Page 26: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2024)

MARITIME LOGISTICS where they still have something transmitting,” said Vesley.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Bruening said the Taluga Group sees a future in additive “There’s another group that follows that certi? es the crews, manufacturing to create parts for the ships that need them. and they can have a couple of these to verify that the crew “MSC delivers a lot of parts. But if we can make a part on does indeed know how to properly set EMCON.”

Vesely said such a device could also be useful for Navy demand using additive manufacturing, that’s even better,” he said. “We can make the part on one of our ships, and deliver ships or Marine units. A common UAV built with a modu- lar architecture could also be recon? gured for inspecting for it by drone.”

The challenge isn’t just the 3-D printer. According to corrosion and preservation issues, battle damage assessment, search and rescue. “We’re looking at one system that the De-

Bruening, it’s important to have the speci? cations and digi- partment of Interior uses that has the right payload and endur- tal ? les for those parts, as well as the correct stock materi- als, to make a part that meets Navy standards. “In some ance to go around a ship with a predetermined pro? le for a cases, we would have to transfer a lot of data back and variety of missions,” Vesely said.

forth, and we’re looking at free space optics, which is a se- cure way to transfer information at a very high bandwidth ASTERN REFUELING RIG

Refueling at sea is usually accomplished using very spe- using light.”

Delivering fuel to ships at sea usually requires specialized cialized ships. But the Taluga Group is testing out a new vessels. But the Taluga Group is evaluating a containerized containerized system that can be placed on the fantail of a ship. The system has a 700-foot hose, and turns the host ship astern fueling system, capable of passing fuel using a 700-foot into an oiler that can refuel other ships, especially smaller hose, that can be placed on the fantail of a ship.

ships and boats. Since the astern refueling rig is made by a

Norwegian company, VanAuker said MSC is using the Of-

EMCON ? ce of the Secretary of Defense’s Foreign Comparative Test-

Ships can be vulnerable when any radars or communica- tions equipment are radiating. So, the Taluga Group has been ing (FCT) program that helps to test systems and technolo- investigating ways to help ensure their ships are not emitting gies from foreign allies and partners to satisfy valid defense requirements quickly and economically.

when in EMCON, or “emission control.”

According to VanAuker, the plan is to test the system out “We’ve conducted a study using four different com- mercial-off-the-shelf spectrum analyzers, and took them using an offshore supply vessel, which has plenty of deck aboard ship to look for sources of RF emissions during space. “OSVs have the room back aft for containers, and

EMCON. We set up test conditions on a ship and tried all their decks have the ? ttings to secure cargo and containers. four of them. We liked the handheld device that we could The astern refueling rig container is secured to the deck of walk around the ship with. When a ship sets EMCON, the OSV using the existing ISO locks, and jumper hoses are we can take the device out to the weather decks and see if installed between the rig and fuel risers. The power comes somebody has their cell phone on, or a WiFi hotspot,” said from umbilical cords connected to the electrical distribution

Vesley. “Eventually we need to get the cost down so we system. It’s going to have two reels—six inches for DFM (diesel fuel marine) and two and a half inches for JP 5 (jet can put one or two on every ship.”

While the number of emitters on ships used to be limited, fuel for aircraft). It’s literally plug and play.”

With an OSV, the rig is closer to the waterline than many today everyone with a cell phone is a potential emitter.

other types of ships, which is one of the reasons OSVs are

Not only is a CLF ship and its cargo valuable, but it po- tentially could lead an adversary to a carrier strike group in suited for this mission.

“We received Foreign Comparative Test funding to buy the

EMCON and heretofore not detected.

rig, put it in the container, and design and conduct the test,” “We can also increase of likelihood of detecting emis- sions using a small UAV with a three-dimensional view, VanAuker said.

Bruening said that in most cases there isn’t funding for and downloading the data on the ship for analysis, and determine what emitters and antennas are still radiating,” something new. So, we’re looking at existing systems and technologies that we can adapt from a logistics lens. And

VanAuker said.

Similar to the A? oat Training Group for the combatants, we’re working with organizations like NavalX, and DoD’s

MSC has an A? oat Training Team that trains the CIVMARS Defense Innovation Unit to provide the resources to develop so they can get certi? ed. “I’d like to see the trainers have these concepts and technologies.” “We’re trying to ? gure out how we can utilize other peo- a couple of them to take aboard our ships so they verify that EMCON has been properly set, and show the crews ple’s goodness,” Bruening said.

26 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • September 2024

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