As we continue to try to put the square LCS peg in to the round FFG hole, what about one of the other critical warfare requirements that LCS was originally supposed to meet – Mine Warfare (MIW)?

Most accept now that LCS will eventually be a usable if sub-optimal FFG, but there is a less clear path to a usable if sub-optimal MIW platform.

What other ideas for a modern solution to an age-old threat are out there from our allies with similar requirements? Well, for starters shift your eyes across the pond to the mother country. Take a look at BMT Defence Services nifty Venari-85 proposal as a benchmark.

There is a lot here to like. Even though an emphasis of MIW is seen in the design, there are a lot of additional possibilities you get with her extra size.

Read their full pamphlet here, but I’ve got a few pull-quotes for your consideration;

BMT’s VENARI®-85 platform is a mine warfare and hydrographic ship for the unmanned and information-dominated era. The platform is designed to exploit the next generation of offboard vehicles, mission systems and operational concepts.

Nothing, thankfully, “revolutionary” – greatly decreasing technology and program risk. Built around an understanding that new systems will be incorporated as they emerge.

Working with the wealth of experience brought by mine warfare and autonomous systems industry leaders, along with lessons from Unmanned Warrior 2016 (including QinetiQ, Atlas Elektronik UK, Northrop Grumman and Leonardo), and drawing on the experience of operators from several navies,

Best practices. A mindset in-line with sound policies.

The critical features which enable mine warfare cannot be incorporated within a Frigate without severely impacting higher warfighting priorities and requirements in areas such as Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW); the attributes required to fulfil these Frigate warfighting roles are largely incompatible with the mine warfare requirements. Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) generally lack survivability and signature management features, even at the most basic level, and are fundamentally unsafe to be employed in mine clearance operations within the Channel Immune, Channel Avoid and Channel Standoff concepts. With a narrower beam, an OPV hullform also lacks the stability required to launch and recover large unmanned vehicles, some of which weigh upwards of 15 tonnes, in all sea-states and weather conditions that are required in the Area Standoff concept. These factors place acute limitations and delays on the operational commander and exclude an OPV design as a viable solution for mine warfare operations.

Bingo. Clearly signaling that they understand the real lessons of the LCS program and the realities of MIW.

The aft working deck configuration optimises the handling of large unmanned offboard systems, such as Atlas Elektronik’s ARCIMS, and the rapid flow of vehicles on and off the ship. Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) are deployed and recovered using motion-compensated davits, enabling the launch and recovery of systems in higher sea states with an added level of redundancy. The working deck can accommodate containers for additional equipment and stores alongside the USVs and is equipped with a crane for use both at sea and in port. VENARI-85’s facilities allow the ship to stream and recover equipment required for modern mine influence sweep systems operated by the USVs. The flexibility of this area facilitates the removal of the USVs and davits, allowing space for more containers or other large items of equipment and provides a capability growth path to incorporate future new technologies
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VENARI-85 does not rely on unmanned vehicles and offboard systems to deliver mine warfare capabilities as it can support clearance divers undertaking mine classification and disposal operations. Medical facilities within the ship can be augmented with a decompression chamber to further support this activity. This diving capability can be hosted in the mission equipment garage, which has the flexibility to allow future equipment upgrades as technology develops.

Again, a designed flexibility of redundant capabilities that span the spectrum from unmanned and quasi-autonomous, to divers.

VENARI-85 has a fully redundant diesel-electric propulsion architecture arranged over two independent machinery spaces that, unlike an OPV or commercial ship, meets naval class rules. Four equal-sized shock mounted and acoustically enclosed diesel generators linked to two electric propulsion motors drive the twin propellers via conventional shafts, providing operational flexibility and survivability through a redundant, shock-capable and acoustically quiet configuration. The platform’s DP2 class dynamic positioning system links the main propulsion with the twin rudders and lateral tunnel thrusters, resulting in maximum and cruising speeds that meet global expeditionary expectations and provides low speed positional accuracy and manoeuvrability.

Robust engineering. Sexy? No. What you need? Yes.

Of course, this is a Salamander post, so we have to bring up, well … you know;

If conducting expeditionary mine warfare activity in a higher threat environment, VENARI-85 can be equipped with a 40mm cannon or 57mm medium calibre gun integrated with an all-weather fire control director. Using specialist guided ammunition, this system can provide an anti-surface and limited anti-air defence at a greater range than older generation Close In Weapon Systems (CIWS). The main gun is augmented by two additional remote-operated cannon and mounted smaller calibre weapons to provide overall 360° coverage against surface threats.

I didn’t even quote the 30mm option. No. Like you always buy the largest engine you can for your truck or boat, always get the largest gun you can on your warship because, reasons.

I’m not proposing that we license build the Venari-85, but we should look close at the concept, mindset, and utility. However, Northrop Grumman has worked with BMT, so …