-grid dimensions. For the sake of clarity in the drawing, these details were not shown for the other containers. The four corner fittings 48 let into the surface of the 20'container 36 in the 10'-grid dimension are separately supported by a support 52 each relative to the frame parts located vertically below in the lower surface. Thus, to form a next container level on each 20'-container, two 10'-containers or a 10'-container and a 10'-flat can be stacked in any way.

The platforms with a three-dimensional frame structure called flat differ from containers of the same size in that they have no walls and no ceiling. A conceivable embodiment of a frame structure and the floor construction are shown in Fig. 6 using the frame of a 20'-container or flat. The frame construction 54 has corner fittings 46 at all eight corners, which carry openings 56 for receiving a connection fitting, for example. Halfway through, i.e. H. So in 10'-grid dimensions, the upper support 58 of the frame structure 54 each have two further corner fittings 48 with the associated openings, which are supported separately by supports 52 on the underlying support 60.

Fig. 7 illustrates that the admission of additional corner fittings 48 in a 20'-container 36 or in a flat of the same size, the stacking and / or stacking with 10'-containers 38 or the same size is possible.

The description of the particular advantage of the flexibility of the naval auxiliary ship according to the invention for military use was mentioned several times. Another great advantage of using a versatile usable platform that can be converted into a full-fledged naval aid ship within a short period of time simply by loading it with specially designed, transportable containers, and converted back into a full-fledged commercial ship by dismantling these containers and loading them with commercial goods containers can be illustrated in FIG. 8. There is the described unit platform 1 with the associated devices, designated with odd numbers, as shown in FIG. 1. However, the picture of a familiar container ship loaded with containers 62 shows that this is the naval auxiliary ship according to the invention in operation as a merchant ship and, finally, once again illustrates the extremely useful flexibility of the concept described.

9 shows, on an enlarged scale, a partial longitudinal section through the auxiliary ship with containers 4, 22, 24, 26, 28 and flats 120, 122, 124 arranged in a hatch. The bottom 100 of the unit platform 1 is visible Front transverse bulkhead 102 and a rear transverse bulkhead 104, a sill 106 surrounding the hatch and a hatch cover 112 covering the uppermost layer of containers above the upper deck 110.

The containers and flats arranged within the hatch thus delimited belong to the set of military containers or flats which was mentioned in detail above.

Since the ship should not only be used for military purposes but also for civil purposes and as a fully-fledged, economical container cargo ship, it must be designed in such a way that the freight containers to be accommodated comply with the conventional ISO standards. In order to be able to drive the standardized containers for the military area as well, because of the location of the front container doors 27, it is necessary to provide spacers 114 or adapters 116 in the form of individual elements or in the form of correspondingly high frame structures between successive vertical containers . So that the standardized container doors can be opened, which is of course necessary for the military use of the auxiliary ship, the lower and upper surfaces of the flats must not be lower than the surface or higher than the lower surface of a container. Figure 9 illustrates this situation quite well. If you were to let out the spacers and adapters, the flats would necessarily have a clear vertical distance from each other that is less than the height of a standardized container. The consequence of this would be that standardized container doors could not be opened, so that the containers used for military purposes could only have standardized external dimensions but would have to be special constructions with regard to their doors.

The spacers 114 can be tubular supports with the usual twistlocks on their end faces for locking two corner fittings. In the preferred embodiment, the spacers 114 and the adapters 116 have a height of 400 mm, so that containers standing one above the other also have a clear distance of 400 mm from one another. An embodiment of spacers with adjustable height is not shown.

The adapters 116 differ from the spacers 114 only in that they have a lateral projection 118 and are therefore L-shaped in vertical section. In the exemplary embodiment, the height of the projections 118 is half the total height of the adapters 116. The projections 118 serve to carry flats 120, 122, 124 which are stepped accordingly. Twistlocks of conventional design, not shown in the drawing, are used to connect flats and adapters, which stand up from the surfaces of the adapters 118 and engage in corner fittings of the flats 120 to 124.

The flats 120, 124 are 10 'flats, which are consequently square. Both flats have no frame structure or the like. The flat 122 oriented in the longitudinal direction of the ship is a 20 'flat with a partial frame structure, which is formed by vertical supports 126, 128 and by horizontal crossbeams 130 acting on their upper ends. In the case of the support 126 it is indicated that it can be pulled out of the flat 122. Finally, it is worth mentioning the special adapter 132 in the area of the transverse bulkhead 102; this is a half-height element analogous to the spacers 114.

It is not shown in the drawing that the flats 120, 124 are equipped with countersunk eyelets on which they can be lifted out of their position by a crane. This is useful in order to be able to unload even more deeply lying containers conveniently and, above all, quickly, as will occur more frequently when the auxiliary ship is used, for example, as a tender.

Claims (10)

1. A naval auxiliary vessel which is constructed as a unit platform
      and for receiving containers and is adaptable to different duties through exchange of containers,
   characterized in that the vessel is equipped and usable as a conventional cargo ship for the transport of standardized large containers (62) in the merchant service,
   that for employment as a naval supply ship at least one set of containers (5 to 10, 12) and flats (40) provided with standardized mating dimensions is associated with the vessel,
   the containers being constructed as living or working zones for some of the crew and for additional personnel to be embarked, such as those of a system support group, and for receiving the remaining details of ship security apparatus and other militarily necessary apparatus as well as of supply goods,
   and that in the vessel equipped as a naval supply ship, of the containers belonging to the set and/or to a functional group formed from them each container and/or each functional group of containers adjoins at least one flat.
2. A naval auxiliary vessel as in Claim 1,
      characterized in that each of some of the flats (40) exhibits a frame equipped with corner fittings and having standardized mating dimensions, that the flat is covered with a floor covering which my be walked on and/or driven over and that each flat (40) corresponds in its outline with the dimensions of a standard container (e.g., 5).
3. A naval auxiliary vessel as in Claim 1 or 2,
      characterized in that a number of flats (40) is made as framed flats, each of which exhibits a base frame corresponding with the outline dimensions of a standardized container and equipped with corner fittings and having flooring material arranged on it which may be walked on or driven over, as well as a threedimensional frame superstructure with vertical supports at least at the corners of the floor frame as well as crossbeams runing horizontally, arranged at the top ends of these supports.
4. A naval auxiliary vessel as in Claim 3,
      characterized in that the upper crossbeams of the framed flats are removable from the frame superstructure.
5. A naval auxiliary vessel as in Claim 3 or 4,
      characterized in that the vertical supports of the framed flats are adjustable for height and/or are removable.
6. A naval auxiliary vessel as in at least one of the preceding Claims,
      characterized in that some flats are equipped with hatches passing through their floors and with stairs for connecting container planes lying one below the other.
7. A naval auxiliary vessel as in Claim 1,
      characterized in that the upper faces of 20' containers (36) belonging to the set of containers have in each case eight corner fittings (46, 48) let in at a 10' modular dimension and the adjacent corner fittings (48) in the centre of the upper face of the 20' container (36) are supported separately with respect to the parts of frames of flats or the like lying respectively vertically below in the region of the underface.
8. A naval auxiliary vessel as in one of the preceding Claims,
      characterized in that at least some of the containers from the set of containers are provided with eyes for transport by helicopter.
9. A naval auxiliary vessel as in one of the preceding Claims,
      characterized in that in the case of the vessel being employed as a naval supply ship spacers are inserted between containers of the set of containers arranged one above the other, the height of which is preferably variable and corresponds with about the thickness of a flat.
10. A naval auxiliary vessel as in one of the preceding Claims,
       characterized in that in the case of the vessel being employed as a naval supply ship the gaps between adjacent containers as well as between containers and fixed parts of the ship, insofar as they are exposed to the weather, are provided with inflatable sealing elements for protection of the container interiors and the ways between the containers against the effects of the weather.

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