USSPs Unmanned semi-fixed sea platforms for maritime surveillance
Date
Nov 1 2024
Reading time
3minutes
The USSPs project is a 42-month 19.5 m Euro development defence project awarded to be funded by the EU within the framework of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), supported by the MoDs of Greece and Cyprus, including by means of co-funding.
Within this project MARIN has been involved from pre-feasibility studies until detailed design phase of the platform, the power system and launch and recovery capabilities of the UxV’s.
The project has designed a small size Tension Leg Platform (TLP) to be built as full-scale prototype for demonstration purposes to the MoD as final deliverable of the project. After the initial design was completed, model tests were performed in MARIN’s Offshore Basin to verify the design, obtain valuable calibration data for the numerical simulations and generate input for further numerical deck impact analyses.
Introduction
The USSPs consortium comprises of 15 EU Primes, Mid-Caps and SME companies and RTOs from 7 EU Member States i.e., Greece, Cyprus, France, Spain, The Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Ireland. The USSPs project will improve Maritime Surveillance by developing an unmanned, highly-autonomous, energy-efficient and miniaturised oil-rig, technology-based platform capable to integrate a wide range of air, surface, and underwater sensors. These platforms will enable deployment in any geographical region, and operation under adverse environmental conditions.Within this project MARIN has been involved from pre-feasibility studies until detailed design phase of the platform, the power system and launch and recovery capabilities of the UxV’s.
The project has designed a small size Tension Leg Platform (TLP) to be built as full-scale prototype for demonstration purposes to the MoD as final deliverable of the project. After the initial design was completed, model tests were performed in MARIN’s Offshore Basin to verify the design, obtain valuable calibration data for the numerical simulations and generate input for further numerical deck impact analyses.
MARIN activities within the USSPs project
Test programme
The 1 : 18.5 scale model was made in our workshop to be an accurate physical representation of the design. All relevant construction parts like columns, pontoons, deck, tendon stiffness and weight distribution were modelled accurately. The mast and 20 feet ISO-boxes were added for viewing purposes and better understanding of the actual dimensions of the platform.During all tests the 6 degree of freedom motions and accelerations, tendon line tensions and relative water height at 4 locations were measured with our new micro wireless measurement system. The wireless setup prevents any influence of instrumentation cables running from the basin carriage to the model. This becomes more important when testing this relatively small type of floaters like floating wind and USSP.
The model was tested in combined current, wave and wind conditions for the installation site approximately 50 km south of Athens. Different conditions like high current velocity for VIM and fatigue assessment, operational conditions to assess motion behavior and also 100-yr survival conditions to test the integrity of the platform were tested extensively.
The video shows the behaviour of the platform in the testing operational conditions with a significant wave height of 3.0 m at a peak period of 7.0 s.
Model testing in MARIN's Offshore Basin
The test results are used for both verification and approval for the USSP prototype to be built and demonstrated in 2025 and also for verification and tuning of numerical models. With a tuned numerical model it is more easy to screen different conditions and investigate impact of small design modifications on the results.
In survival conditions it is crucial that the platform deck is not reached by a wave crest to ensure structural integrity. Wave crests that can potentially reach the platform deck are typically very non-linear and do not occur often (if at all) in a three-hour 100-year storm condition. Thus, air gap (deck clearance) analysis requires model tests or CFD simulations (Comflow) with a large number of random three-hour realisations of the 100-year survival condition. Basin time only allows for a limited number of three-hour sea-state realisations. To support the model test campaign and provide additional data, CFD simulations are carried out.
EDIDP Factsheet | A comprehensive overview of the program's strategic aims, coordinated systems, and participating member states.
USSPS Presentation | Detailed coverage and imagery of the recent floating platform presentation and construction milestones.:
Platform launch | A report covering the successful launch of the unmanned floating platform at the Salamis Shipyards.
Naming Ceremony | For the “Panoptis” Unmanned Floating Maritime Surveillance Platform:
Demonstration | Site Acceptance Tests / Demonstration (SAT) of the USSPS Prototype Platform, Panoptis:
Naval Group Official News | An initial announcement detailing the collaboration between ETME, Naval Group, and Navantia.
In survival conditions it is crucial that the platform deck is not reached by a wave crest to ensure structural integrity. Wave crests that can potentially reach the platform deck are typically very non-linear and do not occur often (if at all) in a three-hour 100-year storm condition. Thus, air gap (deck clearance) analysis requires model tests or CFD simulations (Comflow) with a large number of random three-hour realisations of the 100-year survival condition. Basin time only allows for a limited number of three-hour sea-state realisations. To support the model test campaign and provide additional data, CFD simulations are carried out.
References
European Commission | The official project dashboard managed by the EU for the Defence Industry and Space directorate.:EDIDP Factsheet | A comprehensive overview of the program's strategic aims, coordinated systems, and participating member states.
USSPS Presentation | Detailed coverage and imagery of the recent floating platform presentation and construction milestones.:
Platform launch | A report covering the successful launch of the unmanned floating platform at the Salamis Shipyards.
Naming Ceremony | For the “Panoptis” Unmanned Floating Maritime Surveillance Platform:
Demonstration | Site Acceptance Tests / Demonstration (SAT) of the USSPS Prototype Platform, Panoptis:
Naval Group Official News | An initial announcement detailing the collaboration between ETME, Naval Group, and Navantia.
Deck impact CFD simulations
Contact
The consortium coordinator ETME will be exhibiting at EURONAVAL 2024 from November 4-7 in Hall 6, booth B46 where the tank test model will be on display.
For more information contact
ETME: Anastasia Malafouri | MARIN: Robert Heerink
For more information contact
ETME: Anastasia Malafouri | MARIN: Robert Heerink
