Nautical Mile
Ukrainian Defense Review/January-March 2020
Kaira-150 R&D Shipbuilding Center Unveils Conceptual Design of its Multifunctional Surface Ship Platform
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t the Arms & Security 2019 Expo held in Kyiv from 8 to 11 October, the Mykolayiv-based R&D Shipbuilding Center (RDSC, an affiliate of the Ukroboronprom State Defense Industries Group and the leading company in design/development of surface vessels in Ukraine) showcased for the first time its most recent development – a conceptual design of a multifunctional, surface ship platform, named Kaira-150. Developed under a Private Finance Initiative, the Kaira-150 has now reached the preliminary design and development stage. Here the talk is about a Basic Ship project which is specifically designed to be multifunctional, meaning it can provide a platform for developing a complete family of vessels for military, paramilitary and commercial uses. The special-mission configurations proposed by the Designer for the Kaira-150 platform include patrol boat, counter-diver boat, mine countermeasures vessel, coastguard boat, fast response search and rescue boat, firefighting boat, diving boat, training boat, and emergency ambulance boat. According to analysts, this approach is beneficial in terms of holding promise for substantial cost sav-
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ing involved in series construction of the boats, as well as in their operation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and in crew training. Some analysts consider the Kaira-150 as potentially being a domestic alternative to U.S. Island-class boats that have similar physical and performance characteristics, but which, importantly, would surpass the American boats in some respects. The Kaira-150 will feature a steel hull and an aluminum, or alternatively composite superstructure, depending on the Customer’s request. In the forward superstructure there can be mounted artillery weapons, including a 30-mm cannon in addition to other weapons. The design allows for installation of current-generation systems (of domestic or foreign brands) for mine countermeasures and search-and-rescue missions. The platform will feature a U.S.brand ship stabilizing gyro that,
unlike conventional counterparts, doesn’t rely on the forward speed of the ship to generate a roll stabilizing moment, meaning it can stabilize the ship while slow or even at anchorage. This would contribute to crew comfort and productivity, especially while in high seas. Another feature is the availability of a maneuvering propulsion device, which would assist a ship in maneuvering in cases in which it lacks maneuvering performance while slow. The Kaira-150 project conforms to rules and standards for ship certification and classification set by the international accredited registrar and classification society DNV-GL. The Ukrainian Naval Forces, that face an acute shortage of the above mentioned types of vessels, especially
