Historically, the common occurrence of lightning discharges between clouds and bodies of water on the earth has posed little danger to conventional, welded steel ships on the surfaces of those waters. However, the increasing use of composite structures (nonconductive, semi-conductive, and conductive) in place of conventional, steel structures on ships is rendering increasing numbers of modern vessels susceptible to lightning damage and electronic malfunction. This paper provides guidelines for incorporating lightning protection into the initial design of advanced technology ships, to help designers make informed decisions throughout the design, for those who share the responsibility of minimizing lightning effects to modern ships that may incorporate composite and metal materials in primary ship structures (especially composite topsides). These composite materials may be susceptible to damage from direct lightning attachments (direct effects) as well as contributing to higher electromagnetically induced transients on interconnecting wiring (indirect effects). A comprehensive lightning protection program must start early during the design phase in order to minimize redesign and reduce life-cycle costs associated with operational failures while in service.
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