Feature 3
Hatson said. “Automating munitions artist’s concept
transportation reduces the number of showing the
personnel required to retrieve, prepare magazine lift mole
and load weapons from over a hundred to for the Qe class
less than 50.” carriers.
As Rear Admiral Love stated, the system
“will enable a crew of similar size to the
current Invincible class carriers to operate
a vessel that is considerably larger”.
Concept development
The HMWHS concept was originally
developed by Alstec (which was acquired
by Babcock International in 2006 and is
now part of Babcock Marine’s Integrated
Technology [Babcock INTEC] business
unit), who were engaged by the ACA to
develop the system in 2003. The concept
design was developed as part of the
overall ship development, ensuring that
the solution was capable of meeting the (athwartships, version two), each able to mix), which are stowed in location
operational requirements of the ship, lift and move a payload to locations within using standard ISO container locks or
and technical compliance with UK MoD its predefined area of travel. Overlapping temporarily located at transfer positions
standards. at transfer positions allows moles to on pins to provide positional control for
From early on it was intended to use transfer payloads between each other, so onward handling and security against the
proven land-based commercial techniques payloads can be located anywhere within ship’s motion. This provides the flexibility
to provide automated handling at sea. the magazine. to accommodate any future item to be
Traditional handling techniques including The two mole versions are different stowed (provided it fits within a pallet
pneumatic handling, chain conveyors, shapes to enable lifting and lowering of footprint).
roller-beds and automatic guided vehicles the palletised munitions, in the correct Automod simulation was undertaken
were all considered before finally selecting orientation, onto the set stowage and to demonstrate that the concept meets
the option of a guided vehicle with rack transfer positions, and are equipped with specified stowage and delivery rates, and
and pinion drive. Electric drives were electric traverse and lift drives allowing included a range of munitions, moles
the obvious choice given the need accurate positional control of the payload and lift speeds, actuator times and door
for cleanliness, precision control and within the magazine. Umbilical drag and hatch opening durations, providing
flexibility of operation. A bulk stowage chains guide and protect the power and an analysis of the throughput and a
and handling technique was adopted to control cables to the mole throughout its graphical representation of the system
provide the stowage densities, with the area of travel under all ship’s motions. in operation.
advantage that the motive devices could The system equates to more than 300 This enabled identification of the most
operate relatively slowly, easing positional linear metres of handling and storage significant design parameters, as well as
accuracy issues. equipment, with multiple stowage facilitating development of the overall
Babcock was awarded the contract locations for high levels of flexibility control systems and Human/Machine
in 2008, which covers final design, and redundancy. Discrete areas defined Interface (HMI). It has also been used
design integration with the shipyards, by the ship’s design requirements are to determine resource allocation and
manufacturing, assembly, installation, interlinked by a number of lifts, providing availability, and in future can be used as
test and commissioning. Babcock is interconnection between the magazines a commissioning and acceptance tool
the design authority for the technical and hangar, weapons preparation area and and a key aspect of the end-user training
solution, while Thales is the systems flight deck. A unique mechanism enables package.
integrator and delegated design authority, the mole to access the lift platform without Testing of a full-size prototype was
taking responsibility for ensuring that the needing to disengage and re-engage the successfully undertaken in a factory
HMWHS fits within the overall ship design pinion from the rack. (non-dynamic) environment, and
and meets stipulated requirements. To accommodate a range of shapes, sizes subsequently dynamically using the MoD’s
The system consists of a network of and masses, munitions are consolidated rolling platform facility at Boscombe
two versions of prime movers (moles) onto common pallets (specifically Down (comparable to the system
traversing forward and aft (longitudinal, developed for the QE class to maximise operation requirements at sea) in April
version one) or port and starboard storage density for the proposed ordnance and May 2006. Babcock has also achieved
Warship Technology May 2009 27
p26-27-30_WT_May09.indd 27 16/04/2009 11:24:39
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