AIMS study explores 'open architecture' Modular Ship Concept

摘要

The USN has been exploring modularity, as applied to warship design, since the mid-1970s beginning with the SEAMOD programme. This was followed in 1980 by the Ship Systems Engineering Standards programme, established to research real world applications on the future DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. These early study programmes showed that modular approaches could simplify ship construction and permit modification of weapon loadouts without major ship alterations. Initiatives to develop engineering standards for modularity continued with the Affordability Through Commonality (ATC) programme in 1992. The ATC studied the benefits of modularity, but also looked at standardisation. A further effort, known as Total Ship Open Systems Architecture (TOSA), was begun by the USN in 1998. TOSA was focused on developing technical open architectures and interface standards.