Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:05:36-2:06:39

Strategic speed may matter more than sprint speed

Modern propulsion could be optimized around two efficient operating points, giving destroyers a higher sustained transit speed without making maximum tactical speed the only measure.

DestroyersFleet LogisticsIntegrated Electric PropulsionNaval PropulsionShip Design
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Question

Does a modern destroyer need higher strategic mobility more than a very high tactical top speed?

Short answer

Potentially yes. A useful future design could combine an economical cruise setting with a higher efficient 'super-cruise' setting for sustained strategic movement.

Notes

Integrated electric propulsion allows designers to think in terms of how much speed one, two, or three prime movers can efficiently sustain rather than treating propulsion as a single cruise-versus-maximum choice. One proposal uses two efficient speed bands: ordinary cruise and a faster sustained transit condition. That arrangement would improve a destroyer's ability to reposition over operational distances without requiring extreme top speed for every tactical maneuver.