FEP can significantly reduce through-life costs while providing a more flexible propulsion system. Moreover, an FEP vessel may be more difficult to detect than a conventionally powered vessel. As a relatively new technology to the armed forces, however, FEP also carries risk.
Complex interactions can occur between the electrical power system and other onboard systems.
Risk reduction and careful systems integration are, therefore, important for FEP warships. The key to early risk reduction is simulation. Our clients include the British and French navies, both of whom requested that we develop models that would enable them to investigate the behavior of a variety of alternative power system configurations on FEP vessels. Our services combine electrical machine models with power electronic and ship dynamic models. Control systems can be included for individual systems, and supervisory systems can be modeled.