STX Canada Marine - Warship Design and Analysis

STXM is a naval architecture and marine engineering company with offices in Vancouver and Houston and is a wholly owned subsidiary of STX Europe ASA. STXM focuses on the design of complex vessels, including offshore service vessels, research vessels, coastal patrol vessels, offshore patrol vessels and other commercial or government ships.

The company is very experienced in all aspects of ship design including specialized analyses such as computational fluid dynamics, seakeeping analysis, and finite element analysis.

Warship design, testing and performance predictions

STXM uses a commercial approach to patrol vessel designs using well-proven off-the-shelf materials and equipment. Almost all hull forms have been extensively model tested and full scale data has been used to correlate the tow tank results to ensure the accuracy of performance predictions.

The hull forms are typically larger than equivalent size naval combatant platforms and this offers greater internal volume to reduce construction cost and offer a higher level of crew comfort and safety. The designs developed by STXM are principally aimed at economic zone patrol duties served by a country’s navy, coast guard or other defense authority.

Coastal patrol vessels

For patrol duties in coastal or brown water locations, STXM have designs ranging from the PV45 and PV50 up to the helicopter capable PV62. These designs are based on proven hull forms and are capable of speeds in the range of 20kn - 25kn and in excess of 30kn for the PV62. For loiter duties the designs are outfitted with either a drop-down electric driven propulsor or an integrated diesel or electric drive of the main propellers.

Offshore patrol vessels

The STXM PV75 was designed for the Mauritius Coast Guard with the design derived from the Canadian Coast Guard vessel "Leonard J Cowley" and has a maximum speed of 21kn. This was a turnkey project with STXM acting as prime contractor and subcontracting the construction of the vessel at the ASMAR naval shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile.

STXM procured all equipment and provided project management and on site supervision during the construction and post delivery logistics and training support in Mauritius.

Two vessels were built to the PV80 design at Appledore Shipyard in Devon, UK for the Irish naval service. The designs were a further development of the PV75 and have a maximum speed in excess of 22kn and a range of 6,000 nautical miles. and operate in the harsh environments of the North Atlantic and the Irish Sea. These vessels were the first STXM design to include segregated machinery spaces for added safety and redundancy.

The latest design of STXM is the PV85 with two vessels to this design having just been completed for the Royal New Zealand Navy at the BAE Systems Australia shipyard in Williamstown, Victoria. This design offers a 23 knot maximum speed with full helicopter facilities, including maintenance hangar and refueling capability. The vessel has a range of 6,000 nautical miles and is also ice strengthened for patrol duties in the Antarctic regions.

Future developments

STXM is continually working to develop new vessels and to improve the efficiency, flexibility and producibility of all OPV designs. This includes the incorporation of the latest hybrid propulsion systems for slow speed operations, the use of the latest technology for mission systems such as UAVs and USVs and the harmonization of the structure for modular construction techniques and pre-outfitting.

NAVDEX 2011 - Naval Defence, Coastal and Maritime Security

NAVDEX is the dedicated exhibition for naval defence, coastal and maritime security in the Middle East. Launching in February 2011, NAVDEX will be co-located with IDEX, the largest defence exhibition in the Middle East and North African region.

Event features

The exhibition areas at NAVDEX include:

• On water boat exhibits berthed along marina pontoons
• An air-conditioned temporary structure adjacent to the water
• Stand alone exhibition areas built alongside the marina

NAVDEX is more than just an exhibition and will feature:

• Quayside displays
• Visiting naval vessels
• Daily amphibious and waterborne demonstrations

Exhibiting opportunities

For the first time in the United Arab Emirates NAVDEX offers local and international manufacturers and suppliers of naval equipment and technology the opportunity to showcase their latest products at a dedicated naval event to do business within this region.

Exhibitors can showcase their products and services within the quayside purpose built air-conditioned exhibition structure; showcase vessels and crafts on the purpose built marina, demonstrate technology aboard visiting naval vessels and highlight equipment capabilities in live on-water displays all with direct walking access of IDEX.

High profile audience

NAVDEX will attract an audience of decision makers dedicated to the procurement of naval and coastal defence products and solutions.

In addition NAVDEX will receive high quality visitors including international delegations from IDEX. Year-on-year IDEX continues to attract a growing wealth of international decision-makers from within the defence industry, alongside key representatives from governments and the navy.

Strong representation from the GCC, African and Asian Subcontinent countries will make NAVDEX a primary mechanism to reach such an important naval audience.

Australia Takes Command of Combined Task Force CTF-150

Pakistan navy Rear Adm. Zafar Mahmood Abbasi turned over command of Combined Task Force 150 to Commodore Gregory Sammut of the Royal Australian navy during a change of command ceremony here. CTF-150 is one of three task forces operated by Combined Maritime Forces, a 25-nation coalition based in Bahrain.

The task force works to create a lawful and stable maritime environment free from terrorism, smuggling and other illegal activities across an area of two million square miles, covering the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman. "It is a privilege to be entrusted with Australia’s second command of CTF-150," Sammut said after the ceremony. "My team and I look forward to building on the outstanding achievements of Rear Admiral Abbasi and his staff, and working closely alongside our CMF partners and regional friends to promote security and stability throughout the surrounding maritime domain."

The task force's main mission is to deter, disrupt and defeat attempts by international terrorist organizations to use the maritime environment as a venue for an attack or as a means to transport personnel, weapons and other materials. This is done by conducting maritime security operations. CTF-150 vessels also assist mariners in distress and perform humanitarian assistance missions as required. CTF-150 is a multinational task force. Participatory nations have included: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, and Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

This is the second time that Australia has led CTF-150. Commodore Richard Menhinick of the Royal Australian navy commanded the task force . The change of command ceremony concluded the Pakistan navy’s fourth successful command of CTF-150. Abbasi said the task force has come a long way since it was established near the start of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The task force "is a coherent force that is able to respond effectively to the challenges it faces," Abbasi said. "Command of CTF-150 for the fourth time is a manifestation of the Pakistan navy’s continued commitment to support coalition efforts to maintain peace and lawful maritime order at sea," he continued. “We feel proud for having contributed wholeheartedly, and to the best of our abilities, to advance the cause of maritime security in the region that undoubtedly is vital for the economic prosperity and well being of the world at large."

During his six-month command tenure, Abbasi commanded a range of ships from CMF member nations, including Australia, France, Pakistan, United Kingdom and the United States. The admiral also visited a number of littoral countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and Jordon to strengthen relations with CTF-150.

Airbus Poised to Complete Qualification Flights with Australian Tankers

RAAF's KC-30A tanker aircraft

The last customer qualification flights involving the Royal Australian Air Force's new KC-30A tankers will be flown by early November, clearing the way for two of the modified Airbus A330s to be handed over before the end of the year.

"We are now doing a final few flights with the customer to clear the deliveries," says Gabriel Garcia Mesuro, Airbus Military's head of flight operations for the A330 multi-role tanker transport. Totalling around six sorties, the work will include final activities with the Boeing F-18 and Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters, night flights and work involving two KC-30As, he says.

The RAAF will in early December take delivery of the second and third aircraft from its five-unit KC-30A programme. The latter has been modified in Australia by Qantas Defence Services and is currently being painted in Paris as part of its final pre-delivery preparations, Mesuro says. Aircraft one should be transferred in the second quarter of next year, after its flight-test instrumentation has been removed at Getafe near Madrid.

Australia's fourth KC-30A is being converted by Qantas, with the company due to receive the programme's last aircraft for modification in early 2011.

Two more A330 tankers have already entered flight testing in Spain under the UK's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft project. Mesuro says the first modified examples for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are on track to follow suit around early 2011.

Airbus Military secured military certification for its A330 MRTT design from Spain's INTA authority in early October.

Thai Starts Testing Chaiseri 4x4 Tactical Vehicle

First Win 4x4 (all photos : TAF)

First Win as Chaiseri 4x4 tactical vehicle was first introduced to the public on Defense & Security 2009 event.

Research and development funded by the company, now the vehicle began to undergo tests by the Thai army.

Tests conducted on actual terrain in Kanchanaburi.