NationStates Jolt Archive


OOC Thread: Armour system.

DontPissUsOff
28-11-2004, 20:52
Hey all. I've posted this on both the OMP and NATO, but I want to get as much feedback as possible on the design. Without further ado:

Patented warship armour o' D()()M

http://img82.exs.cx/img82/2444/Hull.jpg

Clear as particularly dim mud, so I shall endeavour to explain.

Hull armouring: submerged.

1) The outermost layer of armour for the submerged areas of the ship's hull comprises a large anti-mine and anti-torpedo bulge. The bulge is formed of Type A composite, a composite armour designed primarily to nullify the effects of kinetic energy (for example the energy released by the detonation of a torpedo warhead). The composite is packed into individual steel cells, each designed to vent the blast from an explosive device downwards, back into the water, hence the diagonal shape. The shaping also means that the layer is formed from triangles, an inherently strong shape.

The second layer of submerged defence is the layer of liquid armour backing the composite layer. First developed by the Royal Navy following WWI experience, "liquid armour" proved highly effective at reducing the blast effects of torpedoes. Undamaged cells can also be used to allow the ship to trim herself, for example heeling herself onto one side to increase the range of her guns. In these cells, the walls are constructed to channel the force of an explosion onto the tertiary layer of submerged armour.

The tertiary layer is composed of Type B composite armour (intended primarily to neutralise the effects of thermal energy, but also able to withstand well kinetic energy) reinforced with rods of tungsten carbide coated with steel. This braces the composite layer, giving it extra strength laterally and increasing its resistance to kinetic energy damage. It is also able to aid in bracing the composite vertically, by reducing the movement generated by a detonation.


Protection against low-angle shellfire, missiles etc.

2)As the submarine protection tapers towards the waterline, a very deep strake of Kontakt-5-based ERA runs along the length of the ship. It is capped by a thin (20mm) layer of tungsten carbide to aid in de-capping APHE and armour-piercing missiles.

Behind this layer, the first layer of armour is the above-mentioned Type A composite. This generally runs to the depth of the orlop deck, although this varies with class of ship.

Behind this, and running almost to the keel, comes a deep and thick layer of Vectran plastic, providing both a high insulation capacity and a very high tensile strength capacity. This is in turn backed by a second layer of Type A composites.

Behind this layer comes a triple-sandwich design, in which non-vital communications and systems are placed in a void space, between two layers of thermosetting insulating foam plastic. This offers high resistance to explosive penetration and some resistance to kinetic energy. In the centre of this void space is a 50mm layer of steel plating.

Backing this comes an unbraced layer of Type B composites. This forms the outer wall of another section for non-vital communications, wiring and crew access passageways which become void spaces whene necessary. Since the damage of these spaces is of relatively little importance (either because the function is not important in combat or the systems running in them are duplicated elsewhere) it is not necessarily dangerous to employ them as air spaces.

The second main vertical armour layer is composed of another layer of tunsten-reinforced Type B composites.

The final line of defence is a wall of Type A composite extending to just below the waterline.

Protection from high-angle shellfire and bombs.

3) The upper deck is provided with a layer of Type A and a layer of Type B composites, between which is sandwiched a double layer of thermosetting foam plastic and another non-vital communications and wiring space. Decks Three and Four are provided with Type A composite backing layers.

The second and more important layer of defence, mainly from lower-angle shellfire is a structure of three layers of Type B composites, covered with Vectran and with a core of steel. These extend downwards, cutting through the decks as they go. They are angled to allow the deflection of shells entering the ships, either upwards (if they enter at a relatively flat trajectory) or downwards and towards the water (if they enter at a relatively steep trajectory). These layers are used to form an armoured "tube" of sorts in the centre of the ship, containing the ship's most vtial equipment and spaces (magazines, reactors, machinery and so on).


The keel

4) The keel of the ship is subject to the same submerged armour as the rest of the vessel, but is provided with extra armour in the form of another airspace (through which bilge pipes run) and an extra layer of steel armour, which also acts to provide a firm base for machinery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All this is based upon what little research I've done into the armour of battleships. I reckon, myself, I should extend the liquid/void spaces upwards further, for a start. Anyhoo, I'd like feedback if people can.
DontPissUsOff
29-11-2004, 03:18
Bumpskiy
Artitsa
13-01-2005, 01:25
wow... thats some sexy armour.
The Freethinkers
13-01-2005, 12:40
W00t. Damn Fine.

Seriously, you have done a great job, an excellent combination of different armour types in a way to ensure exceptional protection against many known threats.

Well done.
Lindim
13-01-2005, 14:05
Many people on NS would want to buy production rights so they can make their own ships around this armour, I am sure. Very nice concept and blending of technology.
Azazia
13-01-2005, 22:06
vere are the nuclear wessels...

werey interesting...
Bittereinder
13-01-2005, 22:35
Quiet Chekov.

Anyway, you've done good pig. You've done good.

(This has been a public service announcement from Tokarev)
Samtonia
16-01-2005, 02:06
What would design and production rights be? For a trusted ally like Samtonia?

*Bats eyelashes*

Just need a few characteristics of the desin and I don't want you accusing me of copyright infringment....
The Agglomerate
16-01-2005, 02:39
looks intersting, about whatsize ship is this for? (FPB, destroyer, cruiser, Battleship, carrier, dreadnaught or super dreadnaught?) or is it adaptable to various sizes
DontPissUsOff
16-01-2005, 02:59
Sam: Note the OOC above the thread; I'm chiefly after opinions on the good/bad points of it. At a later date I may publicise it.

The Agglomerate: It could be adapted, theoretically, to just about anything, but I doubt a small warship could support such a weight or armour, or for that matter that anyone's economy could support building the many hundreds of smaller ships needed by navies with this kind of protection.
Samtonia
16-01-2005, 03:02
Fine, fine. OOC.

One small problem. What's the protection against kinetic kill weapons? Tungsten rods and the like.
DontPissUsOff
16-01-2005, 03:16
You mean from big satellites and suchlike? Well, first the double-layered deck has very high resistence to KE based penetrating systems, and is likely to cause deformation or fragmentation of most projectiles. The high speed of an orbital rod will aid its penetrative qualities in that area, but thereafter it has to cut through all of the steel decks, plus at least four cross-members composed from composites rolled around nickel-steel cores, and covered with the fibrous plastic vectran. These provide rigidity, but can also deform well to further absorb the energy of a projectile. The shaping of the cross-members is intended also to further reduce the stability and deform the shaping of an incoming projectile, and as you can see, there are two layers alone which are specifically angled to attempt to deflect any incoming projectiles. Finally, if the projectile has gotten this far without either a) losing most of its KE, b) deforming to the point of uselessness or c) burying itself in one of the layers of shaped plating, the projectile must pass through a final few layers of decking before it encounters its final obstacle to hull penetration, in the form of the reinforce bottom. This is composed of composite material reinforced laterally with Tungsten carbide rods, backed by a void space (in this case basically irrelevant) and the final, final layer of outer composite layering for the hull.

It's got to get ythrough a lot of stuff before it can exit the hull. Furthermore, this system can easily be altered; for instance, at a cost in extra weight, I could add a layer of composites and tunsten to back each layer of deck plating.