Low Cost Non-Explosive Shock Qualification Testing

The non-explosive shock testing of naval vessels and shipboard equipment project rapidly integrates a COTS technology currently used in commercial oil exploration, tailors the technology to meet Navy's LFT&E technical and environmental challenges, and provides the resulting package to the US Navy. The project provides a process and system by which the US Navy can avoid the severe environmental problems that have plagued naval shock testing in recent years. The process is safer and environmental benefits are significant compared to testing naval vessels and shipboard equipment with shocks generated by explosives. Seabed disturbance is minimal, fish kill is virtually eradicated, there are no chemical by-products and no residues are left at the test location. The absence of explosives means that shock testing can be carried out in virtually any location. This saves time occupying a warship on transit to a range. It also means testing is no longer dependent on range availability and a faster turnaround time between tests means better use of test dollars. The resulting capability will support the US Navy by providing a low cost, environmentally benign approach to developing necessary test data insuring reliability shipboard systems subjected to underwater shock loads. The Navy currently lacks a cost effective, environmentally sound approach to generate test data for qualification of ships, submarines and shipboard equipment for shock, vibration and LFT&E requirements. The resulting capability will support the US Navy by providing a low cost, environmentally benign approach to developing necessary test data insuring reliability shipboard systems subjected to underwater shock loads. The proposed system will also be useful in crew training scenarios as it can provide multiple underwater shock loadings to ships during training exercises. This is especially important in reduced manning environments that are responsible for much of the cost savings in naval surface combatants of the future.