US Naval Surface Warfare Center, WASHINGTON: The new Advanced Electric Ship Demonstrator (AESD) is expected to participate in trials on Lake Pend Oreille at the Carderock Division's Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD), Bayview, Idaho in mid-November. Recently christened Sea Jet, the 133-foot test platform houses a Rolls Royce Naval Marine advanced waterjet propulsion system, the AWJ-21, to improve surface ship efficiency and maneuverability by reducing noise and wake.
Capt. Charles Behrle, Commander of the Carderock Division, says his organization is truly gratified to be part of a major technological leap that the AESD brings to the U.S. Navy. He noted, “Having the AESD at the ARD in Bayview marks a new era for the work force in applying their submarine expertise to the Navy's surface ships.”
The AESD resembles an early DD (X) design. The steel platform displacement is about 120 tons. It was built by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. (DCI), Anacortes, Washington. A diesel generator powers two electric propulsion motors shafted to two waterjet pumps which are integrated with the hull below the waterline, with a 720-cell battery bank powering the motors for acoustic trials, eliminating the diesels as a noise source for quiet operations and high-speed tests. The AESD will have a crew of six and achieve top speeds of 8 knots on diesel, 16 knots battery power.
Carderock's Large Cavitation Channel in Memphis is the site of hydrodynamic investigations. The team will use a
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