Free Running Manoeuvring Model Tests On A Modern Generic SSK Class Submarine (BB2)

The Australian Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) are working together on background research (R&D) in the hydrodynamic behaviour of submarines. A four year programme was initiated in 2012, in which part of the research was on benchmarking and validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions for deeply submerged manoeuvring performance, including concept studies. The present paper discusses free sailing manoeuvring model tests on a modern generic SSK-class submarine, the BB2, which was based on a variant of the “Joubert” hull form design. The BB2 design is a non-existing submarine, which was specifically chosen to enable international cooperation on benchmark and validation studies. The free sailing manoeuvring model tests were performed at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) and the results as well as geometry are made available in this paper. This data is also freely available for download on the MARIN website; usage is unlimited as long as reference is made to the source. It should be noted that collection of such a vast dataset requires a thorough data analysis, which is still ongoing at the time of writing. Users of the data are therefore also requested to report their findings back.