Fortitude class Joint High Speed Vessel
Encyclopedia
Spearhead class Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) is a United States Navy
-led shipbuilding program to provide "a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium sized cargo payloads. JHSV will reach speeds of 35–45 kn (19.1–24.5 ) and allow for the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces as well as equipment and supplies."
On 2 May 2011 all Army JHSV were transferred to the Navy.
-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion.
It will have a flight deck
for helicopter operations and a load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive on and off the ship. The ramp will be suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. JHSV will have a shallow draft
(under 15 feet (4.6 m)).
The design is 70 percent common with the Hawaii Superferry
.
The JHSV program received Milestone A approval in May 2006. The Navy awarded Phase One preliminary design contracts in early 2008, and a detail design and construction contract in the 4th Quarter of FY08.
The Navy's Program Executive Office, Ships will conduct acquisition for both the Army and Navy, but each service will fund its own ships. After delivery, each service will be responsible for manning, maintaining, and providing full lifecycle support for their respective vessels.
USNS Spearhead
, the first ship in the class, was launched in September 2011 and is expected to be delivered in early 2012. Construction of JHSV2 is underway. The Navy expects to purchase 23 JHSV vessels over 30 years.
In June 2011, a fifty-ton module was damaged at the Austal
shipyard in Mobile during the construction of USS Vigilant.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
-led shipbuilding program to provide "a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium sized cargo payloads. JHSV will reach speeds of 35–45 kn (19.1–24.5 ) and allow for the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces as well as equipment and supplies."
On 2 May 2011 all Army JHSV were transferred to the Navy.
Capabilities
The JHSV will be able to transport US Army and US Marine Corps companyCompany (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion.
It will have a flight deck
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
for helicopter operations and a load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive on and off the ship. The ramp will be suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. JHSV will have a shallow draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
(under 15 feet (4.6 m)).
The design is 70 percent common with the Hawaii Superferry
Hawaii Superferry
The Hawaii Superferry was a Hawaii-based transportation company that provided passenger and vehicle transportation between Honolulu Harbor on the island of Oahu and Kahului Harbor on Maui...
.
Program
The JHSV program combines the Army's Theater Support Vessel (TSV) program (dating from 2004) with the Navy and Marine Corps High Speed Connector (HSC) (requirement dating from 2004).The JHSV program received Milestone A approval in May 2006. The Navy awarded Phase One preliminary design contracts in early 2008, and a detail design and construction contract in the 4th Quarter of FY08.
The Navy's Program Executive Office, Ships will conduct acquisition for both the Army and Navy, but each service will fund its own ships. After delivery, each service will be responsible for manning, maintaining, and providing full lifecycle support for their respective vessels.
USNS Spearhead
USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1)
USNS Spearhead is the first ship in the , to be operated by the Military Sealift Command and christened on 17 September 2011.-History:Construction of Spearhead began on 22 July 2010, when the ship's keel was laid at the Austal facility in Mobile, Alabama in a ceremony that included officials from...
, the first ship in the class, was launched in September 2011 and is expected to be delivered in early 2012. Construction of JHSV2 is underway. The Navy expects to purchase 23 JHSV vessels over 30 years.
History
The USN has been operating HSVs for some years, notably the , , , , and .In June 2011, a fifty-ton module was damaged at the Austal
Austal
Austal is an Australian company that specializes in the design and construction of aluminium vessels. Its main products include passenger and freight ferries, luxury yachts and military vessels....
shipyard in Mobile during the construction of USS Vigilant.
External links
- Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) – USN PEO Ships official site
- Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) – Global Security page
- NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive: USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1)