Gibbs & Cox (a Leidos company) wants to convert oil platforms into mobile missile defense and resupply bases under a concept presented at Sea Air Space 2024.
Gibbs & Cox aims to address the U.S. Navy’s weapons and resupply capability problems in the Western Pacific by converting surplus oil platforms into heavily armed mobile missile and resupply bases as part of its concept of mobile defense/depot platform (MODEP) in maritime airspace 2024.
“Our goal here is to find a solution to the difficult problem of capacity issues in the Western Pacific. “There are not enough airframes, not enough missiles, not enough capacity to keep these ships in the forward station,” said Dave Zook, solutions architect and head of the combat systems department at Gibbs & Cox . Naval News.
“MODEP is a large floating island base designed to enhance multi-layered defense of the national interest. It can stay an ideal distance from the shore and is capable of operating independently for over 12 months. an infographic on the claimed concept.
Created as a stopgap to address ballistic missile defense and the US Navy’s request for an at-sea reloading solution, MODEP is the product of Gibbs & Cox’s internal research efforts seeking to harness the enormous capability of space and weight of commercial offshore platforms to address these issues. problems.
Although an unconventional approach to solving the U.S. Navy’s problems, Gibbs & Cox highlight the capabilities that a converted offshore platform brings over conventional ships in air defense and sustainment in power at sea through two concepts presented at SAS 2024. The company says the ballistic missile defense and depot variants could travel at a speed of 5 to 8 knots to cover approximately 200 nautical miles per day. “Stability in all sea states, including waves up to 60 feet high” was requested by the company. The total endurance of MODEP is expected to be 150 days and a total endurance of 4,000 nautical miles without refueling. The concept also offers 6 to 20 MW of additional mission power, a maintenance and repair shop for warships, a fuel capacity of 2.3 million gallons and an initial payload capacity of 8,000 tons.
According to Gibbs & Cox, a converted platform could support air defense or strike missions with five times the capacity of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Concepts says the conversion could hold up to 512 vertical launch system cells or 100 large missile launchers, the latter referring to a requirement set forth by the Navy’s DDG(X) program for a more capable launch system that can support larger missiles such as hypersonic. In this air and ballistic missile defense configuration, the company emphasizes that the platform height of 45 to 90 meters above the waterline will provide “optimal visibility and surveillance” for associated sensors. Leidos Gibbs & Cox also noted that its sea-based ballistic missile defense concept “reduces the risks and costs associated with land-based defense systems.” It is worth noting that Japan was considering discussion of an oil platform similar to MODEP as an alternative to its canceled Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system.
The concept also aims to support the sustainment of the service’s surface combatants and nuclear submarines through an afloat forward transit base configuration. Gibbs & Cox infographics indicate that MODEP “provides a stable option for VLS recharging at sea, depot repair capability and expanded mission potential.” With the Secretary of the Navy identifying at-sea reloading capability as a “top priority,” this concept aims to solve this complex task by using two cranes capable of lifting 100 tons to reload VLS cells and deliver other supplies to ships and submarines. The depot configuration also aims to resupply warships at sea using “existing offshore oil and gas technology”.
Another strength of Gibbs & Cox is the speed with which these concepts can come to fruition. The company says there are 4 to 6 commercial platforms in the United States that could be converted at low cost, specifying that the acquisition of these surplus platforms represents 10% of the total cost of a defense version anti-ballistic missile. Additionally, due to what Gibbs & Cox describe as “oversupply in the oil market”, total conversion from civilian to military use is expected “be ready within approx. 24 months.”
