NEWS
lines. It can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and foster “good neighbour” cooperation among nations, she said. Simonpietri said DoD Alternative Fuel Policy
requires that replacement fuels must be ‘drop-in’ fuels and meet existing fuel specifications. The biofuels must utilise existing transportation and distribution infrastructure and require no modifications to weapons platforms. Moreover, the alternative fuels must also be cost-competitive with conventional fuel and have lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions that are no worse than conventional fuels whilst complying with existing procurement, energy, health and safety laws and regula- tions. Biofuels can be made from a variety of feedstocks, including crop residues, woody biomass, dedicated energy crops, vegetable oils, animal fats, and algae. Simonpietri also made the important point that biofuel production must complement rather than compete with food crops. Te ‘drop-in biofuel’ the DoD wants is not the same
as ethanol and biodiesel – first and second genera- tion biofuels – that are already used in cars and other vehicles. What the DoD is pursuing is a third-genera- tion biofuel ‘drop-in’ replacement for diesel and jet fuels that are used in aircraſt and ships. Tese biofuels are much more advanced, have far less oxygen than ethanol and biodiesel, and contain the same energy density as their petroleum-based counterparts. Chris Tindal, director for operational energy in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, said that in RIMPAC 2012 the US Navy successfully demonstrated the ‘Great Green Fleet,’ operating a carrier strike group’s surface ships and aircraſt with a biofuel blend without incident. Te Great Green Fleet 2012 demonstration was a signifi- cant milestone in the US Navy’s testing and certifica- tion programme for drop-in biofuels derived from
used cooking oils and algae. Te next milestone, Tindal said, is 2016, when the US Navy intends to “sail the Great Green Fleet 2016.” Rather than one group of ships, he said, the US
Navy plans for biofuels to account for up to 50% of the fuel used by ships and aircraſt in calendar year 2016. Procurement has already begun for advanced drop-in biofuels. Selection of platforms and locations for the 2016 effort will take place later. However, biofuel use in the Navy will not end at the conclusion of 2016 – “it will mark the start of the navy’s ‘new normal,’” he said. Leading up to that milestone, the US Navy has
already issued solicitations for operational quantities of alternative fuel in the Western US and Western Pacific. Alternative fuels could be acquired and distributed through US Navy oilers as early as January 2015.
Amphibious/logistic vessels MLC completes LCAC
interface tests Te US Navy successfully completed Landing Craſt Air Cushion (LCAC) interface tests off the coast of Camp Pendleton on 13 June aboard its first Mobile Landing Platform (MLP), USNS Montford Point (MLP 1). During the test, LCACs from Assault Craſt Unit
(ACU) Five transported Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAVs) and their crews from their Camp Pendle- ton base and offloaded them onto Montford Point, demonstrating the MLP’s ability to serve as a mobile seabase, facilitating at-sea transfers and ultimate delivery of equipment ashore. “Tese tests mark the first complete demonstrations
of Montford Point’s capabilities working with fleet assets,” explained Captain Henry Stevens, Strategic and Teatre Sealiſt programme manager for Programme Executive Office (PEO) Ships. Crews from the LCACs and Montford Point
conducted briefs, training and additional drills to support the interface testing and provided operators an opportunity to increase familiarity with the MLP class in preparation for initial operational test and evalua- tion later this year. Te tests also demonstrated that Montford Point, with its newly installed Core Capabil- ity Set (CCS), meets the standards and requirements set by its Capabilities Development Document (CDD). As highlighted in the July/August 2014 issue of
Vessels participating in RIMPAC 2016 could be refuelled with biofuels rather than conventional fuel
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Warship Technology, the MLPs use float-on/ float- off technology and a reconfigurable mission deck. Montford Point’s CCS includes modules for a vehicle staging area, a side-port ramp, large mooring fenders and up to three LCAC vessel lanes. Tese capabili- ties enable large-scale logistics movements including the transfer of personnel, vehicles from other vessels
Warship Technology October 2014
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